EPISODE 28: Pokko Chips
Recorded January 2023
It would be too easy to say that Pokko is simply a healthier chip. Sure, its made from rice and chickpeas and is suitable for those on vegan diets. It would also be too easy to say that it has a unique flavour profile, inspired by spices from South Asia. To be more accurate… well, you just have to try. Pokko is a way for you to completely upgrade your snack game.
At its core, Pokko is based on a family recipe. Founder Sasha Rajamani had been sharing bags of these chips with friends and colleagues for many years. In 2021, he decided to take it up a a notch and founded Pokko Chips. Now these flavours are available to everyone.
Pokko features Asafoetida, a spice that has been used for centuries in Iran and Afghanistan. In its natural form, Asafoetida (also spelled “asafoetida”) is a pungent herb but once cooked it delivers a flavour that is similar to leeks or onions. It’s the subtle hint of this flavour that make Pokko unique. Pokko currently comes in two flavours: original and spicy (which features Kashmiri chillis from India).
Remarkably, Sasha founded the business in 2021. Not only was the world still trying to navigate COVID-19, but he had also just become a new father. Obviously, balancing his family commitments as well as the time required to build a new business was difficult, so he surrounded himself with a team of experts and mentors who were instrumental in guiding Pokko in its early days.
Consider yourself warned, though. Once you experience the crunch, the taste and the spice you will find it hard to go back to “regular” snacks!