Los Angeles, CA—PeaTos has announced that Tracy McGrady, NBA Hall of Famer, has pledged an investment in the company and will create a series of social media initiatives to back the brand. The new snack brand, founded by Nick Desai in 2018, manufactures a "new class of snacks" made from peas instead of corn and coloring from turmeric instead of Red 40.

“I realized there was something very special here when I had to start hiding the PeaTos Zesty Ranch Curls from the kids,” said McGrady in a press release. “PeaTos has nailed it with a chip that gives you all the joy of eating your favorite childhood comfort food with explosive flavors, strong crunch, and no compromise, while boasting better-for-you attributes.”

The snack line includes gluten-free and non-GMO PeaTos Crunchy Curls in Classic Cheese, Fiery Hot, and Zesty Ranch Flavors, and Crunchy Rings in Classic Onion and Fiery Hot flavors. PeaTos snack line contains 4g protein, 3g fiber, and is made with peas and lentils.

Competing with big brands like PepsiCo's Frito-Lay, PeaTos marketing team is playing into the underdog theme to make an impact in the $20B dollar snacking market, according to the company. In a webinar on October 2, 2020, Desai shared that the monopoly on snack foods in the United States needs to change and that the snack aisle needs to be democratized.
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“People crave a fun salty and crunchy snack, so I wanted to bring a clean-label and better-for-you product to that category," said Nick Desai, Founder and CEO of PeaTos. "Instead of creating another healthy snack, how about we make better junk food?" Reflecting on his childhood memories in India, Desai was exposed to another world of snacking. "In other parts of the world, the salty snack market has one key difference: a vast amount of products are not using corn, they use a base of peas and lentils because it’s what’s available," he says. "In India, legumes are a major protein source. While there’s a massive movement towards plant based proteins in the USA, but other countries use plant based snacks because they’re cheaper and more available."

Since its inception 2 years ago, PeaTos' sales have increased tremendously. The young brand has seen 600% growth on eCommerce, pushed along by Americans' need for comfort foods to deal with the pandemic, Desai said. From 2019 to 2020, the brand experienced 50% growth in sales, making it a magnet for celebrity athletes like McGrady.

Learn more about the brand atPeaTos.com.