GoKawiilJason Wright built a booming snack brand by obsessing over protein. Now he’s deliberately talking about something else.
As CEO and founder of Wilde Brands, Wright has spent years positioning his chicken-based chips as the protein-forward alternative to traditional snacks. The strategy worked: Wilde is now in 20,000 stores, with a new 130,000-square-foot facility, a 994% three-year growth rate, and a Cheez-It-style cracker that just launched.
But over time, Wright also learned something crucial about consumer psychology: Although new features like protein may differentiate a product, novelty wears away quickly. Meanwhile, most consumers are still driven by the same core desires — and if you don’t play to those desires too, you’ll be overlooked.
So, what do consumers really care about in food? It’s simple: flavor.
“For a while, it worked to say ‘protein chips’ — and I’m not saying that we’ll go away from that language,” Wright says. “But there’s going to come a time when you see Wilde, and the first things you’ll think are taste and texture. And you’re going to think benefit later.”
It’s a shift every founder must consider. Ask yourself: What exactly makes you special… and is that what consumers are looking for the most right now?
Here’s why this matters for every entrepreneur.
The Protein Market Reached Saturation
When Wright started Wilde, protein was a powerful differentiator. Consumers were hungry for high-protein alternatives to traditional snacks, and the market wasn’t crowded with options — yet.
That’s why his “protein chips” were a huge hit. He’d created something that crunches like potato chips, but is made from chicken and bone broth. Then the industry caught up to him.
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