The first snackable crouton company continues retail expansion with growing consumer demand for crunchy, flavorful sourdough snacks that don’t fit into traditional categories.
Fancy Food – Booth #4925B
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Croots, the company behind the first snackable crouton, announced its expansion into Wegmans stores across the Northeast, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s mission to transform croutons from a salad topping into an entirely new snacking category.
Made from sourdough bread, with olive oil, and packed with bold flavors, Croots was founded on a simple belief: croutons are too good to be confined to the salad bowl.
The idea for Croots was born during one of the most chaotic chapters of founders Sara Loewel and Jesse Clurman’s lives. Just six months before their wedding, the couple began building something of their own together—while still working their full-time corporate jobs and planning their wedding.
Sara brought a background in growth and consumer marketing, having worked with brands including Hims & Hers, Milk Bar, and Julie, while Jesse spent his career in finance and business operations, most recently at Instacart. The couple knew they wanted to create a company together—they just didn’t know what it would be.
What began as something Sara did often with leftover sourdough bread quickly revealed an unexpected insight: we would always make croutons from extra bread, and people kept eating them straight from the bag before they ever made it onto a salad.
“Starting a company while planning a wedding probably wasn’t the smartest timing,” said Loewel. “But we figured if we could survive building a business together, we could survive just about anything. Once we realized people were treating croutons like a snack—just like we were—we couldn’t stop thinking about the bigger opportunity.”
That insight became Croots, a brand on a mission to transform one of the grocery store’s most overlooked products into an entirely new snacking category.
Since launching in 2025, the Brooklyn-based brand has quickly built a loyal following among consumers looking for a crunchy, savory snack made from recognizable and simple ingredients. The company currently offers two flavors: Sesame Hot Honey and Garlic Cheeze, with Ranch launching next month.
“Our goal started with using sourdough bread, but what we created was something much bigger—a crouton that actually deserves to be a snack,” said Loewel. “People were already eating croutons straight from the bag. We just elevated them with cleaner ingredients, bigger flavors, and sourdough bread to make them truly snackable.”
The company’s growth comes as consumers increasingly seek alternatives to traditional chips, crackers, and puffed snacks. Croots delivers a satisfying crunch using sourdough bread while redefining croutons as a snack that goes far beyond the salad—fitting seamlessly into everything from entertaining spreads to soups, charcuterie boards, and everyday snacking.
The Wegmans expansion follows growing interest from retailers seeking differentiated products that drive trial and stand out on shelf. Croots has also recently been accepted into the Sprouts Forager Program, further validating the brand’s momentum within natural and specialty retail channels.
Unlike conventional croutons, Croots are intentionally crafted for snacking. Each batch begins with artisan-style sourdough bread before being seasoned with bold flavors and olive oil and baked to create an intensely crunchy texture designed to be enjoyed straight from the bag.
The company has also seen strong consumer response to its category-defining positioning as “snacking croutons,” a term that reflects the emerging behavior Croots is helping popularize.
“We’re not trying to fit into an existing category,” added Loewel. “It’s definitely more challenging, but we were so excited by the consumer feedback when deciding to build this. The most exciting brands create new habits. That’s what we’re building.”
Croots is currently available online and in select retailers throughout the Northeast, with additional retail expansion planned throughout 2026.
For more information, visit eatcroots.com.
About Croots
Croots is a Brooklyn-based snack company turning croutons into a craveable, standalone snack. Made from real sourdough bread and olive oil, Croots deliver an irresistible crunch and bold flavor. Made for snacking first, they’re just as at home on a cheese board, paired with a dip, or tossed into a salad—but they’re best enjoyed straight from the bag.
Media Contact:
Sara Loewel
Co-Founder, Croots
[email protected]
eatcroots.com