Chippin Snacks

We love our fur babies: Nearly half of U.S. households include a dog in the family, and in 2017 alone, Americans spent more than $29 billion on pet food. And there’s an increasing demand from pet parents for sustainably sourced, healthy snacks for their beloved pups. Food and beverage executive Haley Russell WG18—whose résumé includes running a vertical cricket farm—tapped into the insect protein “superfood” trend for a solution. She consulted vets on pet nutrition and collaborated with Penn psychology professor Paul Rozin, who researches cultural attitudes around food, to understand and expand consumers’ growing interest in eating bugs. Russell and Laura Colagrande GAR18 GFA18 pitched in Penn’s 2018 iDesign competition, and the Chippin team won with its first product: a peanut, cricket, and pumpkin snack.