Organic snack Hippeas gets celebrity endorsement as Leonardo DiCaprio invests in brand

One of the world’s fastest-growing snack food companies has just been sprinkled with a bit of Hollywood stardust.

Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio has been confirmed as a new celebrity backer for Hippeas, the trendy brand of organic chickpea puffs.

The company, which has been around for only 18 months or so, also revealed it had received a cash injection from Strand Equity Partners. The size of the investment from the new backers was not disclosed.

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“I’m truly excited that Strand Equity Partners and Leonardo have joined the Hippeas family,” CEO and co-founder Livio Bisterzo said.

“As the brand continues to grow with such momentum in both the UK and US, it’s incredible to bring on board partners who align with our vision and values as a company. We are very enthusiastic to be sharing in this journey with them.”

Hippeas has really taken off since its launch in the US last year. It turned over £3m in year one and is on course to triple that this year.

Its range of chickpea snacks, marketed as high in protein and fibre, gluten-free and suitable for vegans, is sold in over 20,000 stores in the US and UK.

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One of the other elements that has helped fuel its success is its ethical business model: it has partnered with Farm Africa, a charity working to end hunger and bring wealth to rural eastern Africa.

For each pack sold, the brand will donate a portion of sales to support farmers in eastern Africa to grow themselves out of poverty, helping them build a more prosperous life for themselves and their families.

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“Hippeas is a high-growth and differentiated brand that has been created in a short amount of time,” said Seth Rodsky, co-founder and managing partner of Strand Equity Partners.

“The unprecedented traction the brand has achieved is a testament to its unique offering that combines nutrition with a creative flavour profile.”