The CHOMPS Story: Protein in Sticks
January 14, 2026
In this episode of Shelf Life, we sit down with Nick Miller, Director of Innovation at Chomps, one of the fastest-growing protein snack brands in the US.
Nick shares how innovation actually works inside a modern CPG brand—from deciding what products to build next, to balancing data with intuition, and understanding why consumers often say one thing but do another. Drawing from his experience at Chomps and previous roles at large CPG companies, Nick breaks down how brands identify white spaces, avoid over-innovation, and build products that last.
We explore topics like human-centered research, brand personality, willingness to pay, innovation pipelines, and why taste still beats everything else. The conversation also dives into the limits of traditional consumer research, the role of AI and synthetic consumers, and how insights really move across teams at scale.
This episode is especially valuable for anyone working in CPG, brand strategy, product innovation, marketing, research, or consumer insights, as well as founders and builders thinking about long-term growth.
🎯 Key Topics Discussed:
1. How innovation works inside a fast-growing CPG brand
2. Big CPG systems vs insurgent brand thinking
3. Avoiding over-innovation and focusing on what truly matters
4. Quality as a non-negotiable in product development
5. Building innovation pipelines and long-term growth strategy
6. Identifying white spaces and expansion opportunities
7. Brand personality and inclusive positioning
8. The limits of consumer research and trusting real behavior
9. Human-centered research, empathy, and creativity
10. The role of AI, data, and intuition in modern innovation
🎙️ Welcome to Episode 06 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.
👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/
In this episode of Shelf Life, we sit down with Nick Miller, Director of Innovation at Chomps, one of the fastest-growing protein snack brands in the US.
Nick shares how innovation actually works inside a modern CPG brand—from deciding what products to build next, to balancing data with intuition, and understanding why consumers often say one thing but do another. Drawing from his experience at Chomps and previous roles at large CPG companies, Nick breaks down how brands identify white spaces, avoid over-innovation, and build products that last.
We explore topics like human-centered research, brand personality, willingness to pay, innovation pipelines, and why taste still beats everything else. The conversation also dives into the limits of traditional consumer research, the role of AI and synthetic consumers, and how insights really move across teams at scale.
This episode is especially valuable for anyone working in CPG, brand strategy, product innovation, marketing, research, or consumer insights, as well as founders and builders thinking about long-term growth.
🎯 Key Topics Discussed:
1. How innovation works inside a fast-growing CPG brand
2. Big CPG systems vs insurgent brand thinking
3. Avoiding over-innovation and focusing on what truly matters
4. Quality as a non-negotiable in product development
5. Building innovation pipelines and long-term growth strategy
6. Identifying white spaces and expansion opportunities
7. Brand personality and inclusive positioning
8. The limits of consumer research and trusting real behavior
9. Human-centered research, empathy, and creativity
10. The role of AI, data, and intuition in modern innovation
🔗 Learn more about Chomps: https://chomps.com
📢 Learn more about Phyllo:
🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com
📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com
📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo
👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/
In this episode of Shelf Life, we sit down with Nick Miller, Director of Innovation at Chomps, one of the fastest-growing protein snack brands in the US.
Nick shares how innovation actually works inside a modern CPG brand—from deciding what products to build next, to balancing data with intuition, and understanding why consumers often say one thing but do another. Drawing from his experience at Chomps and previous roles at large CPG companies, Nick breaks down how brands identify white spaces, avoid over-innovation, and build products that last.
We explore topics like human-centered research, brand personality, willingness to pay, innovation pipelines, and why taste still beats everything else. The conversation also dives into the limits of traditional consumer research, the role of AI and synthetic consumers, and how insights really move across teams at scale.
This episode is especially valuable for anyone working in CPG, brand strategy, product innovation, marketing, research, or consumer insights, as well as founders and builders thinking about long-term growth.
🎯 Key Topics Discussed:
1. How innovation works inside a fast-growing CPG brand
2. Big CPG systems vs insurgent brand thinking
3. Avoiding over-innovation and focusing on what truly matters
4. Quality as a non-negotiable in product development
5. Building innovation pipelines and long-term growth strategy
6. Identifying white spaces and expansion opportunities
7. Brand personality and inclusive positioning
8. The limits of consumer research and trusting real behavior
9. Human-centered research, empathy, and creativity
10. The role of AI, data, and intuition in modern innovation
🔗 Learn more about Chomps: https://chomps.com
📢 Learn more about Phyllo:
🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com
📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com
📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo