JicaChips

JicaFoods, founded as Orto Foods Inc. and initially named JicaChips, produces food products derived from jicama, a nutrient-dense root vegetable. The company was established in January 2015 by the husband-and-wife team Xin Wang and Melissa Colella-Wang. Their inspiration came from a vacation in Mexico where they were introduced to jicama as a snack. Colella-Wang has a background in biology from Wellesley College, while Wang studied illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology and package design at Pratt Institute.

The founders began their venture by selling homemade jicama chips at local farmer's markets, which were met with a positive response. Their initial product, JicaChips, was the first of its kind to be commercially marketed. Despite achieving $500,000 in sales, they faced intense competition in the salty snack category, leading to significant financial hardship, including accumulating $70,000 in credit card debt. This challenging period necessitated selling personal assets to keep the business afloat. A pivotal moment for the company was its participation in the AccelFoods startup accelerator, which provided crucial support.

In 2019, the company pivoted from chips to fresh jicama products, rebranding as JicaFoods. This new direction led to substantial growth, with sales reaching $1 million in the first year, followed by $4 million in 2020, $5 million in 2021, and $6 million in 2022. The product line expanded to include fresh-cut jicama sticks, tortilla-style wraps (JicaWraps), and a jicama-based salsa (Jica de Gallo). These products are marketed as low-calorie, low-carb, high-fiber, gluten-free, and keto-friendly alternatives to traditional snacks and tortillas. The company sources and processes its jicama in Mexico, which is the primary commercial grower of the vegetable. They developed packaging to achieve a 19-day shelf life for their fresh products. The business operates on a B2B model, selling to retailers and food service distributors rather than directly to consumers online. Their products have been available in over 1,600 stores, including major retailers like Whole Foods, Sprouts, Wegmans, and Walmart. In 2023, the founders appeared on season 14 of 'Shark Tank,' seeking investment to further scale the business. However, as of mid-2025, the company's website is inactive and social media has been dormant, indicating a possible cessation of operations.

Keywords: jicama snacks, healthy food alternatives, fresh-cut produce, root vegetable products, low-carb foods, gluten-free snacks, JicaWraps, JicaSticks, Shark Tank food company, AccelFoods, Xin Wang, Melissa Colella-Wang, Orto Foods, healthy snacking, plant-based foods, keto-friendly, paleo diet, low-calorie snacks, food and beverage, retail food products