LesserEvil
LesserEvil is a US better-for-you snack manufacturer producing USDA organic, air-puffed popcorn, cheese puffs, onion rings, and plant-protein bars sold at premium prices through major US retailers and e-commerce; acquired by Hershey in November 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersDanbury, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What LesserEvil does
LesserEvil, LLC is a US-based better-for-you snack manufacturer founded in 2004 and headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut. The company produces air-puffed (not fried) organic snack products — primarily organic popcorn across roughly a dozen flavor SKUs (Himalayan Pink Salt, Himalayan Gold butter, Cheddar, Himalayan Sweetness, Fiery Hot, Garlic Parmesan, Avocado-licious, Non-Dairy White Cheddar, Oh My Ghee!, plus seasonal flavors) — alongside ring-shaped "Moonions" onion snacks, air-puffed cheese "Space Balls," the newer Cheezmos cheddar-puff line, kid-oriented Lil' Puffs, and the plant-protein R.E.D.D. Bar brand acquired in April 2022. Manufacturing uses organic virgin coconut oil and avocado oil in place of seed oils, and products carry USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Gluten-Free, Kosher, Vegan, and Clean Label Project Purity Award certifications with Light Labs quality testing.
The company's revenue model is straightforward CPG unit sales at premium price points: products ship as single bags and as 8- or 10-count snack packs (plus a Costco-exclusive 30-count Ultimate Organic Snack Box) through every major US grocery and mass channel — Walmart, Target, Costco, Kroger, Safeway, Albertsons, Publix, Wegmans, Stop & Shop, Whole Foods, and Sprouts — and through e-commerce on its own Shopify storefront, Amazon, Walmart.com, Target.com, and ThriveMarket.com. The company monetizes through one-time retail/DTC sales rather than subscriptions, with first-party Direct-to-Consumer e-commerce layered on top of the dominant retail business.
Under founder-CEO Charles Coristine, who purchased the company in 2011 for $250,000 when it was generating roughly $800,000 in annual revenue and losing money, LesserEvil scaled to $104M in 2023, $169M in 2024, and a projected ~$225M in 2025, supported by an Aria Growth Partners growth equity investment in September 2023 and the company's first national marketing campaign ("Feed the Feeling") in summer 2024. The Hershey Company acquired LesserEvil in November 2025 for $769M cash plus up to $200M in performance-based earnouts (3.2x revenue; up to 4.0x if earnout is fully earned), with Coristine and the existing leadership team remaining in place. Less than two years later the company also leased a 303,100-sq-ft industrial facility in Brewster, NY and announced a New Milford, CT production-line expansion adding 30+ workers.
LesserEvil firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LesserEvil
- Legal name
- LesserEvil, LLC
- Website
- https://lesserevil.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- LesserEvil is a US better-for-you snack manufacturer producing USDA organic, air-puffed popcorn, cheese puffs, onion rings, and plant-protein bars sold at premium prices through major US retailers and e-commerce; acquired by Hershey in November 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LesserEvil industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Organic Better-for-You Snacks
- NAICS
- Other Snack Food Manufacturing (311919)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Popcorn & Puffed Snacks (CRADABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Better-for-You / Functional Snacks (Low Sugar, Keto, Probiotic, Fortified) (CRADABAM), Chips & Savory Snacks (Potato, Tortilla, Extruded) (CRADABAE)
Keywords
Where LesserEvil is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Danbury
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
LesserEvil business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Product Sales: Sale of better-for-you organic snacks through major retail chains and e-commerce platforms
- Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Online sales through company's own website and Amazon storefront
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single bags and multi-pack options available |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
LesserEvil product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LesserEvil manufactures and sells organic, better-for-you packaged snack products — primarily air-puffed popcorn, ring-shaped onion snacks (Moonions), organic cheese balls (Space Balls), and crispy cheddar puffs (Cheezmos) — plus kids snacks (Lil' Puffs) and the acquired R.E.D.D. plant-protein bar line. Products are made with organic coconut or avocado oil in place of seed oils and are certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, and Clean Label Project tested.
Product overview
LesserEvil is a better-for-you snack company offering a portfolio of organic, clean-label popcorn and puffed snack products. The core product line centers on Organic Popcorn (Himalayan Pink Salt, Himalayan Gold Butter Flavor, Cheddar, Himalayan Sweetness, Fiery Hot, Garlic Parmesan/Homer's Blend, Avocado-licious, Non-Dairy White Cheddar, Oh My Ghee!, and seasonal Watermelon Hibiscus and Pink Lemonade varieties), complemented by Moonions (ring-shaped onion snacks in Intergalactic Onion and Hyperspace Hot Onion flavors), Space Balls (air-puffed cheese balls in Real Organic Cheddar, Rocket Ship Ranch, and Buffalo Cheddar flavors), and the newer Cheezmos line (crispy cheddar puffs in Cowboy Cheddar and Blazin' Hot Cheddar). Products are sold as individual bags and multi-count snack packs, with The Ultimate Organic Snack Box exclusive to Costco. The company operates as a subsidiary of Hershey Co. following the November 2025 acquisition.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Moonions: Ring-shaped organic corn snacks coated in zesty onion and garlic seasoning
- Space Balls
- Cheezmos
- R.E.D.D. Bar
Products and services
- Himalayan Pink Salt Organic Popcorn Flagship air-popped organic popcorn seasoned with Himalayan pink salt and made with organic coconut oil. Sold as a single 4.6oz bag or an 8-count snack pack for health-conscious consumers seeking clean-label snacks.
- Himalayan Gold Organic Butter Flavor Popcorn Plant-based butter alternative blended with organic coconut oil providing movie-theater-style butter flavor. Sold as a 4.6oz bag or 10-count snack pack, certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO, vegan and gluten-free.
- Cheddar Organic Popcorn Organic popcorn coated with real cheddar cheese seasoning, sold as a 4.6oz single bag for consumers seeking organic cheese-flavored snacking.
Quantifiable outcome
- 85.8% sales surge in 2024
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use LesserEvil
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
LesserEvil technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
LesserEvil partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Clean Label ProjectcoreLesserEvil participates in Clean Label Project certification, a nonprofit that tests consumer products for safety, quality, and purity. Products underwent rigorous testing to earn certification.
- Light LabscoreProducts tested by Light Labs for quality and purity. Light Labs testing ensures products are free from harmful substances and meet quality standards.
- R.E.D.D. BarminorLesserEvil acquired a majority stake in R.E.D.D. Bar, a Portland-based maker of plant-protein based nutritional bars, expanding into the functional snack category. Production began at the Danbury facility.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LesserEvil competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Simple Mills: Better-for-you crackers, cookies, and baking mixes sold through natural and mainstream channels with comparable clean-label certifications and target consumer overlap.
- Purely Elizabeth: Better-for-you granola and snack brand using organic, clean ingredients with overlapping health-conscious consumer base and natural-grocery channel presence.
Direct peers
- Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP: Direct competitor in better-for-you popcorn owned by Conagra Brands. Competes for the same health-conscious consumer and natural-grocery shelf space as LesserEvil.
- SkinnyPop: Direct competitor in better-for-you popcorn, now also owned by Hershey following the LesserEvil acquisition. SkinnyPop and LesserEvil together are projected to control 40-50% of the better-for-you popcorn category.
- Pipcorn Snacks: Better-for-you popcorn and snack brand targeting similar health-conscious, organic-seeking consumers as LesserEvil, with overlapping retail distribution.
- Popcorners: Better-for-you popped corn snacks owned by PepsiCo (Frito-Lay). Directly competes with LesserEvil across mass and natural channels with overlapping flavor profiles.
- Bare Snacks: Better-for-you baked fruit and vegetable snacks, owned by PepsiCo. Competes for the same clean-label consumer dollars in adjacent snack categories.
- Quinn Snacks: Better-for-you snack maker offering popcorn, pretzels, and filled snacks with clean ingredient positioning that overlaps directly with LesserEvil's value proposition.
Broad incumbents
- The Hershey Company: Parent company of LesserEvil post-November 2025 acquisition; also owns SkinnyPop. Broader incumbent in salty and sweet snacks with national DSD and retailer relationships that now amplify LesserEvil's distribution.
- Smartfood: Established popcorn brand owned by PepsiCo/Frito-Lay. Mass-market incumbent with overlapping product formats, though positioned more conventionally versus LesserEvil's better-for-you angle.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LesserEvil social profiles
Digital presenceLesserEvil compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
LesserEvil financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LesserEvil leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
LesserEvil subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
LesserEvil funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LesserEvil M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LesserEvil
What does LesserEvil do?
LesserEvil manufactures and sells organic, better-for-you packaged snack products — primarily air-puffed popcorn, ring-shaped onion snacks (Moonions), organic cheese balls (Space Balls), and crispy cheddar puffs (Cheezmos) — plus kids snacks (Lil' Puffs) and the acquired R.E.D.D. plant-protein bar line. Products are made with organic coconut or avocado oil in place of seed oils and are certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, and Clean Label Project tested.
Is LesserEvil a public or private company?
LesserEvil is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was LesserEvil founded?
LesserEvil was founded in 2004. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is LesserEvil based?
LesserEvil is headquartered in Danbury, United States, in the North America region.
How does LesserEvil make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Retail Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are direct-to-Consumer E-commerce.
Who are LesserEvil's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Simple Mills and Purely Elizabeth. Direct peers are Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, SkinnyPop, Pipcorn Snacks, Popcorners, Bare Snacks and Quinn Snacks. Broad incumbents are The Hershey Company and Smartfood.
Does LesserEvil have an API?
No public API is recorded for LesserEvil.
What industry is LesserEvil in?
LesserEvil's product category is Organic Better-for-You Snacks. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADABAH, Popcorn & Puffed Snacks, with a secondary code of CRADABAM, Better-for-You / Functional Snacks (Low Sugar, Keto, Probiotic, Fortified). Its NAICS code is 311919 and its SIC code is 2000.