Popchips: Making Snacking Feel Good Again

Even for a die-hard snack fanatic, serial entrepreneur Keith Belling knew that there was absolutely nothing to get from those usual bags of fried chips, so he decided to find a way for snacking to become tastier and whole lot healthier.

He started out with a talk with fellow snack fanatic, Patrick Turpin. He told him about his frustrations with the chips currently sold in the market and his dream of creating something that will make snacking fun and healthier again. Patrick shared the same sentiments and in turn, told him about a snack manufacturer that might just help make his friend’s dream come true. It only took one visit and the next thing they knew, they were already the founders of a revolutionary food item that’s out to change the ways of the snacking industry.

Keith and Patrick discovered a way to make tasty chips sans the baking – that takes all the flavors away – and frying – which give chips a bad name. They figured out something that will create chips that are packed with all of those delightful flavors yet stripped off of those bad stuff people can do fine without. They called it popping. The two snackers spent almost a year, popping, snacking and popping some more, until they came up with a bag of Popchips, an all-natural, delicious line of snack items, the likes of which no store aisle has ever seen or a taste bud has ever tasted before. 

Popchips is made from the finest ingredients and a little bit of pressure and heat. Once it’s popped, it becomes a chip! All the rest of the Popchips people had to do is add some tasty blend of seasonings that will appeal to every taste bud. No fake flavors. No fake coloring. No preservatives. Popchips is all about making people feel good about snacking again and Keith and Patrick are doing their best to share this feeling to the rest of the world.

Mitsuwa: The Supermarket With A Japanese Twist

Recently, supermarkets have gotten a good face lift. Gone are the stale smell, dull-and-dreary look and wearisome gimmicks. It has all been replaced with a contemporary atmosphere, open-kitchens and even drive-thru services! Moreover, supermarkets are also exploring new waters, stepping onto unfamiliar shores and then gladly bringing their discoveries back to mainland where the American society can bask in all their newfound products.

Take for instance, the Mitsuwa Store.

A Godzilla-sized chain of grocery stores with locations in New Jersey, Illinois and California, Mitsuwa offers anything Japanese, from sushi-grade fish to fermented soy beans, from Japanese electronic gadgets to the trendiest Tokyo fashion. They even have their very own travel agents that would gladly book your next vacation in Osaka! In addition to their countless specialty food products, the depot is also home to several restaurants that serve Japanified American food such as Gabutto Burger or teriyaki slider tucked in between steamy hot rice patties.

Without a doubt, Japanophiles will surely have a grand time in Mitsuwa while the rest of the society will be astonished by their impressive collection of Asian merchandises.

Stater Bros. And The Stuff That Made Them Famous

Headquartered in San Bernardino, California, Stater Bros. Markets is a privately-held chain of discount supermarkets consisting of 18,000 employees operating in more than 167 stores strategically located all over Southern California. It joined Fortune 500 in 2005 – the first Inland Empire-based business ever to have done so.

Stater Bros. traces back its humble beginnings to a tiny grocery store located in West Yucaipa Boulevard, Yucaipa, California. Twin brothers Leo and Cleo Stater purchased the small grocery shop with 600-dollar down payment and opened its doors for business on August 1936. In just a matter of time, Stater Bros. became a household name in California, with people from all walks of life dropping by the market every now and then to pick-up their day-to-day needs.

Although Stater Bros. offers a wide selection of merchandises at very affordable prices, they are particularly famous for their specialty meats, which explain their slogan “It’s our meat that made us famous”. As an effort to stay true to their reputation, the supermarket chain always has meat-cutters on duty for most of the day – and they are not just ordinary meat-cutters brandishing knives and chopping boards, they are people who attended a two-year course in the company’s state-of-the-art corporate office, where they learn to slice, chop, dice and mince meat like no one else. Once they are done with the course, they become meat-cutters certified to work anywhere in the world.

Aside from the meat, Stater Bros.’ success can be owed to other several factors. But of all these, it is its focus on serving a local area that led itself to the summits of success. Dedicating their operations to only a small set of locations allowed closer and better monitoring of costs, service, supply and quality, which led to an almost flawless system. Every single store is also focused on providing exceptional customer service especially by way of their employees’ image. Each employee dons smiles and color-coordinated uniforms so that customers can easily identify which departments they are from. 

Truly an exceptional supermarket chain with plenty of perks up its sleeve, Stater Bros.’ will surely capture the hearts of the rest of the American market, should they decide to expand soon.

Fatburger: Great Taste and Attitude Since 1952

In 1952, Lovie Yancey created something, the likes of which the world has never seen before. She created the juiciest, biggest hamburgers, so apparent that there was only one name for it – Fatburger.

Fifty years later, while other restaurants and fast-food chains were still uncovering taste and flavors, Fatbuger still prepared hamburgers the way Lovie did – fresh, lean meat, not frozen hamburger patties, made-to-order exactly the way customers want it, every single time. And since Lovie loved music as much as hamburgers, customers hear the best music blasting from all Fatburger restaurants. Whether it’s Rhythm and Blues, Classic Soul, Rock & Roll or Hip-hop, people will be groovin’ and hummin’ in their chairs long enough to gobble up their big and juicy burgers.

Not only that, they also offer mouth-watering onion rings, hand-scooped ice-cream shakes, great-tasting chili and French fries cooked to perfection in 100% cholesterol-free cooking oil – served hot and with a big smile.

Maoz Vegetarian: Sparking a Vegolution in the Restaurant Industry

Maoz Vegetarian is a chain of fast-service restaurants that serves authentic falafel and a wide assortment of vegetarian food, hand-picked, freshly made and delicious.

It all began with a simple idea that popped in the heads of Israeli couple Nahman Milo and Sima Bar-on. They wanted to build a restaurant that offered people with quick and easy meal options that is not only delicious but nourishing as well. 

Armed with a moderate sum of money and a unique recipe, the couple opened their first Maoz Restaurant in 1991, in the middle of the bustling city of Amsterdam. With their extremely delectable falafel and a mouth-watering fresh salad bar, the vegetarian restaurant drew in locals and tourists alike, and soon became tantamount to quick and exceptional vegetarian food. 

Since its opening, Maoz has grown exceptionally and is now a world-renowned falafel brand, boasting of countless restaurants all over United States and Europe, and with plans of expanding their reach to the rest of the world. Their menu includes their famous meal deal made up of freshly-baked pita pocket stuffed with steamy-hot falafel balls, eggplants and humus, topped with pickled vegetables and signature salads, drizzled with special tahini-based sauces and served with sweet potato or crispy Belgian fries and nutritious beverages. The combination is always fresh, fast and filling, and a huge hit among customers, regular and first-timers alike.

For more than 20 years, Maoz has been meticulously working on streamlining their products to perfection. Their goal is to offer the heartiest, freshest and most nourishing meal alternative to everyone, wherever they may be in the world. The restaurant chain already has over 15 signature salads and special sauces made only with the finest ingredients from local sources. As of press time, the restaurant chain is offering the tastiest nutritious meals to a wide base of customers worldwide, and they keep on getting better.