This essay explores the corruption of the modern day grocer that has fueled the boom of GLP-1s as the only remedy to products that serve no purpose but to increase shareholder value instead of nurturing the actual consumer. It’s part of a series of essays and thoughts around modern day grocery stores and serves as an introduction to an upcoming bigger project.

In 2026, it’s hard for anything to really be “gag worthy” and not because we’re knee deep in AI slop, but mostly because a lot of insane products are already in the market. My recent theory is that April Fool’s lost relevancy in the era of brainrot—you think “Breast Milk Mayo” or “sourdough starter martinis” sound crazy?

Not in Elon’s America.

\The grocery store itself is a manifestation of the chaos chasm we’ve been stuck in—in my last essay, The New Grocer, we touched on how the physical changes that this retail institution has gone through has distorted the way we relate to pantry and grocery items. This trasmutation was somewhat predicted by the likes of Andy Warhol when he elevated Campbell soups into a form of art, heralding Americans venture into mass consumption, a true visionary. When I visited Omega Mart, an interactive exhibit by Meow Wolf, which is the most accurate representation of what grocery feels like in 2020s, and what can be defined as a “late stage grocer”—the exhibit takes around what seemingly is your average grocery store, that is until you take a good look at the actual products in the aisles. Nut mixes go by “Nutrient Rich Pellets for Homo Sapiens” there are “nut-free salted peanuts” and “dehydrated water” they have “Corn PM” for those who may be suffering insomnia caused by a corn deficiency, and “Root-beer flavored vape juice” comes in 2L bottles.

The interactive show continues as you dive past the employees breakroom into mind bending tunnels and abandoned cabins and by the end of it, it becomes clear that this is a somewhat extraterrestial corporation trying to cosplay as humans, and serving up what they conceived as human drinks and snacks, and in it’s imperfection, from the dairy aisle glitching, to the cute tomato snails and happles it’s actually the perfect metaphor to our current state of grocery—giving us merely an illusion of what we may actually need.

Simultaneously, Americans’ skepticisim around food continues to grow, from fake fruit conspiracy theories, to people simply not knowing how eggs work? As a generation, our disconnect with what nurtures us is what has allowed for the commodification of wellness to take place—that is, the reselling inherent human knowledge in pretty packaging at a premium as well as the rise of faux-stalgia in the form of glorifying trad wives and blue collar cosplay (farm life) a glorification of a time we mostly know nothing about considering we are the snacking generation, good ol’ Lunchable-fed Americans.

It’s easy for late stage grocers to capitalize on our collective brainrot—truly there’s nothing that won’t be marketed to us as “nutritional” from candy cold lattes and Skittles drinks, to overly Goopified adaptogenic ramens and palo santo brewed water. In need of protein—you can have it as candy, see Hershey’s recent hire of a “Director of protein business”, you can also get fiber from cotton candy and collagen from cookies. Last week, the tonic bar at Erewhon in Santa Monica was closed for roaches, a luxury grocery store that charges almost $30 for a smoothie, and profits massively from it, has a vermin problem because in typical late stage grocer fashion, it’s all about giving you an illusion of what you think you want, in Erewhon’s case, groceries with a side of status signaling.

In the era of late stage grocers, it’s no wonder Ozempic has become the drug of choice at a time where it feels like there’s nothing nutritional much less nurturing worth eating or buying. Our mechanisim of defense against parody pantry aisles has become tricking our bodies into satiation, further severing whatever tie we have left with what is such a human cornerstone experience, food and beverage. As we zoom past the last of the 2020s, one thing is for sure, AI is concerning, but grocery slop is real.

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This essay explores how design influenced grocery, from aisles to packaging, for better and worse. It’s part of a series of essays and thoughts around modern day grocery stores and serves as an introduction to an upcoming bigger project.

Nothing brought me as much joy as biting into fresh fruit deep in the valley, in the home I grew up in surrounded by greenery equal parts heat and humidity—the beauty of Honduras juxtaposed by the political instability, corruption and high crime rates, afterall, there is no paradise without hell. Luckily for me, the PTSD parts while growing up are eclipsed by the memories of love and nurturing, instilled mostly by my maternal grandmother, from who I inherited my unfilteredness as well as a connection to what nourishes.

Every Saturday she would return from La Concha, one of the oldest bustling markets in my hometown, carrying the most colorful and lively (quite literally) bounties of fruits, veggies, legumes, dairy and on ocassions, water buckets filled with crabs. It was a sensorial experience more than a tedious one, to help her clean the white maize and the beans before she readied them for the mill (one which no longer exists) —there were also times of disgust whenever she washed the tripe for her mondongo soup or when she asked me to peel the tamarind to make fresh juice, the sticky crunch is something you can never unfeel. I would watch her make her cheese donuts to make her famous Nicaraguan cheese soup, she taught me how to wash and prepare rice, adopting me at times as her sous-chef. On ocassion, she would reward me with stuffed mini 8-ball zuchinis, a recipe she learned from the Arab family she rented from when she fled the Nicaraguan civil war and moved to Honduras.

I did not realize it then—but it was such a privilege to grow up so close to the food that nourishes you, and as I grew older, I would often accompany my mom to the farmer’s market on Sundays and would get lost in the maze of vegetable and fruit stands that all led to the sauna-esque stalls of the tortilla makers, girls that were either younger or around my age, making stacks of corn and flour tortillas so fast, you could blink and find a new stack made, wrapped in a plastic bag and sold just as quick. The sights of papayas displayed on newspapers, the scrublike dirt left on potatoes and carrots as you browse, the noise of the crowd reverbating in the cement stalls oozing with steam from the heat—at times it feels like a distant dream.

The misting machines at the produce section at Whole Foods often bring that to mind for me—as someone who grew up in Honduras and now lives in the US, it’s kind of a tale of two grocers. Though it’s my job to report and observe the cultural convergences we are seeing in the industry—it’s hard not to feel pessismistic at a time where fresh food in one of the richest countries in the world, is unaccessible to many and the idea of groceries as luxury considering food and beverage are the cornerstone of the human experience.

The New Grocer

Cartwheels shriek as the doors slide open at your modern grocery store, unveiling a vast sea of sameness, reflecting an illusion of choice, as if playing pretend as a kid all over again–rituals so far corrupted from the actual origins of grocery shopping, it has become almost aspirational. In the beginning, we shopped for pantry staples at general stores with limited offerings, surrendering our household necessities to the store clerk that would choose for us, there were no brands, there were only needs to be met. For a while, stores had been designed around this gatekept experience, but as industrialization roared on and war loomed, the need to make the grocery experience more efficient and convenient grew, cardboard boxes and tin made keeping food fresh more accessible, by the mid 1910s, the first self-service store came to be, Piggly Wiggly, others would soon follow. 

Removing the middleman, this new design around browsing open shelves was adopted across the globe, this spread out layout somehow fostered the empowering idea of choice–more space meant more options to choose from, and as consumers navigated these new seas, consumer packaged goods became disguised siren calls. In today’s world, the customer itself has become the product, grocery stores salivating at the thought of luring us in to be once again enticed by their influx of shiny objects, what was once a form of temple wherein one performed a simple tribute, an exchange of offerings to suffice a need, has now become a battling ground for retailer, brand and consumer. 

Our parents found themselves presented with the choice of brand vs. off-brand, in the end the process of elimination came down to utility, but in this era of Millennials and GenZ, groceries have evolved to be a form of external signaling—my olive oil most not only perform its inherit duty, but it most also communicate identity, lifestyle, status or desire. Something prophesied by artist Andy Warhol back in the 1960s, his Campbell soup elevated mundane everyday items to a form of art, from soup to Coca-Cola bottles, his pieces also serving to represent a brewing era of mass consumption. Big box stores replaced humble general stores, think Walmart and their gargantuan footprint, and Kroger now considered the largest grocery chain with over 5,000 stores across the US, now operating like real estate brokers selling off their best shelf spaces to the highest bidders. Slotting fees as they are commonly known within the industry, is what drives grocers interests, it’s no longer to provide for needs but instead foster over consumption. 

Technology has also influenced the modern grocery industry–from Amazon to Instacart, your groceries are at the tip of your fingers, that is if you’re willing to pay extra. Scrolling has become the new browsing–but don’t let the flat design of these new product shelves fool you–these platforms too operate in a form of shelving system, by favoring sponsored placements. This inescapable dullness around what was once a more experiential custom has allowed for us to be marketed this inherent experience, wrapped in aspirational branding, and resold at a premium–inspired by the allure of traditional outdoor markets of yore. Brands like Flamingo Estate operate under the slogan “mother nature is the last greatest luxury house” –groceries that for the majority of population are already an unaffordable necessity, now marketed as a form of status signaling.

Erewhon, what I like to dub as “hypebeast grocer” –has become an aspirational lifestyle brand itself–not only selling the illusion of quality products under a pseudo wellness halo, but also by collaborating with luxury brands like BALENCIAGA, it’s price inaccessibility making it more coveted for brands and consumers alike, and they profit massively from this positioning. This idea of aspirational groceries has even led affordable chains like Trader Joe’s, Target and Walmart to invest in rebranding their private label, trying to make it as aesthetically pleasing as what one might find at more expensive chains–indulging the new generations in their wish of pretty packaging. 

On the other extreme of the spectrum we find eco-friendly grocery stores like re: Grocery that discourage packaging in lieu of BYOC (bring your own containers) releasing consumers from the paradox of choice and claws of marketers– while online grocers like Sunrise focus on guiding you to make better choices by helping (some may think of shaming) one to visualize the carbon footprint that accompanies their grocery lists when ordering within their app. Does removing packaging itself bring us closer to traditional forms of grocery, or does it help us pave a way forward by ridding us of what are seemingly distractions to bigger issues like consolidated food systems? 

Even specialty grocers have been rebranded as “curated” –intentionally selected to be a juxtaposition of BigBox retail–a focus on emerging brands and being less predatory around shelf placements in hopes to bring visibility to brands that need it more than BigFood. Pop Up Grocer, though from the outside looking in, can seem to your average consumer, as an overpriced shop with beautifully packaged goods, yet it actually focuses on curating and highlighting women founders as well as POC founders, as opposed to operating with a real estate type mentality. Similarly stores like The Goods Mart and Tiny Grocer have piloted these concepts for the smaller convenience store, having been able to find success and replicate their formats across New York City and Austin–though there are others that have yet been able to find the balance between challenging and embracing the ruling grocery store formats, see the recent demise of Foxtrot Market.

What does the new grocery store look like at a time of late-stage capitalism? Designs that help give direction and serve less manipulation–instead of Trojan horsing with aesthetics–can better merchandising help consumers become more informed about their consumption through novel store design formats like Pop Up Grocer or release them from marketing machinations through zero waste models like Re: Grocery? The modern grocery store should foster our inherent connection with what nurtures us–a cornerstone in every person’s life, it should not have to be aspirational, see farmer’s markets across the world, where buying from your local merchants helps tie what we consume with where it’s produced.

In an era where every aspect of our lives can serve as social signaling, eased by the rise of platforms like Instagram and TikTok, the responsibility around design should not fall back just on new shop or brand owners, but instead pulling back the thread of what allowed the disconnection to begin with, the new grocer can only rise from the ashes of outdated and archaic systems that continue to manipulate us– if we can create stickers that change color as produce ripens to prevent consumers from letting it go to waste, to bringing about the paper bottle revolution now adopted by BigBeverage, then the role of design should continuously be one to remind us that other paths are possible, flickering lights that offer hope in darkness.

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“When you have a product this good, it doesn’t matter what it’s called.”

Tom Brady has launched another collaboration with GoPuff today, called Good Nut—and yes, they are definitely playing along with the cheekiness of the name, their product description reads, “Smooth. Full-bodied. Surprisingly pliable. It's a mouthful.” I got to hand it to them because their first drop, G.O.A.T gummies was so cringe and I’m glad that they are not taking themselves seriously but focused on the “clean ingredients” angle.

I do not care for another celebrity brand, but I will give credit when the branding and marketing is at least fun, kudos to Tom Brady for playing along with it. If he was smart he would have launched a matcha coconut can instead of their chocolate one, coconut matcha RTD’s are the perfect mix of energy and hydration. GoPuff team should just put me on a retainer.

Are You Starving For Air?

Post Covid there’s been a boom in content around “air hunger” or dyspnea, the feeling when you can’t have a satisfying, filling breath. The content ranges from influencers teaching you poses and exercises that can help alleviate these symptoms to promoting different products to help improve your breathing. Now there’s a lung breathing device that promises to help you breathe better by helping clear out your lungs, Climatic Health, a supplement that goes into the breathing device and all you need to do is take a deep breath. Climatic says the device:

• helps cleanse the daily buildup from pollution, pollen and irritants

• support improved airflow to the lungs for easier breathing

• open and expand your lungs immediately upon use

Can definitely see this growing as air quality decreases, as well as in emergency situations, think California fires, and not to mention this becoming a must for athletes to enhance their endurance—there’s obvious demand considering they sold out in the first 2 weeks and are now taking orders for the next batch, the price varies from $55 for a subscription, to $95 as a one time purchase.

Cowboy Packaged Goods

I’m here to inform you that the Italians are doing beans inspired on spaghetti westerns and the Aussies are doing “Texan” ranch, the cowboy cosplay extend well beyond your NYC dive bar or local farmer’s market, see matcha cowboys. Not a surprise considering how much western aesthetics have been permeating into CPG see Bronco, Rodeo Snacks, and beverages like Crazy Mountain.

And speaking of cowboys, I learned about Deep Springs, a different kind of university in the form of a ranch, it only enrolls 26 students at a givent ime and they will be working on this cattle ranch in the California desert, splitting manual labor in between academics, they also get so self-govern, the purpose is to prepare them for the real world, versus the idealism of Ivy League schools.

Matcha Infused Olive Oil

Loved coming across ILÉM, a colleciton of infused olive oils (pre-launch) that includes hotan rose and matcha as well as sex appeal, their bottle is quite unique, though it’s not one of the bougiest packaging I’ve seen in thise category, remember velvet olive oil bottles? Welcome to the pretty pantry paradigm baby.

Smart Sweets Founder’s Second Act: Chips

Tara Bosch is back with Snackish, an upcoming line of chips that tout added protein and fiber because unlike other chip brands, they use the entire potato, flavors range from classic BBQ and salt and vinegar to pickle. The brand is launching soon, though already visible on the Target website, and it looks like they are coming up with some fun campaigns featuring the likes of Chad Michael Murray.

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Happy Friday,

I’ve been traveling around to get you inside looks into the latest in F&B from the most exclusive openings, from Miami see my Nude sneak peek, to Vegas for Sweets and Snacks expo where I go to preview the new line ups from brands like Rotten and new brand launches like Snackish.

A few things of note before the long weekend hits—

Oasis is Go…

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You can find so much content produced at the intersection of fear mongering and misinformation when it comes to food and beverage, particularly in the US, where the majority of the population isn’t born with a connection to what feeds them, but whatever BigBox grocer has in store for them. Now more than ever, accounts like Hydroxide are necessary to break through the noise and bullshit that many “green screen detectives” cook up, with the lens of an actual food scientist.

We discuss her background and starting her account, David protein, raw milk and other controversial food products.

Enjoy!

Hot Fries, Frozen Aisles

Jesse & Ben’s announced a $10M Series A led by Greycroft, alongside others like Midnight Ventures and Willow Growth Partners, and individuals like Nicolas Jammet (Sweetgreen) and …

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Founder of Simulate (Nuggs) was arrested on assault and strangulation charges.

Do you still get Simulate in your grocery store? Post acquisition, the brand seemed to have fallen off, their website is non-existent and I’ve tried to source them at different grocers to …

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Hi everyone,
I’ll be chatting at HBS and Wharton this week and I’m currently writing from the back of an Uber on my way to my hotel in Boston, catch me in Philly later this week, if you’re in town, HMU!

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At one point I had to turn off RSVPs from our partiful because we had a 400+ waitlist on a party that already had 400 RSVPs, mind you this isn’t a convention or conference of sorts…it’s kind of the opposite of that. ’s Cami …

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So many people reached out to me post EXPO asking for my thoughts, and for that you’d had to go back to a post I made a few years ago, titled “What’s in a trend?.” After half a decade of expos, working with the biggest food companies in the world and supporting each new wave of CPG founders, I’ve learned that I’d be doing you a disservice if I were to d…

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Kim Kardashian joins her Jenner sisters in owning a beverage brand as she announces she’s become co-founder of Update, originally founded by Daniel Solomons, a former investmet banker based in NYC alongside the Hess Family (that one). This story should come to no surprise if you’ve watched the last seasons of Kardashians on Hulu, Kim hasn’t been able to…

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At a time where we complain about slopbowls while we propagate messages like “fiber is the new protein” that have Babybel promoting probiotic protein cheeses and Pepsi unveiling their 10g of protein Doritos to be consumed only by the proteingooners that are delusional enough to pass it as gains, one is left wondering what more can be done in favor of em…

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Half a decade ago—which is an insane couple of words to start this off with, I deep dived into CPG’s fascination with gut health—think of kombucha, the whole probiotic craze, and what started out as supplements offering gut improvements see Supergut and Seed, eventually morphed into prebiotic sodas, see Olipop and Poppi, what I dubbed as Millennial Metamucil.

Like protein, the presence of fiber in CPG items is not new, the narrative around it just keeps changing depending on the generational shift—people have been clamoring “fiber is the new protein for a while. And just like protein, fiber has gone through different eras, the 80s and 90s saw FiberOne and Metamucil with the 2000s being all about probiotics, Activia was inescapable. Health Ade was founded in 2012, as kombucha became the new it probiotic which eventually stalled thanks to the demonization of sugar, and thus prebiotics became the new fibre of choice. Supergut debuted around the same time as Olipop gained momemtum, happy guts became synonymous of health.

Do you think that Ozempic was the first time food makers thought fiber was a hack to aid in losing weight? 2009 saw a similar craze as more brands started adding “high in fiber” to appeal to health conscious consumers looking to lose weight while Atkins and South Beach Diet claimed to do the same with protein. Millennials may never forget the Benefiber ads that featured statuesque models with flat abs and GenX may be permanently scarred with Jaime Lee Curtis’ Activia ads, the modern version equivalent being Supergut rebranding as “Nature’s Ozempic”.

If this isn’t clicking yet, let me breakdown exactly why fiber isn’t the new protein, it’s been just a popular all along. If you walk into a grocery store right now you can easily find a few hundred fiber forward products—a simple search on Target puts you in the hundreds, Kroger features around 400 and Walmart has over a thousand products with fiber—safe to be said, in 2026 it doesn’t need as much PR as you would think. From probiotic salsa, to prebiotic pasta, there’s even fiber candy and the list goes on: prebiotic sauces, prebiotic ice cream and gelatos—they are even putting probitoics in athleisure, I’m not fucking joking.

In our piece, It’s Giving GenZ Groceries, we heralded the new wave of CPG brands being led by GenZ founders from Hot Girl Pickles to agua frescas and Sauz—their influence is becoming more palpable? Don’t believe me? Sauz has gone on to raise over $20M to scale their GenZ forward sauces, from Summer Lemon (feelings that evoke aesthetic are the new flavors) to Hot Honey Marinara and Whiney Baby, a GenZ friendly wine brand, sold to Gallo last year and their founder now works in their consumer innovation arm. While Olipop and Poppi were extremely Millennial coded waves of fiber, the instant gratification of health benefits meets pastels and adorkable fonts, their success hinged on the opportunity to take market share from dominant soda companies, where there’s been a lot of money to be gained, Pepsi ultimately bought Poppi for around $2B and launched their own prebiotic line (yeah, this is hell).

We’re now seeing GenZ’s version of it—a combination of fermentation and fartmaxxing, just look at the explosion of pickles and kimchi, combined with an elevation of what has been kind of a bland space, the luxe-fication of legumes, whether it’s beans or lentils, see Heyday and Lentiful. The problems around fiber have always been around taste (see Benefiber’s tasteless callouts in their 2000s ads) or incovenient formats, do you really want to be fully cooking those cauliflowers, legumes, etc, how long does it take to make your own damn kimchi?! This time around we’re seeing an emphasis on brands making it readily accesible for those who want to increase their intake, because no matter how many inverted food pyramids they yassify, fiber is essential at every stage of humans as we grow. It has also become an increasingly important conversation with new generations as gut health issues spike, see our Gut-tastic deep dive!

Why this clarification matters—

If you can’t stand seeing the protein-fication of everything from Poptarts to Lunchables, merely disguising themselves as “healthier options”, you may want to reevaluate what articles you share and what narrative you want to keep propagating. BigFood and even emerging brands will follow the money, considering how cut throat the grocery industry is with razor thin margins, anything to find a way to fatten those up (oh the irony!) —people kept asking me whether or not I agreed with this statement that’s being propagated everywhere and thus felt compelled to share my thoughts on it. For God sake we’re literally saying 2026 is the year of the cabbage like we’re announcing the latest Pantone color scam.

We keep seeing the media hype these narratives: eat more fucking cabbage it’s good for you and we have inverted pyramids that demand you up your intake of meat, dairy and eggs—when the more important conversations should be around whether or not the majority of people in the US have the access to quality produce in the first place. When we complain about why it’s easier to afford sugary drinks and shitty chips, we should also think about what roles we play as consumers, investors, buyers, retailers and founders in enabling this.

Though I’m afraid this reflection may already be too late—I’ve already been made aware of BigFood superbowl ads boasting fiber, it’s about to get so fucking insufferable here, just know if fiber Poptarts make it out of the lab, we are all to blame for this shit, literally.

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On a quest to emulate Julia Child, Greer Hiltabidle came to be dubbed, ‘the GenZ Martha Stewart’ an honor she does not take for granted, but it was a combination of love for French cuisine meets anxiety eventually led Greer to start churning her own butter, eventually becoming Butter Girl NYC. Her unique compound butter flavors like French Onion Soup or Ceasar Salad paired with salt packaged in what looks like dime bags (appropriately labeled “Not Coke”) have the internet craving more—her Kickstarter is only a few weeks old and she’s already over halfway there.

As a new wave of GenZ brands permeate into CPG, Greer takes us on her journey bootstrapping her business, leveraging social media to her advantage as well as her aspirations for her brand.

**There’s a little mishap in this episode, consider it an intermission. I’m looking for a sponsor/sponsors to help give this podcast a glow up in 2026, if you want to support our storytelling and creative vision, shoot me an email andrea@snaxshot.com**

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Hope everyone’s had a great start to the holiday season—I know anything will be a lot better than the two weeks of bronchitis I just suffered through, I’m glad that we’re nearing the end of 2025 which felt equal parts eternal and a flash.

This isn’t your typical end of year review where I go over some vanity metrics to try and feel a vague sense of accomplishment—I could tell you that our newsletter is read across 150 countries, that we’re one of the top bestsellers on Substack when it comes to the food category (and the only CPG oriented one) or that our Instagram grew so much we average 15M views a month (memes on point), but instead I’d like to share the tangible impact this newsletter has had on the industry. Beyond the confinements of a Substack email, there are now products that have been inspired solely based off content on Snaxshot, our newsletter is the number one source for founders, brands, VC, retailers, buyers, brokers and consumers alike.

Our newsletter has served as inspiration for published books as well as student theses, it’s become the place to source brands for major grocery retails across the US, and S&P 500 executives use it to make their jobs easier, our events helped catapult newly launched brands and this year our events also served as a way to raise funds in support those in the industry affected by the LA fires. This isn’t just a newsletter, it’s become a cornerstone for building in CPG, and it only took 5 years to build.

Our work is not only recognized by the biggest mast publications around the world, we’ve also worked and consulted for every major food and beverage company in the world and most recently our work was profiled by The New York Times, I was able to gift my parents a printed copy for them to frame, them being both stern Capricorns it surprised me to finally hear them say the words I’ve been wanting to hear from them my entire life, “we’re so proud of you” in between hugs and tears while I said goodbye to them at the airport.

For the price of 3 iced matchas a month, you can get our well researched insights and though provoking issues, no advertising or affiliate links, without fluff and puff. If you work in the industry, it’s easy to justify the expense, you can also take advantage of this New Year’s offer, 30% off on all annual plans.

This newsletter and your support has changed my entire life for the better, and I can show you just how much I have paid it back in kind, by being there to support and nurture this amazing ecosystem. Below you will find testimonies from founders, VCs, retailers, marketers, and consumers on how Snaxshot has proved helpful to them, in their own words.

“Snaxshot is a revelation. I don’t know how else to describe it. A humble newsletter that completely reframed the way I see an entire industry. It has taught me how to see.

Snacks, something that could feel narrow or easily dismissed, feel alive and even joyful through the lens of Snaxshot.

It reveals a world of creativity shaped by range: talented, curious people building things with care, humor, and conviction. Some being boldly experimental and making their ideas real, others doing quietly excellent work, some pushing trends to their limits. It’s an industry evolving in public, through Andrea’s eyes, full of products that are often thoughtful, sometimes beautiful, sometimes funny, and made by people and entrepreneurs who inspire me.

Andrea’s writing doesn’t romanticize this so much as hold it steady and articulate clearly and intelligently long enough for its texture to emerge. In doing so, she makes visible an entire world to me that was already there, but easy to miss.

Snaxshot doesn’t just catalog this world; it gives it coherence.

More than anything, Snaxshot has changed how I look at everything else. What else could I be overlooking? What would Andrea see in the things I’ve been too quick to dismiss? Andrea has shown me how to look at the entire world and ask myself, “What is going on here?”

And chances are it’s something special.” —Rion Harmon, Day Job

“Snaxshot has a strong finger on the pulse of the consumer and where they are going. In a world where what the consumer wants is changing so rapidly, it’s powerful to have early indicators on your customers and their taste. Snaxshot’s is an incredible resource to discover the newest and most interesting food brands or products.” —Nicolas Jammet, Sweetgreen

“From our launch at last years Snaxshot Expo event, we met with Happier Grocery which ended up being one of our largest partners of the year. Happier lead to legitimacy and recognizability for companies like Thrive and GoPuff that we later launched with.

I always try to update our Faire PR drop list to say “as seen in Snaxshot” but they still don’t have that option. We gotta get it up there!”—Founders, Joon

“Snaxshot newsletter was the first time we got a shoutout about Pulpito! As a young founder, I did not even know what CPG until I launched a brand which I thought selling in few stores in Austin was a success until I got exposed to this much knowledge by you that in a span of 8 months we launched into 250+ stores. I still vividly remember every single detail of our phone call, which just blew me away on there was so much opportunity which I was purely missing! Thank you for influencing me and Pulpito!”—Andan Murtaza, Pulpito

“I feel like all my usual sources for food trends are dead! This scratches my itch for trends and supports the macro trends we’re seeing.” —Sarah Zuhlsdorf

“Have been following you and Snaxshot since early 2021 starting on Twitter. Love your recommendations and the sense of humor about all the trends from CBD to protein. You have provided some great recommendations for me and specifically have helped me connect with my brother in law who is a former chef and loves your content once I shared it with him and have gotten him a number of gifts based on your recommendations over the years! Thank you for everything!”—Josh Sugarman

“You were one of the first people to spot us as a baby brand!!! I was so excited! Your exposure is one that we get so excited for as a brand and that I trust as a consumer, no bullshit is hard to find.”—Gabrielle Brulotte, Hot Take

“Ex-buyer in a pantry section and then PR pro in cpg and wanted to stay in the loop about all products grocery related. I love this brand of food news and I feel like I’m still informed enough to speak eloquently about it.”—Amelia Ware

“As a marketer (ok - a publicist) Snaxshot has helped me keep my clients grounded in reality. It has also helped me laugh through some wild moments in the CPG timeline.”—Amy Barbanell

“This is more personal note but along the way we noticed other brands launching around the same time on the snaxshot. Some reached out to us, and sometimes we reached out. Those early conversations turned into ongoing check ins, shared advice, and real friendships built while going through the same ups and downs together. Thank you Andrea.” —Cabi Foods

“Impacted me as a consumer for sure! Infusing industry awareness/self awareness into my perception of brands as a potential customer is really helpful in navigating the grocery aisles. Differentiating between originality and customer value vs. shameless fad chasing, unoriginal thought, or just outright bad products. Also the memes are hot.”—Ian

“The Snaxshot newsletter has introduced me to so many must-follow new brands that reveal to where culture (and the market) is going, while the community around Snaxshot has connected me with these same founders, allowing us share notes and experiences.”—Andrew Rozas

“Snaxshot was the very first media outlet to take a chance on YUZUCO, back when we were still a passion project, hand-bottling and labeling fresh Yuzu juice from my Los Angeles home. That early belief meant everything to our team. Beyond the exposure itself, Snaxshot welcomed us into the community through industry events adjacent to Expo West that brought together curious, thoughtful people with our products in a genuinely fun way. Our Snaxshot x YUZUCO Arnold Palmer was one of the most fun (and tasty) things we’ve ever done.

We’re especially grateful for how intuitively Snaxshot speaks to our direction, not just with Yuzu, but as we grow into lemon, lime, and beyond -- and for how clearly they see the bigger industry problems YUZUCO is trying to tackle.” —Griffin Owens

“I’m an ECD at a brand agency in NYC. I’ve been using Snaxshot for a few years to keep an eye on the category. Last year I worked on the Blue Bottle Coffee brand refresh and packaging design + their new product line NOLA. Your insight on Snaxshot kept me so on the tip of which brands are truly unique / challenging the norm, and which are just more copycat trend junk. Great landscape insights and valuable POVs from your savvy community. Keep up the valuable work.”—Joe Granato

“You bring such high standards to curation and research that it inspires us to be like you.”—Eugene

“Honestly, just the candid coverage of the chaos that is CPG is quite refreshing, but in particular for our brand it’s been a really great resource for understanding the psyche of the modern consumer, even if it is a little bit mind-boggling at times!” —Matt Beaman

“I work in the food industry (first job out of college) and your account helps remind me that humor and astute observations are not mutually exclusive! You keep me sane as my coworkers freak out about niche trends while pushing me to think critically with consumers in mind! I LOVE the community and pov you curate!”—Margaret

“Andrea spotted our brand before we were even live and shared it out before anyone else. It was a major boost of confidence and motivation to see such a positive response, and that’s needed when your in the trenches of figuring it out. We’re grateful. Beyond her talent in understanding culture and trend, she’s knows there’s real people behind these companies and knows the challenges in bringing an idea to life. The Snaxshot platform is a gem and the true voice in CPG and beyond.”—Adam Zloto, Chestnut Sports Club

“Where do I begin????? Louie Louie was a brand new product in a brand new category when we launched in 2023. Being included in your event and round up in our first year absolutely made us feel seen and helped us carve out our voice and find our people in an otherwise pretty homogenous industry. On a personal note your presence in my feed is always so refreshing - reminds me to have FUN.” —Marie La France, Louie Louie

“Literally would not have a new specialty market filled with brands of integrity and killer marketing if it weren’t for you. Thanks for helping us navigate the world of CPG.”—Buena Bodega

“We opened Monsoon Market in fall of 2021 and almost instantly found Snaxshot online, feeling like we had just unlocked a world full of magic that was curated just for us. Naturally we connected with Andrea who was equally as enthusiastic about our new indie shop in Phoenix, AZ and her support and energy added momentum to Monsoon and what we were building. She generously shouted us out early on and in turn countless brands found our shop and considered us a potential retailer. We started attending every Snaxshot event we could because of how valuable it was to connect with our community of snaxboi professionals in person.

We are now in year 5 of Monsoon Market and Snaxshot continues to be a beacon for what’s true, what’s new & what’s necessary. Andrea’s fearless and relentless energy is something we champion. Her passion and willingness to help emerging brands & founders at no cost is something we admire and appreciate. Without Snaxshot it’s hard to say where we’d be today!”—Koral + Michela, Monsoon Market

“Snaxshot has genuinely shaped the way I think about the cpg industry. From understanding real consumer behavior to spotting market trends, packaging cues, and ingredients that are actually working in formulations—it’s been a constant source of clarity and direction in my development process. And being featured in Snaxshot has also kept me on the radar of influential people in the industry, opening conversations and connections that truly matter.”—Gabriela Macias

“I’m a Costco broker and your account helps me stay on top of the latest trends! Thanks for shouting out all the up and coming brands. It’s a great resource to connect with brands at an early stage to help build them up to the Costco model.”—Casey Burke

“I’ve been following since my food company was just an idea in my head - I love how direct you are about food trends (even when it hurts to hear as a protein bar brand), and how you don’t take BS from anyone, including industry insiders. Also as a WOC the gravitas you hold hits 10x more!” —Sravanti Balaji, Samsāra Nutrition

Have been following you for over a year now and always find your thinking and intuition aligned with me. You definitely have a finger on the pulse of the industry and you break big news before these other bev publications, identify trends early, and give thorough input and advice for startups. I think most importantly whats helped me is that you help me see through the bullshit the industry is pushing. We started our brand 2.5 years ago and Im constantly learning and understanding the industry and applying it where we can. Glad I found you!!—Sloan Miller

“It’s because of you and the fact that you saw something in me (that I didn’t even see at myself at the time) that I am working my dream job. You took a chance on a random college student in your DM’s and hired me and opened me to a world of connection and opportunity that I would’ve never had otherwise. Truly have you to thank for trusting me blindly and allowing me to take on such a fun project that lead me to doing this full time.” —Soon Tani Beccaria Mochizuki

“When I started getting curious about moving my career into food, Snaxshot was one of the first places I looked to learn! It helped me get a better sense of trends beyond just what I saw in my own feed and got me excited about the founders who were building in the same kinds of categories I’m interested in. Now that I’m a grad student and trying to work in CPG full time, Snaxshot comes up in basically every networking convo and has even helped me prepare for interviews.”—Anya’s Kitchen

“Snaxshot has been invaluable. Not just because it has helped our growing shop stay on top of trends and discover new brands, but because of the relationships we’ve been able to build with those brands. We’re able to bring our community CPG products they can’t find in the big box shops, and stand out in a crowded market…Snaxshot has a lot to do with that.”—Parker and Scott

“I worked in food CPG for a decade and launched a VC fund this year to support underrepresented founders. You have helped so much, mostly from an attitude perspective.

I saw so much bad behavior in VC, folks who were low key ruining brands, funding the wrong people/ideas, and I always wondered if I should speak on it. VC is filled with wealthy people who have been handed everything in life, but cosplay as blue collar workers (wear a vest and flatbrim, say you’re an operator, etc.)

So when I hear you say things honestly, and call out what you see directly, it helps give me the courage to do the same. And I appreciate that so much bc I also come from a non-traditional background, and things don’t change unless people are honest.” —Moy

“Working with Snaxshot was a real turning point for me and set so much in motion. Being trusted with the Behind the Snax photo shoots has continuously motivated me, and every project reminds me how much I love what I do and how privileged I am to do it.

Andrea’s trust and belief in me, along with the incredible humans she connected me with, became a true source of inspiration.

I truly wish there were more Andreas in this world.”—Anna Arnet

“I started my CPG career in the food tech space, moved to upcycled food and now work for an organic brand - snaxshot has guided me and always showcased incredible brands that I was able to connect and learn so much from. Thank you for showing the realest side of CPG and keeping everyone HONEST!” —Joy Nemerson

“We were featured in Snaxshot right after our rebrand launch, and immediately we started getting so much attention from buyers, especially from independent stores that have become great recurrent clients and opened our business to a community that we hadn't been able to tap into before. These have been great in establishing a closer connection to customers, since many of these stores are local and the owners are the ones directly working their stores, sharing recommendations and promoting our product on a one-on-one basis.

We had to update our Faire profile in record time and had to speed up production in order to meet all of these unexpected orders, including a really big one from Misfits Markets! Finally, reading about the predictions and trends helps us stay on track when working on R&D for new products, making sure we are going to be aligned with consumer trends”—Founder, Cassavida Snacks

“When we first opened our shop in 2022 I used your newsletter to help me find brands that hadn’t reached our corner of Tennessee and the result was so validating. Cool emerging brands don’t only have to be for big cities thanks to you!”—Lora Esbach

“Snaxshot was one of the only news outlets that covered my brand Cob Foods when I was running it from my garage/dining room at local farmers markets and seeing a picture of my product in her newsletter was truly a pinch me moment and helped put us on the map (and selling out on our website). She welcomed me to an NYC event and intruded me to all the industry people when I was a total newbie in CPG and it honestly was one of the nicest things anyone could ever do. Snaxshot is one of the reasons I ADORE our industry - my fave place on the internet. Will always have a special place in my heart for my OG supporter.”—Jess Davidoff, Cob Foods

“Snaxshot has done for Nour what J.J. Abrams did for Lost.

It’s not quite quantifiable. Snaxshot has that je ne sais quoi — an intuitive understanding of the “mystery box”: infinite possibility, heightened engagement, and the subtle magic that makes people emotionally invested in a product long before they fully understand it.

Snaxshot is an effervescent oracle, somehow encompassing the heart and soul of founders across every landscape of humanity. Through her lens, we’re able to see our own vision and mission more clearly.

The community events Andrea hosts have led to some of the most meaningful partnerships, customer connections, and friendships I’ve formed. She creates spaces where serendipity feels intentional.

Andrea is our Willy Wonka. She’s invited us into her factory in the most unexpected way — helping dreams come true with a rare balance of genuine earnestness and charismatic, hilarious hot takes. Knowing her deeply is rare, and if you’re lucky enough to be in her orbit, you understand just how powerful her presence truly is.”—Annie Balto, Nour

“Snaxshot is my #1 newsletter, personally for learning about trends / brands early, where Andrea really dives deep into the subject often making unexpected connections I could not have even seen. It is also the newsletter I recommend most to almost anyone I meet, because it does a better job explaining culture than almost any other publication I know of. I have met some incredible founders through Snaxshot and been able to support them. For me it is more than a newsletter.

The number of very serious investment bankers I have recommended Snaxshot to is comical, you would probably die, and sometimes they are confused by the memes….but I always tell them, that if you want to understand where the trends are coming from (and laugh), this is the source you should be watching first…not the fancy trend agencies, not the traditional publications.” —Anne Kurtz, The Juicy Bite

Let me know in what ways this newsletter has positively impacted you below!

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The Snax holiday guide is here, 100 items, curated just for you. Whether you still need something special for a loved one or you’re looking to treat yourself, you’ll find a bit of everything from independent small makers, and newly launched brands, as well as vintage finds.

No affiliated links, no sponsorships, there’s no way brands can pitch themselves…

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Tune in as Leah and Yasaman discuss how they bootstrapped their way to building a popular pickle brand, how amassing 100K followers on Instagram helped them prove early demand, what it took to get into the aisles of Whole Foods, why USC is a breeding ground for new CPG, how they managed to close their seed round so quickly and what comes next for Good Girl Snacks.

Photos for Snaxshot by the incomparable Anna Arnet.

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