Hilo Life, a keto-friendly lifestyle brand launched recently by PepsiCo, announced the launch of a keto-friendly, almond flour-based chip that looks like Doritos, but with fewer carbohydrates.
Hilo Life chips come in three bold flavor profiles, Nacho Cheese, Ranch, and Spicy Salsa.
Are You Feeling Noshtalgia?
The tortilla style chips were developed for carb counters who have Noshtalgia: a longing for food you can no longer eat. Sometimes you miss the little things on a keto diet, like a bag crinkling, that satisfying sound of a crunch, or even licking cheese dust off your fingers.
The new snacks are made to have a crunchy texture. Per 1 ounce bag, Hilo Life’s almond flour tortilla chips have 3 grams of net carbs, 9 grams of protein, and 0 grams of added sugar. By comparison, a serving of Cool Ranch Doritos has 18 grams of carbs!
We connected directly with consumers who follow a keto lifestyle to learn what they were missing, and a top request was a carb-conscious chip that tastes like the snacks they used to love. We recognized a delicious opportunity to innovate and bring our consumers a keto-friendly snack with the flavors and textures they crave.
Amanda Cheung – Hilo Life Brand Director
What is “defatted” Almond Flour?
Hilo Life’s chips use “defatted” almond flour as a base ingredient making them a good source of plant-based protein.
Defatting is a process where nuts are cold-pressed to squeeze out the oil. The end product has less fat and more protein than traditional almond flour, but defatting also alters the nutritional balance of the end product.
PepsiCo’s The Hive Incubator
Hilo Life is part of PepsiCo’s The Hive, an internal brand incubator focused on developing niche brands that meet specific consumer needs, which often require a different approach to marketing and distribution compared to conventional products.
The chips are now available in three flavors and in a variety pack on Amazon and at HiloLife.com.