The newest innovation to join the upcycled food movement is Kazoo Snacks – the first water-saving tortilla brand. Every bag of Kazoo Tortilla Chips is made using 40 percent upcycled corn germ, repurposed from the nation’s massive corn starch industry which produces germ as a by-product.
Reclaiming and upcycling reduces Kazoo’s water footprint by at least 20 gallons of water per bag.
Traditional tortilla chip companies use 100 percent virgin growth corn. Conversely, Kazoo Snacks is working to ensure all that’s harvested for food, ends up feeding people. Using corn primarily harvested from generational farms in Iowa, Kazoo Snacks’ proprietary manufacturing process allows it to reclaim and upcycle corn germ that would have otherwise gone to animal feed. Doing so enables the company to get more out of each corn harvest, which saves water.
“Kazoo Snacks exists to provide consumers with great tasting snacks that also save water,” said company founder Joshua Death. “In 2020 alone, the U.S. consumed 1 million tons of tortilla chips. It currently takes 180 billion gallons of water to grow enough corn to meet this demand – with not a single drop of water spared. That’s a whole lot of corn, and even more water. The Kazoo approach would save 57 billion gallons of U.S. freshwater per year.”
For this reason, the company is on a mission to conserve 1 billion gallons of fresh water by 2025.
As sustainable as they are nutritious, Kazoo Snacks’ tortilla chips are available in Restaurant Style, Bite-sized and Lime Zest varieties – all of which are Vegan, kosher and gluten-free. At 140 calories per serving, each handful of Kazoo’s tortilla chips is full of fiber, calcium, potassium and 100 percent natural ingredients.
Kazoo Snacks, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is available to purchase at an SRP of $4.99 per 11-oz. bag at Hyvee and Market of Choice. Starting this Fall, Kazoo will also be available in Whole Foods Northern California and soon, Amazon. For more information, visit the company’s website kazoosnacks.com and follow the brand on Instagram and Facebook.
