Hardware Podcasts

Founder Feature: Joe Cassinelli of El Nacho

The Startup CPG Podcast · 2 Oct 2025 · 30m · Episode 200

What this episode covers

Joe Cassinelli, founder of El Nacho, explains how he and partner Toby transitioned from the restaurant industry to build a premium tortilla chip brand by constructing their own factory in Waltham, Massachusetts, during the pandemic. Cassinelli details the strategic pivot from a generic white corn chip to a premium product using regeneratively farmed corn, in-house nixtamalization, and avocado oil, supported by bold lucha libre-inspired packaging to stand out in a Frito Lay-dominated market. He discusses the challenges of scaling production, the importance of listening to consumer feedback for flavor iteration, and the collaborative nature of the CPG community compared to the restaurant world.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Frito Lay, Mission, Siete, Late July, Berkeley Bowl, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Raley's, Fresh Thyme
Products
El Nacho, Tostitos, Santitas, Doritos
Also
Fair, Agrino World

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