Snacks Get Spicy

Sahale's owners climbed a mountain, started a company

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There are plenty of grab-and-go healthy food snacks on the market. But bars and trail mix can feel dull after a while. Sometimes you need a little spice in your snacking.

That’s exactly what Josh Schroeter and Edmond Sanctis, a couple of outdoor enthusiasts, were thinking when they created Sahale Snacks. After climbing Mount Rainier in 2003 and having nothing interesting to eat to replenish their lost energy, they launched their line of nut blends and biscotti crisps, then added glazed nuts and seasoned nuts.

The latest product, Seasoned Nuts, is a line of packaged snacks made with slow-roasted whole nuts and all-natural herbs and spices. The nuts are high in fiber, protein and poly- and mono-unsaturated fats, and are available in three flavor combinations: Southwest Cashews with Chili + Cheddar (cashews with a dusting of Cheddar-Jack cheese plus Poblano and Guajillo peppers); Tuscan Almonds with Parmesan + Herbs (almonds dusted with grated parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomato and Tuscan herbs); and Barbeque Almonds with Mild Chipotle + Ranch (almonds with a dry rub spice blend and a touch of buttermilk ranch). The flavors pack a punch and are miles away from bland nutrition bars.

Josh and Edmond continue to seek out intense flavors to wake up taste buds and are committed to using whole foods in their natural form. “We carefully select our nuts from the best growers and then we dry roast them in ovens to bring out the natural flavors,” Josh explains. “Lots of snack companies oil roast nuts in giant vats of boiling oil, which is faster and cheaper. But that’s just not the way we roll.”

Josh and Edmond’s daily lives continue to provide a jumping-off point for product expansion. “New ideas always start with Edmond or me and initial concepts are typically made at home,” Josh says, noting that great food and interesting combinations of ingredients that they discover while traveling, eating out or cooking themselves often inspire the next great snack.

Sahale Snacks are sold in retail outlets and specialty stores, including Starbucks, Costco and Whole Foods, and grab-and-go locations like airports and hotels. Suggested retail pricing is $2.50 per 2-ounce bag. —Kara Mayer Robinson