Episode 6 – Paving the Way Forward

After spending countless hours working at an organic restaurant, shopping at farmers markets and cooking at home, Kristy Lewis longed for this same deeper connection with natural ingredients in packaged snacks — specifically microwave popcorn. One of her favorite snacks, Lewis always cooked popcorn on the stove with parmesan, rosemary, maple syrup and sea salt. Even though she enjoyed cooking it, she wanted the convenience of popping it in the microwave. Lewis sat on this dream for eight years, waiting for a big CPG company to create a better-for-you option. When she was on maternity leave for her first child Quinn, she began experimenting until she created her beloved company by the same name — Quinn Snacks. With her “first to market” mindset, Lewis reinvented microwaveable popcorn using simple ingredients and paper packaging, all while raising three children. In this episode, Lewis opens up on innovating “farm to bag” snacks, finding her authentic self after spending eight years presenting as the tough, fearless CEO she came to resent, and putting her family first after following the advice: “it will work or it won’t work, but you need your family in either situation”.