From the Pool to Protein Shakes: The Story Behind Shnack

I spent most of my teenage years as a competitive swimmer, representing New Zealand and traveling around the world for competitions. Swimming was my life. But when it ended, I had one of those “what now?” moments.

One thing that had always been part of my world was food. My mum was a great cook and passionate about healthy living, so I grew up surrounded by nourishing meals and a curiosity about how what we eat impacts how we feel. That foundation shaped me more than I realised at the time.

Healthy Kelsi: My First Leap into Food

During COVID, I launched a little food blog called @healthykelsii. What started as a creative outlet turned into something much bigger - more than 400,000 followers, two cookbooks, and a real community of people trying to make healthier choices.

Through that journey, people kept asking me what protein powder I used in my smoothies. The truth? I wasn’t very satisfied with the plant-based options on the market. They often tasted chalky, had way too many ingredients, or didn’t live up to the standards I believed in.

So, I decided to make my own. That’s how I ended up creating a protein powder brand Second Nature which is simple, clean, plant-based, and (crucially) delicious.

The Inconvenience Problem

But along the way, I noticed something bigger.

Most people want to be healthy. It’s a universal aspiration. The problem is - it’s inconvenient. Healthy eating often takes more time, effort, and planning than the average person can give in a busy week (myself included)

I started asking myself: what if we could make it easier? What if convenience and health didn’t have to be at odds?

The Birth of Shnack

That’s where the idea for Shnack came from: a protein shake on the go. Dairy-free, minimal ingredients, genuinely good for you, and still great-tasting.

Easier said than done. Balancing health and flavour is surprisingly difficult in the food world. But after a year of experimenting, partnering with incredible people, and holding ourselves to a very high standard, we brought Shnack to life.

For us, it wasn’t enough to just make something that “fit” on a supermarket shelf. We wanted to challenge the status quo - to show that convenience foods don’t have to compromise on health, and health foods don’t have to compromise on taste.

Shnack was built on the belief that health should be both accessible and enjoyable. That’s the journey we’re still on - and we’re just getting started.