What’s your protein goal for the day? Everyone seems to have one! According to nutrition experts, adults should eat about .36 grams of protein per day for every pound they weigh, and a lot of office workers are taking that seriously. Luckily, the right break room snacks can help—like Mighty Spark’s Chicken Snack Sticks. The regular sticks deliver 6–7 grams of protein each, and the minis pack in 3.
With those numbers, it’s no wonder Mighty Spark is a hit in The FruitGuys’ office snack deliveries. But there’s more to these little chicken sticks than their protein. They also have a pretty amazing story.
To get the details of how Mighty Spark got started, we spoke to Andrew Wagner, the company’s chief marketing officer. He told us that it all began with Nick Beste: a business school graduate who saw a gap in the market for fresh chicken patties and snacks made with real, simple ingredients.
Nick also wanted to use his business to give back. In 2008, he started a company called Man Cave Craft Meats and snagged a booth at the Minneapolis Farmers Market to sell his chicken. He pledged to donate a million meals per year to charity with his profits.
“It wasn’t just about the food, it was about using the food to do good,” Andrew said.
Nick’s chicken was a hit! The business quickly grew beyond the farmers’ market as it sold chicken to grocery stores and more. Ten years and 10 million donated meals later, Nick decided it was time to update his business name to “Mighty Spark” to reflect his mission.
“That name came about because [Nick believed] you should be able to punch above your weight: small but mighty, spark change. Mighty Spark!” Andrew explained.
The name is also more gender-neutral than “Man Cave Craft Meats”—because everyone loves chicken, especially when it’s made with clean ingredients.
In 2021, Nick sold Mighty Spark to Swander Pace Capital and transitioned from owner to board member/consultant. They brought a fresh perspective to the company, and realized something interesting: While Nick’s ground chicken and chicken patties were a hit, customers loved his chicken snack sticks even more. So the Mighty Spark team did something gutsy: They pivoted the business from fresh chicken with a side of snacks to snacks with a side of fresh chicken.
“We knew we were experts in how to make chicken taste great, so we brought that over to snacking,” Andrew explained. “… It was the idea of, let’s take the most consumed protein in the US, the leanest protein, and make a delicious snack out of it.”
In its new era, Mighty Spark sells chicken snack sticks in five different flavors, including Original Sea Salt & Pepper, Honey & Jalapeño, and Teriyaki Style. Like the patties and ground chicken, their number-one ingredient is chicken raised without added hormones or antibiotics. Then, the team adds simple ingredients like salt, brown sugar, and jalapeños.
“We are gluten-free and soy-free, and every one of our [Snack Sticks] is also top 9 allergen-free,” Andrew said, adding that the real magic of the sticks is their texture: They’re moist, savory, and satisfying. You can eat them at the office any time for an energy boost, but Andrew has a go-to routine.
“These are the perfect hold-you-over snack. I have one [Chicken Snack Stick] at about 10 a.m. every single day and one at about 3 p.m. every single day. It’s that lull; you’re waiting for the next meal, you don’t want to be weighed down,” he said, adding, “… When you eat these—50 calories for 6–7 grams of protein, and it tastes great—you’re not hungry any more, you’re not thinking about it anymore, you’re focused on your work.”
Andrew particularly loves pairing Mighty Spark’s snack sticks with fresh fruit from an office fruit delivery.
“Apples are my number-one fruit. I eat our Honey & Jalapeño [stick] with an apple all the time because you get that little bit of spicy sweet, so that’s my personal favorite combination,” he said.
The Honey & Jalapeño is only mildly spicy, but if you’re looking for sweetness without the spice, Andrew recommends the Teriyaki Style. For the lowest calories, go for the Original Sea Salt & Pepper.
Since Nick started Mighty Spark, Andrew estimates the company has donated between 15 and 20 million meals to Feeding America and other charities. When Swander Pace Capital took the reins of the small 20-person team, it continued to donate at least a million meals annually.
“We’ve kept our core in how we were founded,” Andrew said. He added, “We want [people] to eat really good food that tastes good and they enjoy, and they can feel good about it because it’s doing good.”
The FruitGuys is also on a mission to feed people in need, and we’ve donated more than 20 million servings of food so far. We’re proud to partner with Mighty Spark and help you double your impact with every snack! You can often find Mighty Spark’s Chicken Snack Sticks in our Thoughtful Snack Boxes, which include a variety of low-sugar, high-protein, and high-fiber snacks that change every week.
For a bigger protein snack delivery, we also offer Mighty Spark’s sticks in bulk by the case! Just choose your team’s favorite flavor (Original Sea Salt & Pepper, Honey & Jalapeño, and/or Teriyaki Style) and request a delivery quote.
Join the Chief Banana newsletter for weekly fruit facts, workplace wellness ideas, and occasional offers.
"*" indicates required fields
By signing up, you agree to receive emails from The FruitGuys. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Keep exploring.
Browse by theme.
Get easy recurring deliveries for break rooms, micro markets, and more.
Get fruit news, snack tips, and office wellness insights in your inbox each week, fresh from the desk of our CEO (aka Chief Banana)!
"*" indicates required fields
