Founder Feature: Arif Khan and Sabeen Hasan of Chikka Chikka

The Startup CPG Podcast · 24 Oct 2025 · 36m · Episode 211

What this episode covers

Arif Khan and Sabeen Hasan, co-founders of Chikka Chikka, discuss their modern reinterpretation of a traditional Indian digestive made from maple-roasted fennel seeds. They detail their product development process, including the use of beet powder and spirulina for natural coloring, and their strategic decision to partner with independent retailers to educate consumers on the health benefits of fennel. The founders also explain their unique packaging design, inspired by Indian block prints and Bollywood art, and share insights from their backgrounds in architecture and disaster relief.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • How I Built This · 1h 17m

    Jovial Foods: Carla Bartolucci

    Carla Bartolucci, co-founder of Jovial Foods, explains how she pivoted from distributing Bionaturae pasta to launching her own brand after a contentious lawsuit and partnership breakdown. She details the discovery of Einkorn, an ancient wheat, as a solution for her daughter’s gluten sensitivities, and describes the labor-intensive process of sourcing seeds and developing recipes. Bartolucci also outlines her unconventional marketing strategy of hosting cooking retreats in Tuscany to build community and trust with gluten-free consumers, while maintaining strict control over growth to remain independently owned.

  • How I Built This · 45m

    HIBT Lab! Malala Fund and Our Place: Shiza Shahid

    Shiza Shahid, who co-founded the Malala Fund and later the cookware company Our Place, explains her journey from a Stanford student organizing a summer camp for Malala Yousafzai to launching a profitable for-profit business. She details the design philosophy behind Our Place’s flagship product, the Always Pan, which uses lightweight cast aluminum and ceramic nonstick to simplify cooking for home cooks. Shahid discusses overcoming supply chain complexities by leveraging her co-founder’s manufacturing background and using storytelling to build a brand that celebrates diverse cultural traditions.

  • People of Packaging · 1h 10m

    350 - Beyond the Dieline - Dr Juan from PNuff Crunch joins Tom Seymour

    Dr. Juan Salinas, founder of Pnuff Crunch, discusses his transition from food science roles at Nabisco, Cadbury, Kraft, and Nestle to launching his own functional snack brand. He details the operational challenges of scaling production, specifically the costly mistake of over-purchasing long-run packaging film rolls and the strategic pivot to digital printing and smart plate design to manage inventory. Salinas also recounts his viral Shark Tank appearance, where Mark Cuban’s intervention saved the pitch, leading to Cuban’s investment, and explains how Pnuff Crunch’s high-protein, high-fiber formulation targets modern dietary trends including GLP-1 companion foods.

  • People of Packaging · 46m

    339 - Beyond the Dieline ep 1 with Tom Seymour and Jessica Kwon from Moka Energy!

    Tom Seymour interviews Jessica Kwon, founder of Jack & Friends Jerky and co-founder of Moka Energy, about her journey from a Cornell food science background to building CPG brands. Kwon details the operational challenges of bootstrapping, including 3 AM kitchen shifts and hand-packing orders after a New York Times feature, and the technical pivot from DIY Photoshop designs to custom-printed packaging via Wagon Design Studio. The conversation highlights the importance of owning manufacturing mistakes with partners like Seymour’s company and the strategic decision to launch Moka Energy with an experienced team to skip early-stage hurdles.

  • How I Built This · 53m

    Advice Line with Sadie Lincoln of barre3

    barre3 co-founder and CEO Sadie Lincoln joins Guy Raz to answer questions from three early-stage founders: Dustin Bowen of Ketchustard, Andrew Pazulo of Pizzy Products, and Randi Pink of Ruffner Treehouse Village. Lincoln advises Bowen on branding a condiment mashup, suggesting playful packaging and storytelling similar to Sir Kensington's. She counsels Pazulo on marketing his premium Ramps game by targeting specific communities like RV parks and pickleball courts, while advising Pink on transitioning from being the sole face of her community space to building a broader organizational identity.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Startup CPG Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.