NBA Legends Jump Into Healthy, Great Tasting Functional Foods Game as Industry Profits Soar

January 5, 2022 — Kudo Snacks, a Vancouver-based company with operations in Salt Lake City, Utah, is pleased to announce the official launch of the company’s ground-breaking protein popcorn at an event featuring the signing of its latest Kudo Legend, NBA Hall of Fame point guard and Olympic gold medalist Gary Payton. The exclusive event will be held at the Butcher and Bullock Public House in Vancouver, British Columbia, January 9, from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. PT.

Payton is the newest addition to the Kudo team, which also includes the NBA’s “Downtown” Fred Brown and NFL great Corey Dillon. Payton is widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, where he holds franchise records in points, assists and steals. He also played with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. Payton won an NBA championship with the Heat in 2006. Nicknamed “the Glove” for his defensive abilities, Payton was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. In October 2021, Payton was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist with the United States national team: 1996 Olympic Games (Atlanta) and 2000 Olympic Games (Sydney).

Kudo Snacks is a nutrition and snack company that provides healthier, better tasting alternatives to snacking categories for both adults and children. Kudo’s product portfolio targets legacy snacking categories lacking in innovation. The company’s featured product, Kudo Popcorn, is a farm to bag guilt-free snack that has infused popcorn and protein in a proprietary kettle popped method, creating a healthy, flavorful protein snack for all ages to enjoy.

Throughout the event, Payton will be there to share his perspective on his storied career with the NBA, and will highlight his partnership with Kudo Snacks. Along with management, he will field questions for consumers and investors alike and participate in photo opportunities. There will be product samples of Kudo popcorn flavors, including Salty Sweet Kettle Corn, White Cheddar and Garlic Parmesan, each bag containing 10 grams of protein and other healthy nutraceutical ingredients.

Kudo founders CEO Ryan Lewis and President Brydon Cotter will also be at hand to introduce the Kudo protein popcorn line and the company’s other nutraceutical products as it launches an ambitious plan to disrupt the multi-billion dollar snacking and functional foods industries in North America.

Kudo Leadership
Ryan Lewis, Founder and Chief Executive Officer — A former collegiate athlete and entrepreneur, Lewis has built two startups with revenues now totaling over $350 million in the supplement and food industry. He is a two-time recipient of the President’s Award for a billion dollar company and has been recognized by Business for Home as the co-founder of a Top 100 direct sales company for four consecutive years. Lewis holds a master’s in business administration and has experience opening over 25 global markets, importantly in South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Canada and Mainland China.

Brydon Cotter, Founder and President — Cotter is a former collegiate athlete, entrepreneur, and finance professional with experience supporting capital fundraisers totaling over $20 million and being a key player on fundraising teams at publicly listed companies totaling over $250 million in market capitalization. An experienced financial professional, Cotter has run a private wealth management practice and has supported the deployment of over $100 million in alternative credit markets with Cypress Hills Partners. His previous project was co-founding Blue Water Capital Corp. in 2019, a venture capital fund investing over $15 million into the CPG, psychedelic, blockchain and green technology industries.

For more information, please visit www.kudosnacks.com.

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