Brain Boost: Mindright Makes the Jump Into Chips

Functional food and beverage brand Mindright is moving further into the snack set with the launch of a new line of nootropic-infused puffed chips.

The chips arrive a little over a year after the brand first launched its “brain-boosting” bars. Though the brain health focused company first made a detour into powdered beverages late last year, co-founder Chris “Bernie” Bernard said Mindright wanted to plant a deeper stake into the snack aisle.

“Year one was all about testing, making sure that the product fit was viable and that customers were enjoying [the line],” Bernard said. “Now [we’re] staying in our lane with snacking and additives to support mood, energy and focus is the prime goal.”

Available in Chili Lime, Cinnamon Churro and Turmeric Ranch, the chips are sold on Mindright’s website and on Amazon with an MSRP of $4.99 per 4 oz. bag and 1.99 bag per 1 oz. bag. Along with a base of cassava flour, potato flakes and spices, the grain-free chips contain Mindright’s signature blend of nootropics including lion’s mane, vitamins B6 and B12, ginseng and L-theanine and are cooked in avocado oil.

While Bernard acknowledged the salty snack set is crowded, Mindright believes there’s still opportunity to launch cleaned up alternatives to conventional products. Consumers may not even fully grasp the functional benefits to start, co-founder Rob Dyrdek said – and that’s to be expected. The company hopes to first lure in shoppers with attributes such as taste, and then use the functionality as a way to encourage repeat purchases.

“When we think about the product, a lot of people are going to discover it for the first time when they see it…We call it ‘capture, compel, convert’ in the way that the packaging is designed,” Dyrdek said. “It’s really trying to draw you in and then give you the benefits that go along with having a really high quality product with infused nootropics and adaptogens.”

The brand plans to expand distribution outside of ecommerce and into specialty and natural retailers across California and the Pacific Northwest later this year and has commitments for 800 doors, Dyrdek said.

The focus on brick and mortar stores comes after a slight revision to its distribution strategy. According to Bernard, consumers are still largely discovering new products in store, rather than online. While the brand previously invested heavily in digital ads to send shoppers to its own website, it’s also reallocated some of that budget towards Amazon, which has proved to be a means of driving trial.

To support these marketing and sales costs, Dyrdek’s family office, Dyrdek Machine, has invested another $1 million into the brand, bringing the company’s total funding since inception to $2.8 million.

Ultimately, the goal is to create a larger platform of products that span from morning to night, Bernard said. Other functional benefits such as sleep or beauty may come down the line, but right now brain health is the focus, in part because it’s easier to show an immediate effect, such as energy or focus.

“We’re a little bit ahead of [the trend] but nootropics are coming in a much bigger way,” Bernard said. “The data shows that these brands that are using these ingredients are continuing to grow at an exponential rate, and I think the market will catch up.”