Chapul, a Utah based food company, made its debut appearance on the popular ABC show Shark Tank in 2014. Since then the company has seen immense growth and success due to their unique product line which includes energy bars made from cricket flour.
This article will provide an update of what Chapul has achieved since appearing on the program and how it continues to be successful today.
Chapul is well known for its innovative use of cricket flour as a main ingredient in their products. In addition to providing sustainable nutrition options, they are also committed to helping small-scale farmers by ensuring that all ingredients used in their products come from ethical sources.
The company’s mission statement is ‘to foster global sustainability through education and entrepreneurship’. By creating delicious recipes using cricket flour instead of traditional proteins, Chapul hopes to help reduce food insecurity around the world while educating consumers about sustainable practices.
Company Background
Chapul, founded in 2012 by Pat Crowley and Ben Knight, has quickly established itself as a leader in the sustainable food industry. The company is best known for its signature product: Chapul Cricket Bars – energy bars made from cricket flour.
In addition to being nutritious, these bars are designed with sustainability at their core. Through employee diversity and environmental stewardship initiatives, Chapul aims to reduce our collective carbon footprint while making healthy snacks accessible to everyone.
The founders of Chapul first came up with the idea when they were college students attending Utah State University. After successfully launching their business on Kickstarter, they caught the attention of ABC’s hit show Shark Tank in 2014. Despite not receiving an investment offer from any of the sharks that season, Chapul was able to use its appearance as a springboard for further growth and success.
Consequently, it now ships products across 49 states and 9 countries around the world. Since appearing on Shark Tank in 2014, Chapul has continued to grow exponentially each year; increasing sales revenue over 300%, expanding distribution networks into larger stores like Whole Foods Market and Safeway, adding new flavors such as chocolate peppermint and peanut butter cup to its lineup of original cricket bars, boosting production capabilities through multiple manufacturing partnerships including a major expansion project with Whole Food’s own kitchen facilities…just to name a few highlights!
Cricket Flour As A Sustainable Protein Source
Cricket flour is emerging as a sustainable protein source for an increasing number of consumers. The Chapul Shark Tank team has taken this potential to the next level, introducing cricket-based foods that are not only nutritious but also delicious.
By using cricket flour from sustainably sourced insects, they have created products that align with farm to table and sustainable agriculture initiatives.
The main ingredient in Chapul’s products is cricket powder, which contains more protein than beef or chicken while consuming significantly less energy and water and producing fewer greenhouse gases during production. In addition, it is high in calcium, iron and B vitamins and yields an earthy flavor often compared to nuts.
By substituting traditional proteins such as meat with crickets, Chapul offers a unique opportunity for people to reduce their environmental footprint without sacrificing taste or nutrition.
Consumers can feel confident knowing the ingredients used by Chapul come straight from eco-friendly farms where all insect life cycles are respected – providing an alternative option within the health food industry while making sustainability part of everyday living.
Impact On Small-Scale Farmers
The Chapul Cricket Flour venture, which was featured on Shark Tank in 2013, has been hailed as a sustainable food source and an accessible form of protein.
Yet the focus of its impact is often overlooked: small-scale farmers. The company’s mission to use cricket flour for nutrition is making a difference for these individuals by providing them with additional income through sustainable agriculture.
Agriculture that works within existing environmental conditions can be highly lucrative but due to limited resources or knowledge, many small-scale farmers are unable to access such opportunities. By utilizing crickets as their main ingredient, Chapul creates an opportunity for those who want to participate in sustainable farming while also increasing their economic standing.
This helps empower local communities by enabling them to create better futures for themselves and their families. Moreover, the production process itself is quite simple and efficient; it doesn’t require any major investments or changes in infrastructure.
Instead, Chapul provides support to ensure that all participating farmers comply with industry standards and regulations while adhering to good agricultural practices (GAP). This allows producers from around the world – including developing countries – to experience financial growth without damaging ecosystems or endangering species.
Mission Statement
Chapul, an innovative start-up that pitched on Shark Tank in 2014, is a leader in green farming and sustainable production. Since its debut on the show, Chapul has been hard at work developing new products to meet consumer demands for environmentally friendly food sources.
The company’s mission statement reflects their dedication to making agriculture more eco-friendly through the use of cricket flour as a protein source. Chapul operates out of Salt Lake City, Utah and owns two outdoor farms which produce crickets and other insects used to make cricket flour.
They also partner with nearby organic farmers who provide additional ingredients such as fruits and vegetables needed for their bars and powders. All of these resources are sustainably produced using methods that protect against environmental degradation while still providing high quality products.
The company takes great pride in being able to offer consumers alternatives to traditional proteins like beef or chicken without sacrificing taste or nutrition. Their goal is to create foods that are just as delicious but better for the planet by reducing water usage, eliminating pesticide run off, and limiting greenhouse gas emissions from livestock rearing practices.
Chapul strives to be a driving force behind creating an environmentally conscious future in food production both domestically and abroad.
Product Line & Availability
The Chapul team has an aggressive retail strategy, aiming to make their products available in more than 500 stores by the end of 2021. Currently they are sold at over 200 venues including Whole Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market across 18 states with plans to expand further into Canada.
In addition, the company also sells through its website for customers who cannot find a store that carries their product line.
Chapul’s success is mostly due to customer feedback from taste tests and surveys which have helped them refine their current product line as well as develop new flavors like Mango Chile Lime Cricket Bars.
The founders are confident that ongoing consumer demand will continue driving sales growth while they strive to create innovative cricket-based food products that satisfy both health conscious consumers and gourmet food enthusiasts alike.
In order to maintain a competitive edge in the market, Chapul continues to focus on using sustainable ingredients sourced directly from farms throughout North America. This commitment to ethical sourcing enables them to provide high quality cricket-based food products without compromising on flavor or nutrition values.
As such, Chapul remains committed to educating customers about the benefits of insect protein while striving hard to meet growing global demand for this alternative source of nutrition.
Achievements Since Appearing On Shark Tank
Since appearing on Shark Tank, Chapul has made tremendous strides towards its goal of ethical and sustainable food production. From the outset, they have been dedicated to sourcing their ingredients ethically and responsibly while also reducing their carbon footprint as much as possible.
This commitment can be seen in many areas of the company’s operations and growth since their appearance on the show. In 2018, Chapul secured a grant from The National Science Foundation which allowed them to further develop their innovative cricket flour-based protein bars.
With this funding, they were able to expand into new markets nationwide and increase visibility for both themselves and their products. They also launched an online store so customers could directly purchase items straight from Chapul without having to visit a physical location.
The success of these initiatives resulted in increased awareness about sustainability issues, with more people becoming educated on how certain practices are affecting our planet today. Additionally, Chapul continues to participate in conferences around the world to discuss topics related to sustainability and responsible sourcing that is leading the way forward for future generations.
Growth & Expansion
Chapul, a company that produces protein bars made from cricket flour, has had success on the popular business show Shark Tank. After they appeared on the show in January 2015, sales of their product skyrocketed and Chapul was able to expand its operations considerably.
To further growth and expansion, Chapul has pursued several strategies:
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Local Partnerships: The company works with local farmers and producers to source fresh ingredients for their products. This helps them maintain high quality standards while also supporting local communities.
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Sustainable Packaging: To reduce waste and environmental impact, Chapul uses compostable packaging materials such as paperboard boxes, soy-based ink labels, and vegetable starch lining bags. They have also implemented green initiatives like recycling programs at their production facilities.
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Innovative Marketing Ideas: Chapul leverages social media campaigns, influencer marketing tactics, regional events and trade shows to create awareness about their brand among potential customers.
The results of these efforts are clear – since appearing on Shark Tank in 2015, the company’s revenue has grown significantly each year due to increased demand for their products both online and in retail stores. Today, Chapul is sold in over 2000 locations nationwide, making it one of the fastest growing food companies in America.
Online Presence & Social Media
The Chapul Shark Tank Update continued by exploring the company’s online presence and social media.
The founders of Chapul discussed how they have implemented various branding strategies to strengthen their digital marketing efforts. They spoke about creating a dedicated website that contains information related to their core product—a cricket-based energy bar—as well as content regarding sustainability, nutrition, health benefits, and recipes for using crickets in food preparation.
In addition to building out an informative website, the Chapul team also highlighted their commitment to engaging customers on social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. Through these channels, they are able to connect with existing customers and reach potential new ones through targeted campaigns based upon user interests.
This strategy has had positive results thus far; according to their data from 2020, there was a 25% increase in direct sales attributed to improved visibility across social media networks.
Chapul recognized an opportunity for increased brand recognition among eco-conscious consumers and sought it out aggressively through both traditional and digital advertising techniques. In doing so, they were able not only establish themselves within the space but also create long-term relationships with passionate supporters who regularly purchase their products or engage with them online.
Awards & Recognition
Chapul, a company that produces cricket-based protein bars and powders, is receiving recognition for its green credentials.
Founded in 2013 by Pat Crowley, Chapul was featured on the ABC television show Shark Tank in 2014.
Since then it has been awarded numerous awards for its efforts to reduce climate change through sustainable food production.
The most recent award given to Chapul was a grant from The Vodafone Americas Foundation Wireless Innovation Project which provided $25,000 USD to support their research into creating alternative proteins using insects.
This grant helps provide financial stability as well as validating the work they are doing towards reducing global warming.
In addition to this grant, other accolades include being named one of TIME Magazine’s 25 Best Inventions of 2015, winning Salt Lake City’s Green Business Award and being listed among Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs in 2017.
Each award serves to further recognize the importance of Chapul’s mission to create more sustainable sources of protein while helping mitigate climate change at the same time.
Future Plans & Goals
Chapul’s appearance on Shark Tank marked the beginning of an exciting chapter for this innovative company. After receiving funding from investor Chris Sacca, Chapul has been hard at work making strides to expand their reach and spread awareness about alternative proteins.
With their newfound resources, they are now poised to make a greater impact with green marketing strategies that will help them increase sales and raise customer awareness around sustainable protein sources. To meet these goals, Chapul is focusing its efforts on outreach campaigns through digital media channels such as social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
They are also working on creating partnerships with local farmers’ markets in order to promote their products within communities across the country while simultaneously raising awareness of the benefits of eating insect-based proteins. Additionally, Chapul plans to launch new product lines such as cricket energy bars and shakes that can be sold online or shipped directly to customers.
With ambitious goals and innovative strategies, Chapul is well positioned to take advantage of the growing trend towards alternative proteins in the food industry. Their commitment to eco-friendly practices ensures that all operations are conducted sustainably while providing consumers with access to healthy meal options.
As more people turn away from animal-sourced proteins due to environmental concerns, companies like Chapul offer hope for a healthier planet by providing delicious, nutrient rich alternatives that not only taste great but do good for our earth too!
Conclusion
Chapul’s mission to provide a sustainable and nutritious protein source has been achieved with their cricket flour, which is making an impact on small-scale farmers.
The company’s awards and recognition serve as testament to the success of its innovative product line, while their online presence and social media activity have helped them reach new customers around the world.
Chapul’s bright future looks promising; they are expanding their business in order to enable more people to enjoy this delicious, eco-friendly alternative protein source.
As Chapul continues to break boundaries and inspire others in the food industry, it will remain a leader in creating products that benefit both people and planet alike.