There’s pasta, and then there’s Chickapea. And if you think this is just another “better-for-you” brand trying to smuggle kale into the family dinner table, you’re missing the story. Shelby Taylor didn’t set out to chase trends; she saw the gap while running her own health food store. Families wanted nutritious meals, but most options tasted like compromise. In 2015, she rebuilt the world’s most universal comfort food with chickpeas and yellow peas. The result wasn’t a novelty, it was pasta with 24 grams of protein per 100 grams and the taste and texture of the real thing.
Now Chickapea has closed a CAD$4.25 million round, led by AGT Foods with FCC Capital stepping in as a new investor and InvestEco continuing its steady support since 2019. These aren’t casual checks. AGT’s President and CEO Murad Al-Katib, who co-founded the pulse powerhouse in 2001 and was named EY’s World Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017, isn’t just investing, he’s joining Chickapea’s board. That move fuses strategic capital with supply chain muscle, and it’s a signal that the pasta game has new rules of engagement.
This company knows how to attract backing. District Ventures Capital, Export Development Canada, and InvestEco fueled earlier rounds, pushing total funding north of CAD$13.5 million. But what makes Chickapea stand out is performance, not pedigree. Retail velocity in Canada and the U.S. surged 25 to 50 percent in 2025 following a recipe refresh. The product is now on shelves in 4,500 stores, from Whole Foods to Sobeys to National Co-op Grocers, with digital channels running strong on chickapea.com and Amazon. Revenue hit $11.8 million with just 28 employees. That’s not scale for the sake of scale, it’s proof of efficiency in motion.
The numbers back the vision. The global pulse pasta market is forecast to more than double to USD$3.32 billion by 2033. Chickapea has locked in the certifications that matter, USDA Organic, gluten free, vegan, kosher, non-GMO, and its B Corp score of 120.9 puts it in the top 10 percent worldwide. Product extensions like +Greens and One Pot Meals position the brand not just as an alternative but as a mainstream contender capturing demand for functional foods that don’t taste like sacrifice.
Behind the growth is a team with real weight. Shelby Taylor is still driving the mission with the same grit she had during her Guelph journalism days. Fractional CFO Jay Capaldi brings discipline from PepsiCo, Mondelez, and Constellation Brands. Director of Marketing Stephanie Nairn built the ecommerce and brand engine fueling the latest surge. Former VP of Sales John Durkin expanded distribution and revenue through critical years. And now with Murad Al-Katib seated at the board, the bench is even deeper.
Chickapea started in Collingwood, Ontario, but this round signals a much bigger table. This isn’t just more pasta on shelves, it’s proof that food can be better, cleaner, and still hit like the classics. The incumbents may not see it yet, but Chickapea isn’t asking for permission. They’re plating the future.
