Sunflower seeds are one of nature’s original snack foods. Ten years ago, however, Justin Havlick, the president and founder of Boulder’s Bigs Sunflower Seeds, had a simple thought: The nibbles needed a makeover. So he assembled a group of confidants and charged them with the mission of bringing seeds back to prominence as America’s snack food of choice. The team came up with three overarching ideas: Use big seeds; coat the shells with the distinctive flavors of established brands like Jim Beam and Hidden Valley Original Ranch; and package the seeds in resealable bags. A decade later, Havlick’s big bet has paid off.

5280 July 2013
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