Hudson Valley Brand Returns with a Sneak Preview of a New Variety, an Innovative Twist on an Ancient Digestive Snack
NEW YORK, NY — June 2026 — Chikka Chikka, the Hudson Valley-born fennel seed digestive snack that’s introducing American consumers to this ancient superfood, will be exhibiting at the Specialty Food Association’s Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City this month. Come find them. They’ll be the ones shaking their reusable tins.
The brand arrives at the show on the heels of a whirlwind few months: after being featured in several NYT Wirecutter gift guides, Chikka Chikka went viral, and promptly sold out of everything. Every variety. Gone. The good news: they’re fully restocked and ready. The better news: they’re bringing something new.
Attendees at the Fancy Food Show will get a first look at Chikka Chikka’s newest flavor: a savory variety that pushes the brand further into the delicious in-between territory. Between snack and supplement. Between East and West. Between a breath mint and something you’d actually want to eat.
It’s not just the internet that’s been paying attention. Chikka Chikka has been selling out at some of the most discerning independent shops in the country: Happier Grocery and Locavore in New York City, Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, and Gjusta’s in Venice, California. These are the kinds of places where the buyers know their customers, the shelves are curated with real intention, and customers are responding:
“Absolutely love the Chikka Chikka fennel seed mixes - all of them! Fun to have a small amount over the course of the day, before a meal to get digestion started or after a meal. I feel like they balance out any blood sugar spikes I might have from a sweet treat.”
— Asher, Albany, NY
“Obsessed with every Chikka Chikka flavor. I have high standards and these don’t disappoint. Great after a meal, with tea, or sprinkled on Greek yogurt. Such a thoughtful gift for a hostess or a stocking stuffer!”
— Hillary, Lafayette, CO
“We built Chikka Chikka for people who are a little curious, and want something different,” said co-founder Arif Khan. “The Wirecutter mentions created ‘great problems’ for us. We ran out of everything. But we’re back, we have scaled up production, we’re stocked, and we’re excited to introduce our next flavor”
Chikka Chikka started as Sabeen Hasan’s homemade roasted fennel mix — brought along on a hike, loved immediately, and eventually sweetened with Catskill Mountain maple syrup at the suggestion of a friend. That small swap turned out to be, in the founders’ words, “magical.” The blend of Indian with Native American that’s entirely its own thing. Currently available in Cardamom, Mint, and Cinnamon, the line is now sold in approximately 185 independent natural food and specialty food shops across the country.
The tins are pocket-sized, reusable, and they make a sound when shaken: Chikka Chikka. Shake before you eat. That’s the ritual.
Chikka Chikka is gluten-free, vegan, kosher, halal, free from refined sugar and artificial ingredients, and rooted in Ayurvedic tradition. Fennel seeds have been used for centuries to support digestion and freshen breath — naturally. Chikka Chikka is just the version that looks good on a table and sounds good in your hand.
Find Chikka Chikka at Booth 4206A in the Included section of the SFA Summer Fancy Food Show, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City, June 2026.
About Chikka Chikka
Chikka Chikka is a giftable functional snack and post-meal digestive rooted in the Ayurvedic saunf/mukhwas tradition, made from maple-roasted fennel and coriander seeds and packaged in beautiful, reusable pocket tins. Founded in 2024 by Arif Khan and Sabeen Hasan, both former restaurateurs based in New York’s Hudson Valley — Chikka Chikka’s mission is to bridge cultures through food, to delight, to nourish.
Contact: Arif Khan | [email protected]