Snack Producer of the Year, Late July Snacks
Over the past 15 years, Late July Snacks—the 2018 Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery “Snack Producer of the Year”—has steadily grown its business to its position today as a leader in organic, non-GMO snacks, most notably its strong level of innovation in the tortilla chip category. And along the way, Nicole Bernard Dawes, founder and CEO, has overcome numerous obstacles to grow into the industry leader she is today. For the full story, see “2018 Snack Producer of the Year: Carefree organic snacking with Late July Snacks.”
Over the past 15 years, Late July Snacks—the 2018 Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery “Snack Producer of the Year”—has steadily grown its business to its position today as a leader in organic, non-GMO snacks, most notably its strong level of innovation in the tortilla chip category. Sales of organic foods are far outpacing the industry. In this favorable climate, Late July Snacks is well positioned to bring its products to an expanding shopper base increasingly hungry for organic snacks.
“I’m a Cape Codder, and Late July is that perfect moment in time,” says Nicole Bernard Dawes, founder and CEO, Late July Snacks, Boston. “You’re in the middle of summer, you’re very carefree. That carefree summer moment is really what an organic snack should be. They’re fun, they’re snacks—it isn’t something you should have worry about.”
When expecting her first son, inspiration struck. “I was living in New York City and was looking for organic saltine crackers,” says Nicole Bernard Dawes. Although several health food stores existed in her neighborhood, her search for organic saltines proved unfruitful. “I realized that the center of the natural food store was still stuck back in the 1970s. It just hadn't evolved like the perimeter of the store.” So Dawes and her Steve Bernard, founder of Cape Cod Potato Chips, started Late July Snacks, and their first product was saltines—still the top organic saltine in the snack industry.
Late July continued to expand its product range, which included several varieties of crackers and cookies. Today, the company’s cracker line includes Classic Rich Crackers, Bite Size Cheddar Cheese Crackers, Mini Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, Mini Cheddar Cheese Sandwich Crackers and, the product that started it all, Classic Saltine Crackers.
While Nicole Bernard Dawes was very interested in launching a line of tortilla chips, her father and business partner, Steve Bernard, was reluctant. But after her father passed away in 2009—the most difficult year of Nicole’s life—she decided to go out on a limb and start producing tortilla chips. Tortilla chips are now the primary products coming from Late July. “We decided to make tortilla chips our future,” says Nicole. “That’s what we saw as the direction of the company and where we really wanted to be as a brand.”
Nicole Bernard Dawes feels personally and professionally compelled toward organic. “I really feel we have an obligation as food manufacturers to create products in the best way that we know how. For me, that includes using organic, sustainably sourced ingredients, because I believe that to be the best form of agriculture.”
Late July’s Multigrain chips take a better-for-you route, including ingredients like chia, quinoa, millet, amaranth and flax. The line comes in Sea Salt, Sweet Potato, Mild Green Mojo, SubLime, Summertime Blues, Dude Ranch and Red Hot Mojo.
Nicole Bernard Dawes notes that her father, Steve Bernard, taught her the vital necessity of snack appeal. “It’s absolutely critical that your product taste amazing,” says Nicole. “That’s with me every single day at Late July. There is absolutely no point in launching an organic snack that doesn’t taste better than what is out there conventionally available.”
The Late July Clásicos line isn’t afraid to get adventuresome with its flavor offerings, available in Buffalo Queso, Sriracha Fresca, Nacho Chipotle, Jalapeño Lime, Bacon Habanero and Crispy Yellow Corn.
Just this year, Late July expanded into a natural companion product range, organic salsa, available in Mild, Medium and Salsa Verde. “Nice, organic, multigrain tortilla chips and salsa is one of the healthiest store-bought snacks you can give yourself outside of fresh produce,” says Nicole Bernard Dawes. “You’re getting whole grains, vegetables from the salsa and good fats. It’s a really great snack. Something I’m incredibly proud of.”