Peak & Pine

Jordan Lee grew up hiking the trails outside their hometown, and every trip had one small frustration: snacks. The gas-station options were sugary and fell apart in a backpack, while the “premium” energy bars at outdoor stores were expensive and, in Jordan's words, tasted “like cardboard.” After college, Jordan wondered whether there was room for a snack made for day hikers — real ingredients, sturdy enough for a pack, and priced for regular people.

Before making anything, Jordan did something many new founders skip: real market research. Jordan surveyed more than 300 hikers at trailheads and in online hiking groups, asking what they packed, what they'd pay, and what annoyed them about current options. Two patterns stood out. First, most day hikers weren't hardcore athletes counting grams of protein — they were “weekend” hikers who just wanted something tasty and filling that wouldn't melt or crumble. Second, they'd pay a little more for real ingredients, but the $4 “performance” bars felt like too much.

That research shaped everything. Jordan saw that the market could be divided into groups — competitive endurance athletes, ultralight backpackers, and casual weekend hikers — and chose to focus on the last group: the largest and least served. The company, Peak & Pine, would make hearty trail snacks from recognizable ingredients (oats, nuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate) in resealable pouches built to survive a backpack.

Jordan used the research to design the whole marketing approach. Because the target customer valued simplicity and trust, Peak & Pine's brand was plain and honest: earthy colors, a short ingredient list on the front, and a friendly tagline, “Real food for real trails.” Pricing landed at $3.50 a pouch — above grocery-store granola but below the premium performance bars — positioning Peak & Pine as the sensible middle choice for everyday hikers.

Promotion followed the customer, too. Instead of expensive ads, Jordan sent free samples to local hiking clubs and trail-cleanup groups, set up a booth at weekend trailheads, and encouraged customers to post trail photos with the product for a chance to be featured. The company sold directly through its own website and in small outdoor shops, staying close to customers and gathering ideas for new flavors.

As Peak & Pine grew, Jordan kept using research to guide decisions. When surveys showed customers wanted a nut-free option to share with kids, the company added one. When data showed most orders spiked on Thursdays and Fridays — hikers stocking up for the weekend — Peak & Pine timed its emails and restocks to match.

Not every choice worked. An early premium “Summit” line priced at $6 flopped — a reminder that the brand's whole appeal was being affordable and unpretentious. Jordan dropped it and refocused on the core customer.

By its fourth year, Peak & Pine had built a loyal following of weekend hikers, expanded to three flavors and a nut-free line, and become a familiar name at trailheads across the region — proof that knowing exactly who you serve, and building the product, price, and message around them, can matter more than trying to please everyone.