Mike Schanbacher is Co-founder of Blobs, a candy company with clean ingredients and low sugar content. In his role, he spearheads Blob’s marketing and growth strategies, infusing the brand with the joy and nostalgia of childhood candy. With experience crafting digital marketing and growth strategies, Mike has held roles at numerous prominent companies, including Ogilvy, Partner Commerce, Quip, and USA Today. 

Nicholas Kheny is Co-founder of Blobs, where he oversees operations, finance, strategy, and R&D, ensuring great-tasting, better-for-you candy. With a background in biochemical and environmental engineering, he transitioned from real estate to candy-making after discovering a passion for innovative consumer solutions and sustainability.

In this episode…

What does it take to turn a nostalgic passion into a groundbreaking business? Many sweets and snacks on the market are either filled with sugar or contain sweeteners with unpleasant tastes and textures. Is it possible to disrupt the traditional candy market with something entirely new?

Mike Schanbacher and Nicholas Kheny tackled this challenge head-on with a gummy candy brand that debunks the myth that healthy candy can’t be fun or delicious. When introducing an innovative product to a crowded market, they recommend embracing creativity in the development process by exploring new shapes, colors, and textures to make the product stand out and create a unique brand identity. Once customers become familiar with your brand, you can integrate their feedback into your product iterations to adapt to the market. Each brand-building effort should incorporate storytelling elements in your packaging and marketing to capture consumers’ imaginations and foster brand engagement. 

In the latest Brand Alchemist Podcast episode, Taja Dockendorf welcomes Mike Schanbacher and Nicholas Kheny of Blobs to discuss how their brand fulfills childhood memories of candy without guilt. Together, they recount the trial and error in perfecting their product, the strategic brand positioning, and their commitment to connecting with consumers in a genuine, memorable way.