From Kids To Families: Sunnie Refreshes Packaging Amid Retail Expansion

Sunnie is rolling out an updated look in preparation for expanding its retail footprint and launching another sweet addition to its portfolio this summer.

The Los Angeles-based snack brand is raising an undisclosed bridge round to support capacity demands during the second half of 2025 and to gear up for further scaling next year, said co-founder Lisette Howard.

Last March, the brand secured a strategic investment using a mix of institutional backers – Fulcrum Collective and SWAT Equity Partners – and a SAFE note to add capital runway.

Having recovered from a co-manufacturing challenge last year, Sunnie decided to update its packaging to transition from “a kid’s brand to a snack for the whole family,” Howard said. “Over time, we have learned through all of our distribution channels that there are a lot of busy snacking adults. It just made more sense to say: This is for families.”

The new look brought color-blocking to the various SKUs. Additionally, the brand wanted to address customer feedback that the “dipper” name was confusing, co-founder Katy Tucker said, so Sunnie swapped that nomenclature out for a standardized “snack” descriptor.

The brand also added a protein callout to the front-of-pack and updated its tagline from “Snack Brighter” to “Snacking Made Better” to better communicate the brand’s value proposition and mission statement. The new packages started to move through Sunnie’s distribution partners last month.

It was important for the snack maker to get its new branding in place before the summer as it unveils its S’mores variety. The indulgent option will join the other snack packs (formerly Dippers) as Sunnie expands its Target partnership. The brand is growing from around 180 doors in the Southwest region to over 500 locations nationwide.

Along with the Target expansion, Sunnie is bringing 4 SKUs of its grain-, gluten- and seed oil-free crackers to Whole Foods nationwide next month. Previously, Whole Foods’ Southern Pacific region only carried Sunnie’s snack packs. The rollout includes the retail launch of its Cheddar crackers in a six-pouch format of 0.9 oz. single-serve bags, available exclusively in Whole Foods.

Sunnie is also launching into the Fresh Thyme and Hy-Vee chains in July, increasing its footprint in the Midwest.

The company is working with WeStock to bring more ads and digital coupons to the Whole Foods and Target launches while also investing with influencer groups to bring more awareness to the brand’s expanded retail footprint.

Looking ahead, Sunnie is hoping to go deeper in Texas and Northeast. The company aims to line up partnerships with key retailers like H-E-B, Central Market and Wegmans to open up the two regions.