Netflix Snack vs. Chef winner S’NOODS launches noodle snack

During the Netflix show, Bodden came up with the idea for a snackable noodle, blending her love for noodles and her experience as a chef and food editor. In addition to the $50,000 she won from the show, Bodden was also able to raise an additional $30,000 through a Kickstarter campaign to launch her business.

S’NOODS is a noodle chip​ made from rice flour that comes in Cavatappi Carbonara, Spicy Miso Ramen, and Rigatoni Basil Pomodoro flavors and is designed to blend flavors consumers expect from potato chips and unique textures, Bodden explained. 

“In creating our noodle chip, we aimed for the flavor of the potato chip profile and that crisp crunch with the rice flour that's coming into our formulation. So, we wanted to lean into ... that texture that's missing in the snack aisle and bringing in those bolder flavors."

Currently, S’NOODS is available in approximately 50 retail locations, including Foxtrot locations nationwide, and online through the brand's website. Through the year, Bodden says she wants more “boots on the ground” to sample the product to help grow the retail distribution beyond its current footprint.

Startup tips: ‘Stick to your own gut’ to build a brand

When asked for advice for food and beverage brands starting out, Bodden outlined two crucial tips that were helpful for her – listening to consumers and having conviction in the brand's vision.

“A lot of it comes from just listening, listening to the buzz that happened around the show whenever it came out, but also listening to the reaction of the judges on the show and listening to consumers on social media, the media itself, trends and everything. ... So, it’s just constantly listening.”

While it's important to listen to different perspectives, she added that founders need to trust their instincts on what's right for their brand.

"At the same time, you really need to stick to your own gut. There were so many points in this journey where I [said], ‘Ah, it's too expensive,'" Bodden said. "And it always came back to my first initial instinct. And so, I think staying true to your brand vision, staying true to yourself, that really will lead to a lot of that creativity around making your brand flourish.”