# Founder Feature: Joe Cassinelli of El Nacho

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-10-02
- Length: 30m
- Episode: 200
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-10-02-founder-feature-joe-cassinelli-of-el-nacho
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/d77db9dd

## Summary

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.

## Outline

1. Introduction and Brand Overview
2. From Restaurants to Building a Factory
3. The Relaunch: Premium Positioning and Avocado Oil
4. Packaging Strategy and Lucha Libre Storytelling
5. Product Innovation and Consumer Feedback
6. Retail Distribution and Growth Lessons

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Packaging design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/packaging-design)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- El Nacho (product)
- Frito Lay (company)
- Tostitos (product)
- Santitas (product)
- Doritos (product)
- Mission (company)
- Siete (company)
- Late July (company)
- Berkeley Bowl (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Sprouts (company)
- Raley's (company)
- Fresh Thyme (company)
- Fair (other)
- Agrino World (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Advice Line with Steve Ells of Chipotle](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-04-09-advice-line-with-steve-ells-of-chipotle) (How I Built This)
- [Siete Family Foods: Miguel and Veronica Garza](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-03-15-siete-family-foods-miguel-and-veronica-garza) (How I Built This)
- [Kettle Chips: Cameron Healy. The Wild Bet That Made a Brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-03-02-kettle-chips-cameron-healy-the-wild-bet-that-made-a-brand) (How I Built This)
- [Chipotle: Steve Ells (2017)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-01-04-chipotle-steve-ells-2017) (How I Built This)
- [360 - Beyond the Die Line - The pitch was awful. They liked the bar! Tom Seymour and Ree Dolnick](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-10-08-360-beyond-the-die-line-the-pitch-was-awful-they-liked-the-bar-tom-seymour-and-r) (People of Packaging)

## Citing this page

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