They might not look like much, but chickpeas are incredibly versatile. You can roast them, puree them, or smother them with mayonnaise and seasoning to transform them into vegan tuna. Or, as Italian entrepreneur Livio Bisterzo proved back in 2016, you can turn them into a seriously addictive crunchy snack.
Yep, it feels like they’ve always been around, but Hippeas is only 10 years old. And reader, as you know, we all love them. This year, they were voted Best Snack in our 2026 Veggie Awards. In 2025, they also took home Best Puff, Best Cheesy Snack, and the highly coveted title of Best Snack of All Time.
Next year, Hippeas might have a new contender on its hands. The popular brand has just launched a brand-new line of protein-packed puffs called Protein Crunch. The new vegan snacks come in two flavors—Cheddar Vibrations and Pizza Party—and both pack eight grams of pea protein per serving.
“We’re obsessed with peas and challenged ourselves to create a snack that delivers serious crunch and big flavor with double the protein of our original puffs,” said Nick Marmet, Hippeas’ VP of marketing. “Protein Crunch is our answer: a next-generation puff that brings the texture people crave together with plant-based protein, all in a way only Hippeas can.”
Hippeas
Increasing demand for plant-based protein-packed snacks
The new product is, of course, a response to the unrelenting craze for protein-packed everything. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global protein snacks market was valued at nearly $55 billion in 2025, and by 2034, it could exceed $120.4 billion. Demand for plant-based snacks is one of the factors helping drive growth in the category.
“A major trend in the market is the shift toward plant-based snacks as more consumers adopt vegetarian and vegan diets,” the firm reports. “Products, such as chickpea-based puffs and lentil chips, are gaining popularity, offering a nutritious alternative to traditional snacks.”
Hippeas isn’t the only plant-based brand jumping on the protein bandwagon. So far this year, dairy-free brand Kite Hill has rolled out high-protein cream cheese and two new high-protein Greek yogurt flavors. Non-vegan brands are getting involved, too. In April 2026, Khloe Kardashian’s protein snack brand Khloud launched two new vegan Protein Chips in response to growing demand for more plant-based options.
Hippeas
If you want to sample Hippeas’ latest offering, you’ll find Pizza Party and Cheddar Vibrations on shelves at Sprouts (and soon, Kroger, too). You can also order them directly from the brand’s website, on Amazon, or through TikTok Shop.
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
