You Won't Believe What This Ancient Snack is Doing to Your Health—Retail Stores Are Buzzing!

Ancient Crunch, a snack brand that aims to redefine how Americans think about chips, is making waves in the food industry with its commitment to natural ingredients and traditional processing methods. Cofounders Steven Rofrano and Seth Goldstein are at the helm of this innovative company, which has recently garnered attention for its Masa Traditional Tortilla Chips made from nixtamalized corn. After several years of focusing on online sales, Ancient Crunch is expanding its presence, now available in around 2,000 retail locations including Sprouts Farmers Market and set to launch in Whole Foods Market in April 2023.

The modern American grocery store is often dominated by ultra-processed foods, making the wholesome offerings from Ancient Crunch stand out. Rofrano emphasizes, "If you make food the right way, it’ll be both healthier and more delicious–the holy grail. That’s what Ancient Crunch is building." This philosophy drives the brand’s mission to marry health and taste while shedding the negative connotations tied to processed snacks.

The company has expanded its product line to include Vandy Crisps, organic potato chips packaged in artistic bags, and is planning to launch a third line called Golden Age Popcorn, all fried in grass-fed beef tallow. Rofrano notes, “Everything is about the good life... you actually feel better about these products when you turn the bag over, not worse.” This commitment to quality extends beyond the ingredients to the packaging, which seeks to elevate the entire snacking experience.

As Ancient Crunch prepares for its retail expansion, the company is constructing a new 80,000 square-foot factory that will allow it to produce millions of bags of Masa Chips monthly. This move is crucial as Rofrano explains, “There are so many psychological problems Americans have with their relationship to food. We’re trying to solve that by conveying a mentality that will allow you to solve it more broadly.”

The roots of Ancient Crunch can be traced back to Rofrano's own experiences with health issues that arose from consuming ultra-processed snacks during his college years at Yale. After a transformative term abroad in Belgium where he began cooking for himself, Rofrano developed a new relationship with food. “I had a lot of health problems, so I always had weird diets,” he recalls. His journey led him to avoid industrial seed oils, leading to the genesis of his tortilla chip concept.

Historically, tortilla chips have been associated with convenience rather than health. Rofrano realized this gap in the market during the pandemic while working as a software engineer at Facebook, where he had ample time to explore cooking and healthy eating. He started a TikTok account discussing ancestral eating practices, which included making chips from nixtamalized corn, a traditional method that improves digestibility and nutrient availability. “It’s not an alternative chip,” he insists. “It's just a chip and it's delicious.”

With the help of Goldstein, who was juggling a demanding private equity job, they went all-in on the tortilla chip project. Together, they aimed to create a product that embodies the beauty of food prior to industrial advancements. “We want to make an everyman’s chip... the best version of it,” Goldstein adds.

Their process includes using organic corn as the base for their chips and nixtamalizing it to enhance flavor and nutrition. This method, which has been practiced for centuries, also helps remove harmful mycotoxins. After grinding the corn into masa, it is formed into tortillas, cut into triangles, and fried in beef tallow at controlled temperatures to maintain its crunch without excessive greasiness. “We want a heartier crunch,” Goldstein explains, highlighting their unique production standards.

In addition to the Masas, the Vandy Crisps and their unique flavors, including Original, French Onion, and Smokehouse BBQ, reflect Ancient Crunch’s commitment to quality. Their ingredients are meticulously sourced, and if a desired ingredient doesn’t meet their standards, they will go to great lengths, like zesting and dehydrating their own limes for custom lime powder.

As they prepare to roll out their products to more retail chains, Rofrano and Goldstein aim for Ancient Crunch snacks to be accessible in grocery stores across the United States, emphasizing that their products not only taste good but also contribute to a healthier lifestyle. “You’re not convincing 95% of people to stop eating chips,” Rofrano asserts. “We want to convey to people that you deserve to have the best.”

With Whole Foods Market's commitment to stocking Ancient Crunch products, including plans for a chain-wide rollout, the brand is poised to meet the growing consumer demand for healthier snack options. As consumers increasingly seek out foods that balance taste and health, Ancient Crunch strives to elevate the simple act of snacking into a sensory experience. “We’re bringing that concept to the American way of thinking about food,” Rofrano concludes. “You shouldn't have to choose between enjoying your life and destroying your health.”