TikTok-Famous Snack Brand Moves HQ Into North Loop
One of the fastest-growing snack brands in the country, with a viral social media campaign viewed by millions, has moved its company headquarters into the North Loop.
Smackin’ Sunflower Seeds, co-founded by two former U of M roommates, has more than 600,000 followers on TikTok, a YouTube channel with more than 165,000 subscribers, and 120,000+ followers on Instagram,
Co-founders Cole Schaefer and Brian Waddick
Their videos have been noticed by everyone from Barstool Sports to the New York Times.
And the two founders, who are in their mid-20s, told the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal why they chose the North Loop for their new headquarters.
“It’s a great place for millennials and Gen Z, which is mostly our demographic of customers,” said co-founder Brian Waddick.
Their jumbo sunflower seeds, with less sodium and unique flavors like Garlic Parmesan and Cinnamon Churro, are largely marketed to baseball players and fans, which the owners said was another plus for the North Loop, having Target Field here.
“Most of the people who are into Smackin’ [Sunflower Seeds] are big baseball fans,” said Cole Schaefer.
While their offices are now in the Colonial Warehouse, the seeds are processed in Utah. And we don’t know of any plans to sell them in neighborhood stores. The company does a lot of sales online through its own website or Amazon.
The Business Journal reported that the company staff had been working remotely until moving into the second floor of Colonial Warehouse in August. They had a corporate staff of eight which they expected to double by the end of this year.
By Mike Binkley, North Loop volunteer