The Only Bean
The Only Bean is a Michigan-based plant-based snack company that makes crunchy dry-roasted edamame snacks sold nationwide through Costco and Sam's Club, plus DTC e-commerce, Amazon, Instacart, and wholesale channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersGrand Rapids, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Only Bean does
The Only Bean is a U.S.-based plant-based food company that produces crunchy roasted edamame snacks positioned as a better-for-you alternative to traditional fried snacks. The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Okemos, Michigan, with operations centered on a single product line of dry-roasted (never fried) edamame beans marketed for complete plant-based protein, high fiber, and less than 3g of net carbs per serving. Product variants include Sea Salt, Sriracha, Buffalo, and Sea Salt & Vinegar flavors, and the underlying technology is a dry roasting process that maintains crunch without oil frying.
The company's go-to-market combines major U.S. club retail — nationwide presence in Costco and Sam's Club as of January 2026 — with direct-to-consumer e-commerce on its own website, subscription-based recurring delivery, marketplace listings on Amazon and Instacart, and a wholesale program for retailers and distributors. Customer segments span health-conscious snackers, athletes and fitness enthusiasts, low-carb and keto dieters, and mainstream club-store shoppers. The company markets sustainability credentials (beans as a high-protein-per-acre, soil-enriching crop) alongside clean-label, gluten-free, and non-GMO positioning.
The business is lean, with 1-10 reported employees and no disclosed institutional funding, founder or ownership data beyond founder Brian Lai. Revenue streams consist of one-time retail and DTC product sales plus subscription recurring revenue. A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed alleging that protein content on product labels is overstated relative to FDA's protein digestibility scoring system, which the company disputes by asserting its protein claims are lab-tested and accurate.
The Only Bean firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Only Bean
- Legal name
- The Only Bean
- Website
- https://theonlybean.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Only Bean is a Michigan-based plant-based snack company that makes crunchy dry-roasted edamame snacks sold nationwide through Costco and Sam's Club, plus DTC e-commerce, Amazon, Instacart, and wholesale channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Only Bean industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Healthy Snacks
- NAICS
- Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing (311423)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Jerky & Meat Snacks (CRADABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Finished Meat-Alternative Prepared Foods (Nuggets, Burgers, Sausages, Ready Meals) (AFANAKAO)
Keywords
Where The Only Bean is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Rapids
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Only Bean business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail Product Sales: The company generates revenue through sales of its crunchy roasted edamame snack products distributed through major retail chains including Costco and Sam's Club nationwide, as well as Amazon and Instacart marketplace platforms.
- Subscription Service: The Only Bean offers subscription-based purchases with automatic recurring charges. Subscribers receive repeat deliveries based on their selected frequency with automatic renewal at the current price. Customers can manage or cancel subscriptions through the subscription portal.
- Direct E-commerce Sales: The company sells directly to consumers through its website theonlybean.com, offering its full product range including various flavors (Sea Salt, Sriracha, Buffalo, Sea Salt & Vinegar) with free shipping on orders over $40.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Direct-to-consumer online sales with free shipping threshold |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscription-based recurring delivery service |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Only Bean product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Only Bean manufactures and sells crunchy roasted edamame snacks that are dry roasted (never fried) and seasoned. The single product line is offered in multiple flavor variants (Sea Salt, Sriracha, Buffalo, and Sea Salt & Vinegar) and is positioned as a better-for-you plant-based snack delivering complete plant protein, high fiber, and less than 3g of net carbs per serving.
Product overview
The Only Bean offers a single unified product line of crunchy roasted edamame snacks sold in multiple flavor variants (Sea Salt, Sriracha, Buffalo). The products are positioned as better-for-you plant-based snacks with complete protein, high fiber, and low net carbs. Distribution is available through the company's e-commerce website (with subscription options), wholesale channels, and major retail partners including Costco and Sam's Club.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Crunchy Roasted Edamame Snacks Dry roasted (never fried) crunchy edamame bean snacks marketed as a better-for-you plant-based protein snack. The products are packed with complete plant-based protein, high in fiber, and contain less than 3g of net carbs per serving, available in flavors including Sea Salt, Sriracha, Buffalo, and Sea Salt & Vinegar. Targeted at health-conscious individual consumers seeking guilt-free snacking alternatives.
- Subscription Delivery Service Subscription-based purchase program offering automatic recurring delivery of The Only Bean products at customer-selected frequency. Subscriptions auto-renew at the current price with advance notice of price changes, and can be managed or cancelled through the subscription portal.
Companies that use The Only Bean
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Only Bean technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
The Only Bean partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- CostcocoreThe Only Bean launched its crunchy roasted edamame products nationwide in Costco warehouse locations across the United States. This marks a major retail expansion milestone, bringing the company's bestselling SKUs to millions of Costco shoppers and reinforcing the brand's position as the category leader in the roasted edamame snack segment.
- Sam's ClubcoreThe Only Bean launched its crunchy roasted edamame products nationwide in Sam's Club warehouse locations across the United States. The expansion brings the company's products to Sam's Club members, complementing the Costco distribution and expanding nationwide retail presence through two of the country's largest club retailers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Only Bean competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bada Bean Bada Boom: Direct competitor in roasted edamame snacking with broadly overlapping product positioning (high-protein, crunchy, better-for-you snack). Acquired by The Hershey Company, giving it substantially more marketing and distribution firepower in the same niche where The Only Bean claims category leadership.
- Beanitos: Bean-based snack brand producing chips and puffs from legumes. Directly comparable in using beans as the foundation for a better-for-you snack portfolio targeting similar health-conscious, plant-based consumer segments.
- Biena Snacks: Roasted chickpea snack brand using a similar dry-roasted, plant-protein, high-fiber, clean-label playbook. Competes with The Only Bean for the same better-for-you snack shopper across natural, grocery, and club channels.
- The Good Bean: Chickpea-based snack brand offering roasted and flavored legume snacks with comparable nutritional positioning (high protein, fiber, gluten-free). Targets overlapping health-conscious and family-snacking use cases.
- Hippeas: Chickpea puff brand competing in the same plant-based, better-for-you, allergen-friendly snack category. Comparable target consumer (parents, millennials, snackers seeking a chip alternative) and overlapping retail channels.
Broad incumbents
- Quest Nutrition: Large, established high-protein snack and nutrition brand (owned by Tyson/Inspire Brands). Competes with The Only Bean for the same high-protein, low-carb snack occasion but operates across bars, chips, and powders at much greater scale.
- Popchips: Popped potato and other snack chips marketed as a better-for-you alternative to fried snacks. Overlaps on the 'never fried' positioning and crunchy texture that The Only Bean uses as a key product claim.
Emerging players
- Bare Snacks: Baked fruit- and vegetable-based crunchy snack brand (backed by Pepsi-backed VMG Partners historically). Competes in the better-for-you, clean-label, crunchy snack set that The Only Bean targets.
- From the Ground Up: Vegetable-based cracker and snack brand targeting gluten-free and better-for-you shoppers. Overlaps with The Only Bean on plant-based, allergen-friendly positioning and the same club and grocery distribution corridors.
- Pipcorn: Heirloom snack brand with a cleaner, less-processed positioning across popcorn and other snacks. Targets similar natural-foods, better-for-you snackers and pursues comparable retail channels.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Only Bean social profiles
Digital presenceThe Only Bean financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Only Bean leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Only Bean funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Only Bean M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Only Bean
What does The Only Bean do?
The Only Bean manufactures and sells crunchy roasted edamame snacks that are dry roasted (never fried) and seasoned. The single product line is offered in multiple flavor variants (Sea Salt, Sriracha, Buffalo, and Sea Salt & Vinegar) and is positioned as a better-for-you plant-based snack delivering complete plant protein, high fiber, and less than 3g of net carbs per serving.
Is The Only Bean a public or private company?
The Only Bean is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Only Bean founded?
The Only Bean was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Only Bean based?
The Only Bean is headquartered in Grand Rapids, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Only Bean make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retail Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription Service and direct E-commerce Sales.
Who are The Only Bean's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bada Bean Bada Boom, Beanitos, Biena Snacks, The Good Bean and Hippeas. Broad incumbents are Quest Nutrition and Popchips. Emerging players are Bare Snacks, From the Ground Up and Pipcorn.
Does The Only Bean have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Only Bean.
What industry is The Only Bean in?
The Only Bean's product category is Healthy Snacks. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADABAK, Jerky & Meat Snacks, with a secondary code of AFANAKAO, Finished Meat-Alternative Prepared Foods (Nuggets, Burgers, Sausages, Ready Meals). Its NAICS code is 311423 and its SIC code is 2000.