The Partnership
Bumble Bee Seafoods is leaning into the back-to-school protein snacking window, teaming with TikTok recipe creator Courtney Cook to push trial of its Snackers line — single-serve, 3-oz wild-caught tuna cans positioned squarely in the grab-and-go daypart. The campaign, centered on a "Bee You" theme, targets on-the-go consumers looking for no-prep, shelf-stable protein at a value price point.
Snackers come in flavors including Lemon Pepper, Thai Chili, Sweet Heat, and Hickory Smoke alongside a classic tuna variety. The no-utensil-required format — open-and-eat, no refrigeration needed — fits the c-store snacking occasion cleanly, competing for the same impulse purchase as jerky, pork rinds, and single-serve nut packs at the register or in the protein set.
Why It Matters for Operators
Tinned fish has moved well beyond its grocery-aisle dustiness over the past two years. Elevated by social media and the savory-snacking trend, shelf-stable seafood is drawing a younger, income-diverse shopper who wants protein density without the fast-food premium. For c-store buyers, Snackers check several boxes: ambient storage, a sub-five-dollar price impression, and a protein count that merchandises well against energy bars and RTD shakes in a dedicated high-protein section.
Dana Kowal, Senior Director of Marketing & Corporate Affairs at Bumble Bee Seafoods, framed the line's positioning plainly: "We created Bumble Bee Snackers for today's on-the-go consumers who want bold flavors, quality protein and convenience." Cook, a teacher and mother of four with a following built on realistic, pantry-staple cooking, adds credibility with the core working-parent demographic that indexes high for c-store foodservice and snack purchases.
Channel Opportunity
For channel buyers, the influencer campaign creates downstream pull that can support planogram placement decisions heading into Q4. Snackers are currently distributed at grocery retailers nationwide and through Amazon, but the no-prep, ambient format is a natural fit for the protein snack segment increasingly prioritized in c-store resets. Operators who have already expanded their better-for-you snack sets beyond traditional salty snacks are the most likely early adopters.
The tinned-fish and savory-snack convergence also aligns with broader foodservice-at-cstore trends around protein-forward eating — the same appetite driving growth in made-to-order breakfast sandwiches and roller-grill innovation. Bumble Bee is betting that Snackers can capture at least part of that protein occasion without requiring any back-of-house infrastructure from the retailer.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
