He joins ex barkTHINS EVP and current general manager of Hippeas, Joe Serventi, who recently invested in the organic extruded snack.
One of the three trailblazers at FoodNavigator-USA’s FOOD VISION USA event in 2016, Hippeas debuted on both sides of the Atlantic simultaneously in summer 2016, and has already secured shelf space at 20,000+ stores, from Starbucks, Wegmans, Albertson's, Safeway, and Whole Foods in the US, to WH Smith (travel division), Boots, and Waitrose in the UK.
Revenues are on track to more than triple this year, according to CEO Livio Bisterzo, who recently teamed up with charity Farm Africa to strike a deal whereby for each pack sold, Hippeas will donate a portion of sales to support farmers in eastern Africa.
"Hippeas is a high-growth and differentiated brand that has been created in a short amount of time," said Seth Rodsky, managing partner of Strand Equity Partners. "The unprecedented traction the brand has achieved is a testament to its unique offering that combines nutrition with a creative flavor profile.”
Hippeas chickpea puffs have 3g fiber and 4g protein per single serve 1oz bag. Flavors include Vegan White Cheddar, Sriracha Sunshine, Far Out Fajita, Pepper Power,and Bohemian Barbecue.
Watch our video with Livio Bisterzo at FOOD VISION USA 2016 below:
Trailblazers is a new initiative at Food Vision USA designed to celebrate early stage food & beverage companies that are bringing something genuinely new to the table from a formulation, sourcing, branding, marketing or business model perspective.
The three winners in 2016 - Afineur, Hippeas and Shaka Tea - were selected by the editorial team and got to present their innovations to our expert panel on stage at the conference. This year's winners will present in front of:
- Wayne Wu, managing director, VMG Partners
- Gigi Lee Chang, CEO, Food Future Co, co-founder Plum Organics
- Scott Norton, co-founder, Sir Kensington’s (Unilever)
- Barb Stuckey, president and chief innovation officer, Mattson