In a fast-moving market where consumer tastes shift overnight, Crunch Pak has turned a single emerging trend into a $10 million revenue source. By partnering with Tastewise, an AI-powered consumer insights platform, the company developed its “Charfruiterie Tray,” launching six to eight months ahead of competitors and establishing itself as a pioneer in the healthy adult snacking category.
Traditionally, the food and beverage sector has been slowed by lengthy development cycles and a reliance on historical data. This often resulted in products that missed the peak of trend cycles. To combat this, Crunch Pak used Tastewise’s generative AI platform, which analyzes trillions of real-time data points to provide insights up to 24 times faster than traditional research and development methods.
The AI identified “celebration” and “family bonding” as significant purchase drivers, while simultaneously highlighting the massive rise of charcuterie boards.
The “Charfruiterie” Success
The result was the Charfruiterie Tray, a healthy, fresh-fruit twist on the charcuterie trend.
“Working with Tastewise and launching the Charfruiterie Tray really underscored how critical it is to capture real consumer needs and interests,” says Ozgur Koc, senior vice president of business and product development for Crunch Pak.
“In today’s highly saturated snack market, where every player is competing for consumers’ attention and budgets, having timely insights gives you an almost irresistible vantage point. By understanding what consumers want, we were able to streamline both our product conceptualization and marketing efforts — a level of precision and speed that, just a few years ago, would have been a luxury,” Koc says.
The product was more than just an AI-generated concept; it was a “thoughtfully sized and curated, 32-oz. creation — not just built by AI, but shaped by how people actually want to snack, share and indulge,” Koc says. By aligning innovation with clear consumer desire, Crunch Pak moved from being a follower to an industry innovator.
AI as a Strategic Team Member
For produce brands, the stakes are particularly high due to the necessity of freshness. Alon Chen, CEO and co-founder of Tastewise, says that AI is becoming an essential “team member” for fresh food brands.
“In a fast-moving category where consumers expect freshness, relying on old data can mean products miss the mark or end up unsold,” Chen says. “With real-time insights, companies like Crunch Pak can spot trends early and make smarter choices about assortment, positioning and marketing strategies, reducing waste and giving shoppers what they actually want. It’s about giving produce brands the confidence to innovate, launch the right products and succeed in the market.”
Looking Ahead
The collaboration has allowed Crunch Pak to take risks and maintain its position as a leader in on-trend produce snacks. As social media continues to accelerate trend cycles, the ability to unearth patterns at unprecedented speed has become a competitive necessity.
