Two months into the SKU Accelerator program earlier this year, startup founder Justin Wiesehan knew that, in order to fully scale his product, he would have to rebrand it.
The Charlotte-based entrepreneur is the brain behind the protein-rich crunchy chips called Macro Snacks.
Wiesehan created Macro Snacks in 2017, after exiting another company he helped create. As a longtime member of the fitness community, Wiesehan knew the struggle of finding snack foods that were good for his body and measured up in taste. Macro Snacks check all those boxes.
But as he moved through the SKU program, which ran from January to mid-May, he realized the Macro Snacks branding was far too niche.
"During the SKU process we did a lot of customer research, talking to our customers and the general consumer population to see how the brand was perceived," Wiesehan said. "We found we were limiting ourselves by being a diet-focused, niche product, so we took the data as a sign that it was time to rebrand."
Based on the collected data and the fact that many of the brand's repeat customers were using the snack as an alternative to less-healthy options, Wiesehan decided to call the company HA!, an acronym for Healthier Alternative. The new website launched today.
"It's way more fun, and I think it makes us more approachable as a brand," he said. "It also gives us a lot more market opportunity than a diet-focused brand would."
The new name, paired with revamped packaging that Wiesehan described as louder and bolder, aims to put HA! on grocers' shelves next to the crunchy snack foods consumers are familiar with.
"I'm just super excited about the opportunity it's going to bring," he said. "Retailers are already positively responsive to the rebrand. It clearly helps us identify where we belong in the store, and that’s super helpful, especially from a growth perspective."
While the name and packaging has changed, Wiesehan was clear that the product itself would remain the same.
Every flavor is gluten free, and all but Pizza Pie are vegan friendly. The crisps come in seven flavors — BBQ Sauce, Pizza Pie, Churro Loco, Cheddar Cheese, Rockin' Ranch, Sour Cream & Onion and Spicy Chili Lime. Wiesehan said the flavors are based on popular chips.
Each bag of HA! has 11 to 12 grams of protein and a 45/35/20 carb/protein/fat ratio, making it an option for those who track macronutrients in their diet — or those who just want a tasty but healthy snack. They're available on the company website and through Amazon.com, and Wiesehan said the rebrand has already caught the attention of major retailers like Publix and Harris Teeter.
As for what comes next for HA!, Wiesehan said the team is looking to expand the product to add more sweet flavors to the lineup. The startup is also working on a pre-seed funding round.
