After decades in fine dining, renowned restaurateur Jamie Mammano turned his attention to a new challenge: reinventing the tortilla chip.

In this episode, he shares how a small tortilla bakery experiment evolved into Mi Niña, one of the country's fastest-growing premium tortilla chip brands, now sold in thousands of retailers nationwide, including Whole Foods, Target and Wegmans.

Inspired by his Mexican family and frustrated by the lack of authentic, high-quality tortillas in the market, Jamie discusses how Mi Niña's clean-label, organic positioning helps it stand out in a crowded snack aisle, why innovations like olive oil- and protein-enhanced varieties are driving its next phase of growth, and why he's choosing to forgo private equity as he builds the company on his own terms.

Show notes:

0:20: Jamie Mammano, Founder, Mi Niña – Jamie reflects on the origins of Mi Niña, explaining how an early pivot from his initial CPG concept became the catalyst for the brand's growth. He recounts how a chance meeting with Whole Foods sparked early retail momentum and how the company has since expanded to roughly 7,000 stores nationwide. He details how Mi Niña differentiates itself with organic ingredients, clean labels, small-batch production and distinctive packaging, and why he credits product quality and consumer trial—not heavy marketing—for its success. Jamie also discusses staying true to the brand's roots while innovating with new offerings, including an upcoming protein-enhanced chip, addresses private equity interest in the company, explains why he sees CPG as more competitive than the restaurant industry, and shares his vision of "changing the snack game."

Brands in this episode: Mi Niña, Tito's, Lay's, Doritos