From one snack to three platforms: How Crunch Pak built a $10M award-winning concept

Crunch Pak wanted to evolve from being known primarily as a “sliced apple company” into a broader partner in better-for-you snacking, while still staying relevant to retailers.

Instead of relying only on historical sales data, the team used Tastewise to analyze real consumer demand signals and understand how families were celebrating, entertaining, and snacking. These insights revealed formats and pairings that could translate directly into buildable product concepts.

By grounding innovation decisions in real consumer behavior, Crunch Pak was able to move beyond incremental improvements and build new platforms retailers could easily understand and support.

Crunch Pak needed a forward-looking way to innovate beyond core apple products while maintaining retailer confidence.

• Innovation data looked backward. Most insights focused on past performance rather than signals showing where consumer demand was heading next.
• Retailers needed category leadership stories. Retail conversations required stronger narratives about the future of healthy snacking, not just SKU-level performance.
• The business needed new formats. Crunch Pak wanted to expand formats and partnerships while keeping concepts operationally realistic.

Tastewise helped Crunch Pak turn scattered food signals into clear innovation platforms the team could build and sell to retailers.

• Occasion-led insight. Tastewise surfaced how families celebrate, snack, and entertain, revealing occasions that could anchor new product concepts.
• Format and pairing discovery. The platform highlighted rising formats such as apple rings and strong pairings like PB&J that translated directly into buildable ideas.
• Expanding beyond “apple-only thinking.” Demand signals across the broader snacking ecosystem helped prioritize adjacent opportunities including cut fruit and vegetables, organics, and licensed products.
• Retail storytelling backed by evidence. Tastewise insights allowed the team to approach retailers with proof of consumer demand instead of relying solely on internal sales narratives.

Tastewise helped Crunch Pak launch successful innovations while strengthening its position with retail partners.

• 1 award-winning innovation launched.
  The apple ring PB&J concept moved from consumer insight to product and earned external recognition for innovation.
• 3 seasonal platforms built from one idea
  The “charfruiterie” concept became a flexible format that could be adapted for multiple occasions including fall entertaining, game day, and spring celebrations.
  
• 12–18 month planning made practical
  Crunch Pak gained a repeatable way to see where snacking demand was heading and develop concepts early enough to win shelf space.
• Stronger category positioning
  Retail conversations expanded beyond apples to position Crunch Pak as a broader partner in the better-for-you snacking category.