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Key people at Jack & Friends.
Jack & Friends, based in Great Neck, New York, produces plant-based jerky made from jackfruit and pea protein. Their products offer a vegan, top 9 allergen-free snack with 13-15 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber per bag, designed to appeal to health-conscious consumers, vegans, and those with dietary restrictions, without compromising flavor or quality. The company distributes its snacks direct-to-consumer via its website and through independent East Coast retailers, including a recent expansion to Whole Foods stores across the Northeast in fall 2024. Operating with fewer than 25 employees, Jack & Friends generates less than $5 million in annual revenue. Jessica Kwong serves as the founder and CEO, with Stephen Diebold also listed as a founder in some reports. The company was founded in 2019 by Jessica Kwong.
Key people at Jack & Friends.
Jack & Friends is a New York-based food company specializing in protein-packed, plant-based jackfruit jerky that is vegan, top 9 allergen-free, high in protein (up to 15g per bag) and fiber (up to 9g), and free of added sugar.[1][2][3] It serves health-conscious consumers across lifestyles—including vegans, those with allergies, and flexitarians—solving the problem of snacks that force trade-offs between nutrition, taste, inclusivity, and dietary restrictions.[1][2][4] The company's mission centers on crafting inclusive snacks without compromising on flavor or function, with its debut product line launched in 2019 showing steady growth through retail expansion and media features.[1][2]
Founded in 2019 by Jessica, a Cornell University food science graduate (class of 2018), Jack & Friends emerged from her passion for inclusive food innovation.[1][2][4] During her studies, Jessica excelled in product development competitions (winning national and international titles) and R&D internships at startups and major corporations, creating products like yogurt, baby food, and baked goods.[1][2] As a senior, she turned down a full-time offer from a leading snack giant to launch the company, focusing on jackfruit-based jerky to address gaps in allergen-free, nutritious snacks.[1][2][4]
Early traction included a soft launch of the first flavor ("Jack & Tom") in March 2019 exclusively online, followed by retail stocking in April and a New York Times feature in August—the company's first major press.[2] By June 2020, it debuted a full lineup of three flavors: Jack & Tom, Jack & Barb, and Jack & Teri.[2] Jessica continues to lead operations from New York, with the brand growing via podcasts and founder interviews.[1][2]
Jack & Friends rides the wave of plant-based food innovation, capitalizing on rising demand for flexible, nutrient-rich alternatives amid health, allergy, and sustainability trends.[1][3][5] Timing aligns with post-2019 growth in vegan snacks, where consumers seek "inclusive" options that don't alienate omnivores—evidenced by its NYT feature and retail expansion during a plant-based market boom.[2][5] Favorable forces include allergen-awareness (top 9-free stands out) and flexitarian shifts, with jackfruit's neutral texture enabling meat-like jerky without common pitfalls like poor taste or low protein.[3][4][5] It influences the ecosystem by pioneering "lifestyle-agnostic" snacking, pressuring competitors to prioritize inclusivity and setting a model for science-backed CPG startups.[1][5]
Jack & Friends is poised for expanded distribution and flavor innovation, potentially scaling beyond jerky into broader snack lines as plant-based inclusivity gains mainstream traction.[2][5] Trends like personalized nutrition, e-commerce growth, and allergy-focused reformulations will propel it, especially with its proven retail momentum and founder-led agility.[1][3] Its influence may evolve from niche disruptor to category leader, redefining snacks as truly accessible—echoing its core promise that no one should choose between enjoyment and their lifestyle.[2][4]
