Maldonado and Ali started Chomps from a side hustle into a nationwide brand attracting more health-conscious consumers to the $17 billion meat snacks market. After months of sampling hundreds of jerky sticks in stores across the U.S. Trader Joe's started selling its original meat sticks in 2013, starting with jalapeno beef. At launch, the price point was about $2 a stick (now the sticks cost about $2.49 each)