perusing the aisle - June 2025

Pretzelized, Maeve Chocolate, Cookie Granola, and more

Starting a new series within Consumer Girl. As someone who finds the most joy perusing the aisles of grocery stores and all things CPG, I’m so excited to document my finds and share my takes.

I’ve had this idea for a while but was inspired to start now after seeing Nate Rosen’s Weekly Pickups (definitely subscribe to him!)

To kick off this series, I decided to go back to some old viral products that always piqued my interest but never ended up in my cart…until now.

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Pretzelized Pita Chips

Jason Cohen, co-founder of Pretzelized, knew exactly what to bring to market and how to bring it fast. He is a serial founder, selling many snack brands, such as Veggie Straws, ParmCrisps, and Thinsters.

Even though Cohen realized that pita chips and pretzels have completely separate manufacturing processes that both require capital-intensive processes, they were able to develop a process that combined two fan-favorite salty snacks.

Pretzel-type products have done quite well in recent years. Circana data shows that pretzel purchases by US shoppers have grown almost 2% over the past year and notable pretzel brands, such as Snyder’s and Dot’s, are seeing growth as well.

my take: for the moments when you can’t decide between a pretzel and a pita chip. thanks to pretzelized, you don’t have to choose anymore. These are truly such a disruptor in the savory snack aisle by combining two of our favorite dip-oriented chips into one.

• great with guac and hummus (and crushed up in a salad)

rating: 8.3/10

Drizzilicious S’mores Bites

A viral brand that is a clear disruptor in the snack category.

my take: As concious consumption and Ozempic-driven trends take effect, snacks that can achieve taste at favorable macros are going to perform extraordinarily well. Gen Z has made rice cakes popular again, so I’m fascinated that this brand carved out a niche in this market

• 90 calories for 21 pieces seems like A STEAL!!!

• fair warning: highly addicting

rating: 9.1/10

MAEVE Mexican Hot Chocolate

i’m always eager to try a new chocolate bar brand, and Maeve’s packaging caught my eye! Maeve is committed to environmental sustainability and ethical sourcing, two incredible values to uphold. I was very eager to purchase the brand - check out the website

my take: A rich flavor that makes you satisfied after only a few pieces! Mexican Hot Chocolate is an amazing flavor. If you haven’t made the switch from chocolate chips to chocolate bars as a sweet mid-day snack, you need to.

rating: 9.1/10

Purely Elizabeth Chocolate Chip Cookie Granola

Now that it’s summer, it’s yogurt bowl season again! Purely Elizabeth just hit $147M in sales in 2024 and continues to be the front-runner as THE better-for-you granola. The brand leads with an 85% YoY growth in a category that’s worth $1.2B.

my take: If my brother is inclined to eat the whole bag within the hour, you know it’s good. I can not wait to try the other Cookie Granola products.

rating: 9.1/10

Trader Joe’s Root Beer Float Pieces

Root beer’s popularity makes perfect sense when you consider the rise of dirty soda. In a way, the root beer float was the original dirty soda. As dirty soda proliferates beyond Utah state lines, it is becoming a go-to indulgence for Gen Z consumers. Trader Joe’s has mastered the art of blending core flavors with creative twists, and this immediately caught my eye.

my take: the root beer flavor perfectly comes through each bite with a slight tingly flavor to resemble carbonation.

• a great addition for your end-of-day dessert bowl

rating: 8.7/10

Thanks for reading,

Sanjana