Ryan Downs, president of Oh Snap! Pickling Company and formerly of the sauerkraut mega-maker GLK Foods (read the 2020 Insight cover story “Kraut King” for more), joins Insight Associate Editor Kate Bruns and Executive Director Ann Franz of the NEW Manufacturing Alliance on this week’s episode of the NEW Manufacturing Insights podcast, sponsored throughout the month of October by Wisconsin Public Service.
In 2015, while his family was still operating GLK Foods, Downs created Oh Snap! following a robust product development process and now sells through most major retailers all over North America, promising “portable pickle perfection” — healthy, mess-free snacks that can be taken anywhere, including pickled cucumbers, green beans, carrots and infused cranberries.
“There’s kind of pickle madness in the country right now,” he tells the co-hosts, adding that Oh Snap! was built off nutrition trends around gut health and an exploration of packaging pickles’ popularity in a new way. And he’s proud to point out that Oh Snap! has actually lifted up the entire pickling industry as opposed to taking business away from other products in the sector.
“The beauty of the pickle is we just put a small twist on something that already exists,” he says. “People are eating more pickles, even if they’re not ours, because of ours — so we’re happy for that.”
Learn more about new products Oh Snap! is working on and find out more about Downs’ best leadership insight — which involves “surrounding yourself with the smartest people who will tolerate you” — by listening to the full 98th episode on Spreaker or anywhere you get your podcasts.
NEW Manufacturing Insights is a joint effort of Insight Publications and the NEW Manufacturing Alliance, produced by Woodward Community Media; new episodes are released on Thursdays. There will not be a new episode released next week due to the Manufacturing First Expo & Conference, but come back Nov. 6 for a special recap episode.
