We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Peter Rushford. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Peter below.

Peter, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Our goal with packaging was to provide “useful, intuitive, and sustainable” –  packaging that was as good for the planet as the product was for our taste buds and our bodies. We started researching sustainable packaging options early on while imagining different ways the brand could repay Mother Nature for all the rich outdoor experiences she gifts us every single day.

This led to the creation of our iconic plastic free ‘shār tube’ container that is recyclable and biodegradable and you could use over and over to refill with  more trail mix or store otherthings. In doing so, shār became one of the first snack companies in the world to offer plastic-free, nature-friendly, reusable packaging as part of this earth-first journey we are on that permeates every decision we make as a business.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Typical story: Kid grows up 1 of 9 siblings, spends his childhood outdoors, becomes a pro-skier, creates a traveling ski show, starts selling premium sunglasses out of the back of a van with his brothers, goes on to spend the next 37 years working with the most iconic outdoor brands, decides to run marathons, busts his Achilles, rehabs, takes up yoga and cross-fit, then realizes that all he really wants is a healthy snack to munch on.

So he begins a quest to create an impossibly good trail mix better than anything else he could find.

3 Years, 52 Recipes & 900 Hours later, the magical recipe was perfected. Another year finding the best of the best organic ingredients from artisan farmers. Now, he just needed a name. Went through 1,200.  Luckily, a nice woman told him his place holder name was horrible (that’s a whole other story).

One long sleepless night & inspired morning later, the name Shār was born.

Now he needed packaging. It had to be as unique as the product (and good for the planet) so the reusable tube was born (cool story).

Then he met a guy (LG) as passionate about storytelling, amazing products, great brands, the outdoors, and saving the planet as he was and brought him on board as a partner (true story).

Now they’re on a quest to make Shār the most sustainable, impossibly good snacking brand on the planet.

Any advice for managing a team?

Shār’s mission focuses on people, planet, and profit – in that order of priority.  Intentionally, people are first. A business thrives when you have a respected and valued team; they’re the lifeblood of a company.

My role as a leader is to listen to and serve my team. I like to observe and catch them doing things right and let them know precisely how they’re contributing to our company’s success. I don’t ask my team to do anything I’m unwilling to do or have done myself.

Feeling valued is more than our monthly perk program (merch and product) and biannual team celebrations. It’s important to recognize their needs and help wherever possible. With the 2022 spike in gasoline prices, it wasn’t cost-effective for a Brand Rep to drive to store demos. I implemented a travel allowance that covered the gas to and from work. When a team member had car issues that prevented her from getting to work, and thus unable to meet basic living expenses, I implemented a no-questions-asked 0% interest emergency loan program.

Lastly, it’s important to enjoy what you do. We have a team who cares about each other as fellow human beings, enjoys working together, and shares in the success of our impossibly good trail mix.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

We support Local.  Shār loves Austin > Austin loves shār.  Whether it’s at sampling demos, networking events, trade shows, or in my building’s elevator. We do our best to say yes to support local events like the Livestrong Cancer Runs, Explore & Austin’s Paddle Dash fundraisers.  It’s important to tell your story and share your product one person at a time, over and over.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sharsnacks.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/shar.snacks
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharsnacks/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharsnacks
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/shar_snacks