Some of the best businesses start when a founder decides to solve a problem they’re living with themselves.
On The Kara Goldin Show, I sit down with Krishna Kaliannan, Founder of Catalina Crunch, the better-for-you cereal and snack company he created after his own experience living with Type 1 diabetes made him realize just how few great-tasting, lower-sugar options existed.
We talk about how Krishna went from a career in finance to experimenting with low-carb cereal in his own kitchen, eventually running production out of a small bakery in Indianapolis — working during the day, selling at night, and even sleeping on a cot in the front office. That early experiment has grown into a brand with more than $200 million in annual retail sales and a presence in more than 28,000 retail doors nationwide.
Krishna also shares what it took to make the leap from direct-to-consumer into major retailers, how Catalina Crunch competes against some of the biggest legacy food companies, and why high protein, high fiber and less sugar have been central to the brand from the beginning. We also talk about the realities of scaling a CPG company, what nearly broke along the way, balancing growth with building a healthy business, and what Krishna would do differently if he were starting all over again.
This is a great conversation about entrepreneurship, solving your own problem, challenging an established category, and what it really takes to turn a kitchen experiment into a nationally recognized consumer brand. Listen here or anywhere you get your podcasts. 🎧

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me atkaragoldin@gmail.com. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Krishna Kaliannan and Catalina Crunch:
https://us.catalinacrunch.com/
https://www.instagram.com/catalinacrunch/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/catalina-crunch/
https://www.instagram.com/kaliannankaliannan/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/krishna-kaliannan-089b4a22/

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Check out our website to view this episode’s show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/915