Krishna Kaliannan
Krishna Kaliannan, 35, founded Austin-based Catalina Crunch, a better-for-you cereal brand he launched after his Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. A How I Built This guest, he debuted the Pairings Cereal sub-line and stepped down as CEO to bring in former KIND exec Doug Behrens. Father of two.
Krishna Kaliannan's Bio
Krishna Kaliannan didn't set out to build a cereal empire. A Type 1 diabetes diagnosis left him frustrated by the dearth of tasty, low-sugar breakfast options on grocery store shelves. So he launched Catalina Crunch, a better-for-you brand built around high-protein, low-carb, keto-friendly cereal and snacks, to fill that personal gap in the market.
The 35-year-old father of two now runs the Austin, Texas-based company. The brand has landed features in outlets including The New York Times and become a staple in the better-for-you snack aisle. His story of building the label from a personal health need to one of the fastest-growing cereal brands in the U.S. was featured in a dedicated episode of the Consumer VC podcast, as well as Nasdaq's Faces of Entrepreneurship series.
For years, Kaliannan served as the company's Founder and CEO. He led launches including the Pairings Cereal sub-line, which he gushed about in a 2024 Facebook post, calling it a key expansion of the brand's product lineup. He's also been a vocal voice on food industry challenges, breaking down the impact of tariffs on food production costs in a 2024 Fox Business interview.
In late 2024, the brand announced a major executive shift: Doug Behrens, former executive at snack giant KIND, joined as CEO. Kaliannan stepped down from the top operational role to focus on brand vision and product innovation. The move came as Catalina Crunch expanded its lineup to include new Snack Mix Multipacks, per official company announcements.
Kaliannan has shared glimpses of his life as a founder and father in public features. A 2024 as-told-to essay for Business Insider walked through his daily routine and shared his three go-to AI prompts for productivity. He's also appeared as a guest on the HIBT Podcast, discussing the ins and outs of building a consumer brand from scratch. His LinkedIn profile notes he's an entrepreneur behind products featured in top national outlets, with a network of over 1,800 followers in the consumer goods space.
Career Timeline
2017 — Started baking low-carb cereal in NYC apartment
After being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and frustrated by the lack of tasty, low-sugar breakfast options, Kaliannan began experimenting with recipes in his kitchen.
2018 — Launched Catalina Crunch Dark Chocolate Cereal
Officially launched the brand on CatalinaCrunch.com, marking the debut of the better-for-you cereal line.
2020 — Catalina Crunch landed at Costco
Cinnamon Toast became a fan favorite and secured a Costco placement, significantly expanding retail reach.
2021 — Expanded product lineup and operations
Grew to eight cereal flavors, four cookie flavors, and four snack mix flavors. Moved to a larger facility in Lebanon, Indiana.
2023 — Launched Chocolate Cookie Bars
Introduced Chocolate Cookie Bars in Raspberry, Mint, and Peanut Butter flavors.
2024 — Stepped down as CEO
Doug Behrens joined as CEO while Kaliannan shifted to focus on brand vision and product innovation. Also launched Xtreme Cheddar Snack Mix at Costco.
