Munch Craft: Distinctly Delicious. Air Roasted Snack Nuts with Bold Global Flavors!
- KLS
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
For the 234th feature of our "Together Talks" campaign, we collaborated with Munch Craft and Founder, Zubin Kuvadia. Distinctly Delicious. Air-Roasted Cashews with Bold Global Flavors. At Munch Craft, they're redefining snacking with bold, globally inspired flavors and premium nutrition. Starting with the finest Indian cashews, they craft non-greasy air-roasted snacks—no added oil, just vibrant taste! Because snacking should be smart, satisfying, and never boring. Their innovative and scientific roasting/flavoring process and nitro-seal packaging ensures a crunchy bite, rich coating and a perfect balance of flavor.
Their flavors:
Jalapeño Cheese Cashews
Peri-Peri Lime Cashews
Blueberry Cashews
Guava Blaza Cashews
"Together Talks" feature # 234: Munch Craft presented by KLS - Your Trusted Shipping Solutions In The USA
What separates you from your competition? What have been the biggest challenges? Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
What were your concerns to transition to starting your own business? What have you learned since becoming an entrepreneur? What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most? Share a decision that you made that was detrimental? Do you have a moment that brings you the most joy?
Story of how it was created?
I envisioned and founded this brand about a year ago—around 11 or 12 months now. My background is deeply rooted in chemical engineering; I hold a PhD and have always been a strong process-oriented thinker. But alongside that, I’ve always had the desire to build something of my own.
I’m also a lifelong snacker. I read ingredient labels carefully and regularly shop for food and snacks for my family—we have young kids—so I pay close attention to what’s available. What I saw in the snacking aisle didn’t impress me. We’re always looking for nutritious options, but the choices felt limited.
I grew up in India and moved to the U.S. about 18 years ago. Back home, nuts were a staple snack—simple, healthy, and satisfying. But here, most of the options I saw were either fried in seed oils or tasted bland. There was always a compromise: either you chose something less clean, or you chose something clean that wasn’t really crave-worthy.
That gap stuck with me. I knew I could do something about it.
So I partnered with my dad, who is a food technologist with over 45 years of experience in food science and technology. In India, he’s known as a “Flavor King,” having developed 50–60 unique products over his career.
Together, we explored what we could do differently with nuts. We developed a line of air-roasted cashews and almonds using an improved air-roasting process—one that uses no added oil at all. Instead, we rely on the power of high-speed, circulating air to create a superior crunch and smoother, dry-touch texture.
At the same time, we leaned heavily into unique, unexpected flavors—ones people wouldn’t typically find in the snack aisle. The idea was to combine process innovation with product innovation: delivering discovery, excitement, and bold flavors, while also maintaining clean, nutritious ingredients.
That’s how Munch Craft was born—built around what the modern snacker is looking for but often can’t find today.
What separates you from your competition?
Most of our competition consists of large, established brands that dominate shelf space. Generally speaking, those products rely heavily on added oils, which make up the bulk of the market.
There are a handful of brands that use dry roasting or air-roasting, but we’ve developed our own proprietary approach. And at the end of the day, the proof is in the product.
With just one bite, people immediately notice the difference. We constantly hear, “This is way crunchier than what I’m used to.” There’s no sogginess, no oily aftertaste—just a clean, crisp texture.
While some other products also try to avoid seed oils or use dry roasting, the level of crunch and texture we achieve is unique to our process. The process innovation we’ve developed sets us apart.
Beyond that, our brand is about culture, discovery, and excitement. Our flavor profiles are something you simply don’t see in the nut aisle. We offer combination and depth flavors like Peri-Peri Lime, Blueberry, Jalapeno Cheddar, Salted Caramel, and Coffee Mocha—dynamic, layered flavors that go far beyond the traditional salted, roasted, or honey-roasted options. For us, TASTE is the primary driver and we take great efforts to make sure we get it right! That level of focus on flavor is rare in this category, and it’s a major differentiator for us.
Ultimately, it’s the combination of product and experience: the taste, the crunch, the texture, the form factor, and the nutritional value—all without added oils.
We also put a strong emphasis on education and sampling. We do frequent demos with retail partners—almost every other week—and participate in vendor events and farmers markets. That’s how we introduce people to the product and build awareness.
We’re active on LinkedIn and Instagram, and we’re working with creators and affiliates. This is a product that really benefits from being experienced firsthand.
Our packaging is also very clear and intentional. We highlight that the product is air-roasted, extra crunchy, and nutrient-dense, with strong protein callouts. The flavors themselves spark curiosity—people see something like Blueberry Cashews and think, “How does that even work?” Then they try it.
And once they do, the conversion rate is high—over 50% during demos in many cases. People ask where they can buy it, look us up later, or purchase through channels like TikTok Shop and Amazon.
Word of mouth has been powerful as well. People share it with friends and family, and that organic growth has been a key driver for us.
What have been the biggest challenges?
This is a completely new industry for me. While I have a strong background in another field, breaking into a new space comes with a steep learning curve.
One of the biggest challenges has been gaining traction—figuring out how the industry works, identifying the right partners, and learning from others who’ve already been through it. I spend a lot of time educating myself and connecting with other founders.
Digital platforms like TikTok Shop and Instagram have also been new territory.
Understanding how these channels work and how to run effective campaigns has required a lot of trial and error - and we are constantly learning!
Logistics is another major challenge. We design everything here in the U.S., but our products are manufactured in India. Most of the world’s cashews come from India or Vietnam, so we made a conscious decision to source close to where the raw materials originate. We even established our own dedicated partner facility there.
But that decision comes with complexity—navigating regulatory requirements, tariffs, and global supply chains. Managing international logistics is not easy.
At the end of the day, it comes down to patience and persistence. We’re learning as we go and continuing to adapt.
Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
Our immediate goal is to build on our strong word of mouth and local success by expanding regionally.
We’re focused on growing our network of retail partners, particularly specialty stores and independent grocers, while also broadening our distribution.
Sampling will continue to play a big role, along with targeted campaigns and in-store demos.
On the product side, we’re expanding our lineup. We started with four SKUs of cashews and are now introducing almonds, along with additional exciting flavors.
Looking ahead, we’re also launching new formats. Our initial product was a 4.5-ounce pantry bag, which works well for specialty and natural retail. Now, we’re introducing smaller, single-serve formats as well.
This opens up new channels—corporate campuses, gyms, offices, vending machines, and food service environments. Expanding into these high-frequency channels will be a key focus in our next phase of growth.
What were your concerns to transition to starting your own business?
Leaving a stable corporate role is never an easy decision. Starting something on your own is inherently risky.
I spent a lot of time thinking it through. Ultimately, it comes down to your “why.”
For me, the mission was clear. We truly believe in creating more nutritious, cleaner, and more flavorful snack options for people. That sense of purpose made the decision easier.
My advice to others is this: it’s always going to be challenging. There’s no easy path. Even one year in, every single day presents new challenges.
What carries you through is your mission. When things get difficult, you go back to why you started.
What have you learned since becoming an entrepreneur?
The biggest lesson has been the importance of flexibility.
In a corporate environment, things are (mostly) structured and predictable. As an entrepreneur, you’re building everything from scratch- no set systems to rely on. You have to rely on your instincts and adapt quickly.
Things rarely go exactly as planned. You have to learn from your customers and the market in real time.
Within our first six to eight months, we already went through a reformulation and repackaging based on what we learnt from our customer and retailer response. That wouldn’t have been possible without being agile and open to change.
Your product will evolve—it will go through multiple iterations. You have to embrace that.
Another key lesson is the importance of community. Surround yourself with other founders, mentors, and people who understand the space. They can save you months of trial and error.
And it’s equally important to welcome tough feedback. You don’t want to surround yourself with only positive reinforcement. The people who challenge you and ask hard questions are the ones who help you grow.
What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most?
What I appreciate most is the 360-degree perspective.
Coming from an R&D and engineering background, I used to focus primarily on technical aspects. But as an entrepreneur, you have to understand everything—customers, markets, distribution, branding, operations.
You can have the best product in the world, but if no one knows about it, it won’t succeed. On the flip side, great marketing can’t compensate for a weak product.
It’s about bringing all the pieces together.
Every day is different. Some days are easier than others, but overall, it’s a journey—a marathon, not a sprint. That dynamic nature is something I truly enjoy.
Share a decision that you made that was detrimental?
There are always decisions you look back on and wish you had approached differently.
One area where we could have done better was in our initial product validation. We relied too much on feedback from people close to us, who naturally tend to be supportive. In hindsight, we should have conducted more blind tests and gathered more neutral, unbiased feedback early on.
My advice to other founders is to invest more time in product testing before launch. Get your product into as many hands as possible, and encourage honest feedback.
We launched, learned quickly, and then were flexible enough to make changes as per what the market signaled - formulation updates and packaging changes. While that’s part of the journey, more upfront testing could have smoothed that SKU optimization process.
Do you have a moment that brings you the most joy?
One of the most rewarding moments was seeing true product-market fit in action.
At demos and farmers markets, we’ve seen customers try the product and then immediately bring others over—telling them, “You have to try this.”
It becomes a chain reaction. People share it organically, post about it on social media without being prompted, and genuinely advocate for the brand.
That’s when we realized this had real potential—when customers became our champions.
You can plan all the marketing campaigns in the world, but when that kind of grassroots momentum happens naturally, it’s incredibly powerful.
That was a proud and fulfilling moment for me.
Piece of Advice
It’s incredibly difficult for new founders to get a chance. That’s why the broader ecosystem matters so much.
If you’re in a position to do so—whether as a retailer, partner, or consumer—take a chance on something new. It creates opportunities and lifts the entire community.
For founders, understand that rejection is part of the process. A “no” is not a verdict on you or your idea—it’s simply part of operating in a competitive space.
Stay persistent. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.
This is a journey. Keep going.
In Closing
KLS wants to thank Munch Craft and Founder, Zubin Kuvadia, for today's "Together Talks" feature. Follow along for their journey with their social handles below!
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