Chomps
Chomps is a healthy meat snack brand producing grass-fed beef, antibiotic-free turkey, and venison meat sticks with zero sugar and 10+ grams of protein. Founded in 2012, Chomps offers Non-Ultraprocessed Foods Verified, Whole30 and Paleo-friendly snacks available at major retailers nationwide.
The Story
Chomps was born in 2012 when Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali each put in $250 to launch a better-for-you meat snack from Maldonado's Chicago condo. Maldonado, a former personal trainer, was frustrated that every protein bar and jerky on the shelf was loaded with sugar and fillers. Ali, a business operations consultant, saw the potential immediately. The pair registered the business in Naples, Florida, and started selling grass-fed meat sticks with zero sugar, zero preservatives, and real ingredients at local gyms and markets.
The early years were slow, with lots of trial and error on formulations and packaging. Then came 2020. COVID-19 crushed food-service sales across America, and Chomps was no exception. Revenue collapsed. The founders fought to keep their team together and pushed harder on direct-to-consumer channels. The brand survived, and when the dust settled, Chomps emerged leaner and more determined.
By 2023, the company was growing so fast demand routinely outpaced supply. That same year, Chomps secured $80M from Stride Consumer Partners, followed by a $100M credit facility from Wells Fargo in 2025. The company now operates seven manufacturing facilities, ships roughly two million sticks per day, and accounts for about 10 percent of the U.S. meat snack market.
Forbes estimated Chomps would top $900M in annual revenue for 2026.
Key Facts & Metrics
Products
Beef Stick
The original Chomps meat stick made with 100% grass-fed beef, zero sugar, zero preservatives, and 10+ grams of protein per serving.
Venison Stick
An exotic lean game meat option made from premium venison, delivering high protein with zero sugar for health-conscious snackers.
Chili Lime Beef
A spicy, tangy twist on the classic beef stick featuring chili and lime flavor, launched as a new flagship SKU in 2024-2025.
Turkey Stick
A leaner alternative crafted from antibiotic-free turkey, also zero sugar with 10+ grams of protein and Whole30-approved ingredients.
Company Timeline
2012 â Company founded
Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali each invested $3,250 to launch Chomps as a side hustle from Maldonado's Chicago condo, registered as We Are The Chompians LLC in Naples, Florida.
2013 â First retail placement
Chomps began selling its grass-fed meat sticks at local gyms and independent retailers around Naples and Chicago, building word-of-mouth demand.
2017 â First major funding round
Chomps raised $80M in growth equity from Stride Consumer Partners, enabling rapid production scaling and national retail distribution.
2020 â COVID near-collapse and recovery
The pandemic crushed food-service sales and brought Chomps to the brink of bankruptcy. The founders cut costs, preserved the team, and pivoted aggressively to direct-to-consumer sales, keeping the company alive.
2023 â Demand surge and supply constraints
Chomps was growing so fast demand routinely outpaced supply. The brand appeared on How I Built This, and the protein snack boom drove explosive growth across retail channels.
2025 â $100M credit facility from Wells Fargo
Chomps secured a $100M revolving credit line from Wells Fargo to fund manufacturing expansion, supporting the next phase of national growth.
2026 â $900M projected annual revenue
Forbes estimated Chomps would top $900M in annual revenue for 2026, with the company now shipping approximately two million meat sticks per day and holding roughly 10 percent of the U.S. meat snack market.
Episodes Featuring Chomps
Advice Line: Whatâs Your Value?
Guy Raz brings together four legendary foundersâMiguel McKelvey (WeWork), Alexa Hirschfeld (Paperless Post), and Chomps co-founders Pete Maldonado and Rashid Aliâfor a special mashup tackling one of the hardest challenges in entrepreneurship: communicating your value proposition. Three founders call in with distinct dilemmas: Megan Downey struggles to prove the ROI of time-intensive pop-up demos for her reusable gift wrap, Amanda Ballweg can't make her dog enrichment cards make sense to online shoppers, and Mark Goldfarb needs to hire help without sacrificing the artisanal quality that defines his premium pesto. Each conversation reveals how to translate intangible benefits into clear, compelling messages that customers instantly understand. You'll learn why leading with the problem you solve beats listing product features, how to turn live experiences into scalable content, and why hiring for belief matters more than rĂ©sumĂ© prestige at the early stage.
Advice Line with Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali of Chomps
Guy Raz hosts an Advice Line special with Chomps co-founders Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali, who offer real-time guidance to three founders facing growth dilemmas. Yadi Derisse contemplates expansion beyond her successful campus empanada shop. Zachary Bonder wrestles with e-commerce logistics for his frozen pies. Josh Shrenko seeks direction for his niche Smallmouth Bass apparel brand. The Chomps founders draw on their 13-year journey to advise on scaling thoughtfully, avoiding premature complexity, and staying close to core customers.
Founders Featured
Pete Maldonado
Pete Maldonado is the co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Chomps, a company producing high-quality, naturally sourced beef snack sticks. He leads commercial strategy and operations, focusing on sustainable sourcing and product quality. Based in Florida, Pete Maldonado has helped grow Chomp...
1 episode
Rashid Ali
Rashid Ali is the founder and CEO of Chomps, a company producing high-quality, naturally sourced beef snack sticks. He started Chomps with a focus on clean ingredients and sustainable practices. Based in Florida, Rashid Ali has grown Chomps from a small operation into a nationally recognized bran...
1 episode