This Consumer VC episode is with Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali, the founders of Chomps. Chomps produces healthy beef, turkey, and venison meat sticks. Their first month in business they brought in $500 in revenue. Fast forward, Chomps is now a $500m+ powerhouse sold in Trader Joe’s, Walmart, and Whole Foods—all built with no VC checks.
In this episode, Pete and Rashid share how they turned a side hustle into a national brand:
✅ Why starting small gave them the discipline to stay profitable
✅ The scrappy marketing tactics that turned $500 into their first $5,000
✅ How a Trader Joe’s deal transformed their growth overnight
✅ Why they ignored the “raise early” startup playbook and bootstrapped instead
✅ How their opposite personalities created the perfect founder duo
✅ The systems and strategy that took them from a side hustle to shelves nationwide
👉 If you’re building a business from scratch—or wondering if you really need VC money—this episode is proof that you can start lean, grow smart, and win big.