NBA player Chris Paul, considered one of the greatest point guards of all time, now is adding vegan food entrepreneur to the Phoenix Suns player’s resume.
Paul, nicknamed CP3, has launched a new vegan snack brand with Gopuff, a consumer goods and food delivery company headquartered in Philadelphia.
The Good Eat’n vegan snack is part of a new line of plant-based snacks that the 12-time NBA All-Star player is launching.
A rise in demand for vegan products all around, is making vegan snacks increasingly popular today. The global vegan snacks market size was estimated at $44.02 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach a market size value of $46.58 billion in 2022, according to market research company Grand View Research.
Creating Good Eat’n‘ ‘Craveable’ Snacks
Among the flavors for Good Eat’n snacks are: Good Eat’n Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips, which has been described as a vegan-style version of Doritos; Cookies N Creme; Hot Hot, Classic BBQ; Big Dill Ranch; Cinnamon Sugar and Carolina Style BBQ.
Each bag sells for $3.29 to $4.29.
“We’re taking plant-based foods to the next level by turning familiar favorites into craveable snacks you can eat by the bag,” the website declares.
Paul, 37, has been following a plant-based diet since 2019, and he noticed a void in vegan snacks. “I’ve been plant-based now for three years,” said the self-proclaimed “life-long snacker,” according to VegNews. “And it has been life-changing for me.”
Paul wanted to make sure his snacks attract more than just vegans.
“I’m born and raised in the South,” Paul told Fast Company, “and if you say the word ‘vegan’ to anyone in the South, they’re going to look at you like you said a curse word. Our snacks aren’t for vegans. They’re for people who eat—which is everybody.”
Paul says he was very hands-on when coming up with the flavors and that he formulated his own spice blends from scratch. The only flavor he didn’t work on himself was Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips because he’s not a fan of cheese.
“We wanted to make a product that was plant-based but not just for plant-based eaters. It’s for eaters,” Paul, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, told VegNews. “It’s for people who want something that tastes good.”
Partnering with Gopuff
Good Eat’n is not Gopuff’s first partnership with a celeb. The startup has launched products with actress/singer Selena Gomez for Serendipity Ice Cream, YouTube star MrBeast to create Feastables chocolate bars and rapper Cardi B and her popular Whip Shots, a brand of vodka-infused whipped cream.
Gopuff’s deal with Paul, however, is a bit different. Good Eat’n was formulated from scratch and will be available exclusively on Gopuff’s platform. On top of this, Paul has been a Gopuff investor since 2021, and he owns an equity stake in the Good Eat’n brand.
Paul has a net worth of $160 million and, according to his latest contract, earns an annual salary of $30 million after inking a four-year, $120 million contract with the Suns in August 2021, as reported by Celebrity Net Worth. Paul also rakes in about $10-$20 million annually from endorsements.
Partnering with Black Businesses
Paul has been working with Gopuff to help diversify its plant-based offerings by reaching out to Black- and Brown-owned businesses. The Good Eat’n brand, for example, teamed up with Utendahl Creative, a Black-founded and female-led design studio, to create its colorful packaging.
