42 | MAY 27 • 2021

NOSH
EATS | DRINKS | SWEETS

C

ould Snacklins become
America’s next great
salty snack? Former
Detroiter Jeremy Sherman is set
on making that happen.
As director
of Growth &
Strategic Initiatives
at Snacklins,
Sherman is a key
member of the
Washington, D.C.-
based company.
So, what are
Snacklins?
Snacklins — a 100% vegan
kosher snack food — was born
in 2015 in the kitchen of a D.C.
barbecue joint. Former radio
personality and chef Samy
Kobrosly “became obsessed
with the idea of [developing] a
meat-free pork rind” he could
eat as a Muslim. He eventually
settled on a recipe with yuca,
mushrooms and onions, as well
as other flavors, in a crunchy,
airy crisp that resembles a pork
rind or “cracklin.
”
Sherman said Snacklins —
both gluten- and grain-free
— are lower in fat and sodi-
um than other snack choices.
Available in 0.9-oz snack-size
pouches (90 calories each) or a
3-oz bag, the four Snacklins fla-
vors are Barbecue, Chesapeake
Bay, Nacho and Teriyaki.
The company got a boost
in October 2019, when entre-

preneur Mark Cuban of ABC’s
Shark Tank made a signifi-
cant investment in Snacklins.
Sherman was part of a hiring
wave that followed. The team is
committed to achieving busi-
ness success because “we’re all
part owners,
” he said.
“We’re constantly snacking
on all kinds of chips, seeing
what our competitors are doing,
and even trying snacks from
other countries to taste new
flavors that haven’t arrived in
the United States yet,
” Sherman
said. “Limited edition” flavors
are coming.
Sherman’s passion for
good food and cooking was
influenced by his mother,
Fanny, who was raised in the
small Jewish community of

Barranquilla, Colombia. Meals
might include a Jewish staple,
such as cholent, side by side
with Colombian-style arroz con
pollo.
Home was West Bloomfield.
Sherman went to Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield
with his parents, brother and
sister. After high school, he took
a gap-year position as interna-
tional president of B’nai B’rith
Youth Organization, working
with teens worldwide.
Sherman earned a busi-
ness degree at Washington
University in St. Louis before
moving to Washington. He lives
with Michael Eisenstatt and
their dog, Oreo. Still Jewishly
involved, Sherman attends Sixth
& I Synagogue and facilitates
Shabbat dinners for young pro-
fessionals with the local JCC.
Sherman is focused on
expanding Snacklin’s nation-
al footprint. The products
are stocked in grocery stores
along the east and west coasts,
but “we’ve started reaching
new stores throughout the
Midwest.”
The company’s e-commerce
business is also growing to
accommodate online shoppers,
and “we completed a rebrand
a few months ago, where we
launched a brand-new look
and feel for our packaging and
website.
”

New lower-fat, vegan snacks are guilt-free.
A Kosher ‘Pork Rind’?

Jeremy
Sherman

ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Finding
Snacklins
This kosher snack
is available from
Amazon.com or
snacklins.com.
Jewish News readers
visiting snacklins.com can
insert a special promo
code, JEWISHNEWS, at
checkout and get
25% off their first order.

Pet Dogs’ Needs
Are Opportunity for
Business Startup

Starting a new business during
COVID seems like the worst pos-
sible time, but for Karen Stoller
and Austin Weisman, it was per-
fect. As dog lovers and walkers,
Karen and Austin put their favor-
ite things together and started
Motown Dog Walking.
During the pandemic, more
people than ever adopted pets
and new puppies. Now, back to
work and school, they need help
walking their dogs, especially
during the day. Karen and Austin
are also finding new clients who
are pets of guests staying in near-
by hotels.
Based in Birmingham,
Motown Dog Walking offers
individualized services for new
puppies and a “Play n’ Potty”
option for elderly dogs who just
need to go outside and enjoy
some play time.
The pet parents even receive
report cards on how they did.
Karen and Austin are both
certified by IAP and by the
American Red Cross for cat and
dog first aid. For more informa-
tion, visit motowndogwalking.
com.

Austin Weisman
with Winnie and
Daisy Dembs