Startup CPG Newswire:
BEEST Snacks Wins KeHE Trend Finder 2026 Golden Ticket, Earns Fast Track to Nationwide Distribution
PRESS RELEASE — NEWS PROVIDED BY Lucas Prado for BEEST Snacks
AUSTIN, TX (APRIL 2026) — BEEST Snacks, an Austin-based high-protein snack brand, has been selected as a 2026 KeHE Trend Finder Golden Ticket winner. The award provides a fast track to nationwide distribution through KeHE Distributors, one of the largest natural and specialty food distributors in North America.
As part of the Golden Ticket program, BEEST Snacks will launch across up to 12 KeHE distribution centers at no charge through KeHE’s New@KeHE program, which introduces new items to the company’s independent retail channel. Select Golden Ticket winners may also be identified for KeHE’s elevate program, a two-year incubator for emerging brands.
BEEST Snacks produces Crunchy Jerky Chips (beef and pork) and a Charcuterie Trail Mix. The products are made with four or fewer base ingredients and contain zero sugar (zero added sugar for the trail mix). The Crunchy Beef Jerky Chips deliver 48g of protein per bag, the Crunchy Pork Jerky Chips deliver 46g, and the Charcuterie Trail Mix contains 52g of protein with 7g of fiber. All products are made using a patent-pending manufacturing process that produces a chip-like crunch rather than the crisp first bite then chewy texture common to most “crispified” jerkies.
The company was founded by Lucas Prado and Nicole Ruiz, both industrial engineers and married co-founders based in Austin, Texas. The product originated from a family recipe and was developed as part of Prado’s university thesis before being scaled commercially in South America. BEEST launched in the U.S. market in July 2025 and relaunched in January 2026 after iterating on its product format. The company is bootstrapped.
“Coming from a family with diabetes, finding a satisfying, crunchy snack with clean ingredients has always been personal for us,” said Lucas Prado, CEO and co-founder. “Winning the Golden Ticket validates the work we’ve put in and opens a path to get these products in front of the consumers who need them.”
BEEST Snacks first met with KeHE’s category management team at a Startup CPG Grocery Run event in Denver, where the founders presented their products in person prior to the formal Trend Finder evaluation.
The company’s products are currently available through beestsnacks.com and select independent retailers in Austin, Texas.
About BEEST Snacks
BEEST Snacks is an Austin-based snack company founded by Lucas Prado and Nicole Ruiz, both industrial engineers. The brand is focused on redefining what real food can deliver in high-protein snacking through Crunchy Jerky Chips and Charcuterie Trail Mix. Made with clean ingredients, no added sugar, and a patent-pending process that yields a chip-like crunch, BEEST products deliver up to 52g of protein per bag. The product originated from a family recipe, was developed as a university thesis, and was scaled commercially in South America before launching in the U.S. in 2025. Visit beestsnacks.com or follow @beestsnacks on socials.
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