The party snack stack.
+ gum for dogs?!
Happy Friday friends!
Next week, the Express Checkout team will be attending The Lead Summit (May 20-21) and their DTC Symposium (May 21st) at Pier 36 in NYC!
The Lead is one of the few industry events I make time for every year. The team does an incredible job curating insightful discussions and stacking the speaker lineup. Two days, 3,000+ attendees, and 150+ speakers including Dr. Dennis Gross, Supergoop!, Simple Modern, Caraway, Amika, Bero, and a lot more.
Alongside the main show, they’re hosting the DTC Symposium—a co-located program built specifically for DTC practitioners across marketing, ecommerce, retail, and ops. And capping off Day 2 at 4pm is a pitch competition featuring eight amazing brands, including Niramaya, Cob, Doze, and Pinkie.
Brand and retail folks attend FREE! Register HERE and drop our name in the “how did you hear about us” field.
For non-brand or retail friends, you can use this link for 25% off.
We know so many of you will be at Sweets & Snacks at the same time next week in Vegas! While we’re sad to miss it, we can’t wait to hear about the show! Email us with any of your best finds or new launches you’re excited about :)
With that, let’s get into this week’s pickups! →
Jenna’s Pickups:
The “hardly trying, but with great taste” party snack lineup
I’ve hosted many friends in the past two weeks (’twas my birthday last week!) and have been repeatedly reminded of the sheer joy of gathering—and the special role that food plays in centering a gathering.
While I want to think a function’s vibe is solely determined by its attendees, we all know that the brands on a table play a hand in shaping a soiree. A smattering of store-brand chips and haphazard BigCo dips may technically get the job done, but it offers precisely zero added joy. But when you—the host(ess) with the most(ess)—take the tiny extra step of curating fun snacks, you offer a quick hit of joy and an easy conversation starter among guests.
When you’re known as the “snack friend,” there is a lot of pressure to curate the just-right lineup of party snacks. I’m still working on mine (it is a never-ending endeavor), but these four were hits this past week:
Boulder Canyon x Grillo’s Pickles Wavy Classic Dill Pickle - This was a crowd fave. Boulder Canyon’s chips are always thick-cut, insanely crunchy, and wavy (read: a textural dream), but I just love how they executed this Grillo’s collab. Sometimes, pickle-flavored items are too dill-y, but these are more of a briny flavor—kind of like a salt & vinegar chip with an added hint of pickle goodness. And, for the god-fearing seed oil haters out there, these are made with avocado oil!
Late July Sea Salt & Lime Tortilla Chips - Thin and crispy—the perfect contrast to Boulder Canyon—these are an addicting, perfectly dippable rendition of a classic “hint of lime” chip. There are so many tortilla chips to choose from, but these feel closer to restaurant-style than many of their aisle companions. They’re familiar, yet elevated.
Siete Churro Strips - Another crowd fave that just so happens to be safe for the inevitable gluten-free, vegan, and paleo guest! They’re this delightfully surprising hybrid between a salty + sweet snack: similar to tortilla strips, but churro flavored—light, crunchy, sweet and a tiny bit salty. Though all guests will likely be addicted after their first bite, you can safely reassure them that eating the entire bag is probably fine because they’re made with an alternative flour, a non-seed oil (avocado, duh!), and no refined sugar (coconut sugar and agave syrup instead, which basically makes them a fruit).
Fancypants Cookies - Never have I ever met a more snackable cookie. These cookies are the perfect sweet party snack: they have the most satisfying, crispy snap, but somehow taste homemade. They’re incredibly buttery, rich, and delightful. I was raised in a household that shudders at the idea of serving a snack out of its package (it must be transferred into a bowl or platter), but this package is so adorable and joy-inducing, you can toss it straight onto the snack table with pride. I also just love the brand story and have written about them before—check it out here!
Where to buy: I bought the first three at Costco, all in party size! Fancypants can be purchased at stores across the US or online.
Nate’s Pickup:
PupGum by Spot & Tango
I’ve been giving Ginger (my little 2-year-old Jack Russell-Chihuahua mix) Greenies basically since we brought her home. And boy does she love those damn things—like full-on spins and zoomies when I take one out. They’ve helped with bad breath and dental health, but I’ve had my eye on PupGum since they launched late last year. Boy am I happy that I switched over. Well, that Ginger switched over….
Quick Facts: A daily dental chew made with a patent-pending postbiotic clinically proven to reduce bad breath in 7 days. Built with human-grade turkey, blue spirulina, and flax seeds (which physically scrape plaque off teeth). Comes in three sizes (7.5g, 15g, 30g) based on your dog’s weight.
Reasons to love:
It actually works. I can be a bit of a skeptic. So, of course, I was curious to see how these worked for my little girl. I’ve been giving Ginger a Greenie a day for well over a year now, so I know intimately what those do. I know what to compare PupGum to in terms of efficacy. I have noticed a significant difference since switching over to PupGum for the past 2 weeks, and Ginger seems happy with the results. And I’m extra happy her teefs are being taken care of because Chihuahuas are notorious for bad teeth later in life, so this is top of mind for me.
It doesn’t smell like a dog treat. One of my biggest gripes as a dog parent: those damn treats. They can be so freaking stinky! I get that they’re not for me (even when the bag says “human-grade”). But my god, some of these treats smell god-awful. Thankfully, these don’t. There’s a smell, but nothing pungent or offensive every time you crack open the bag. And they make Ginger’s breath smell even better!
It’s blue. And I think that’s fun. (shoutout blue spirulina)
Where to buy: Online at pupgum.com
This week, we have one of our most fascinating interviews yet: Dr. Mastaneh Sharafi, SVP of Science & Innovation at Ritual, a supplement company known for its science-backed formulas. She answers some of our biggest questions around the most controversial category in CPG: supplements. →
Thanks for reading! Anything you think we should try for an upcoming edition of Express Checkout? Email us at hello@expresscheckout.co