Opinion #5: Khloe Kardashian New Protein Popcorn Will Be a Billion Dollar Business.
Why I think KK's new venture will be a success + niche snack brands you should know about.
Welcome back to SOLH.
Protein has become America’s new obsession. One scroll through TikTok and I see an influx of “protein-packed” recipes, hot girls eating Chomps, oh and then there’s the whole cottage cheese thing. Am I the only one seeing cottage cheese turned into pastas, French toast, and pizza crust?
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Or getting lectured by a “nutritionist” that you’re not eating enough protein?
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With the rise of GLP-1s (aka Ozempic), the protein craze is at an all-time high. As a former vegan (remember when being vegan was cool?) and now a pescatarian, I can tell you for a fact that I am not eating enough protein by pre-2024 standards. And I’m definitely not hitting the 2025, 100-grams-of-protein-per-day standard.
But you know what I am eating a lot of?
Popcorn.
Which brings us to the Kardashian empire’s latest spin-off: Khloud (cue the harp).
Khloe Kardashian is launching a protein popcorn brand, aptly named Khloud, exclusively at Target with three different flavors.
How is protein popcorn possible, you ask? According to Khloud Foods, each serving will have 7 grams of protein, thanks to something called “Khloud Dust” — a blend of milk proteins and seasoning (NYT).
Digging a little deeper, I found that Khloud Foods has also trademarked a few other categories, including cereal and granola snacks, rice chips, and rice cakes. I have a feeling they’ll spin this out into a full line of protein-rich snacks very quickly.
Okay, so the title of this article is a little clickbait-y (mama’s first clickbait!), but I do think this company has huge potential. And I’m not the only one — Khloud raised a $12 million pre-seed round led by K5 Global, with investments from Serena Williams’ fund and WME. This might be pennies to the Kardashian clan, but it’s no small feat to raise that much at seed stage.
Though I think the name is dumb (and obviously the world didn’t need another Kardashian business), the potential is there — especially with Target distribution, the protein craze, and the celebrity factor behind it all. Plus, following Hershey’s $750M acquisition of popcorn brand Lesser Evil (WSJ), it seems there’s a serious appetite for heathy snack brands right now (get it?).
Cool Snack Brands You Should Know
If you’re not interested in buying another Kardashian Kompany, I have plenty of snack brands that deserve your dollars. As someone who’s tried hundreds of better-for-you brands, here’s my short list of snacks you should know about:
Pistakio — Delicious pistachio spread.
Fair and Square — Gut-friendly crackers (I love the Cinnamon ones).
Good Girl Snacks’ Hot Girl Pickles — Crunchiest pickles I ever did have.
Opopop — Buttery, delicious microwave popcorn.
Flings — High-protein, low-sugar, yassified Pop-Tarts.
Lovebird Cereal — Coconut sugar, cassava-based cereal. The Honey O’s are a perfect alt to Cheerios.
Real Phat Foods — Addicting almond flour crackers.
NUFS — Another addicting almond flour cracker brand.
Honey Mama’s Chocolate — Paleo chocolate truffle bars.
Toodaloo Snacks — Delicious adaptonegic trail mix.
What are your favorite snack brands? What do you think about Khloud? Let me know in the comments.
See you next week! xAuri