08/27/2026
The brand is Chomps founded by Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali. They sell meat sticks without the sugar and the junk.
Pete and Rashid looked at the meat stick market and realized there was no healthy grab-and-go option. So they built one — grass-fed meat, nothing artificial, in a single-serve stick you can toss in a bag and eat anywhere.
Here are the three strategies behind their billion-dollar run.
First, certifications. Instead of burning cash on ads, they got Whole30, keto, and gluten-free certified — because those badges are search terms people Google, instant trust, and exactly what retail buyers hunt for.
Second, real people made their ads. They sent free product to moms, nurses, teachers — and when someone posted, they’d boost that post from the person’s own account. That way it shows up in people’s feeds naturally and doesn’t read as an ad.
Third, retail feeds their website. Almost half their online customers first tried Chomps in a store — a free sample turns into a subscriber. The two grow each other.
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