Lesser Evil
An American snack brand built around organic popcorn, extruded snacks, and a better-for-you positioning.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Lesser Evil is an American packaged-snack company based in Danbury, Connecticut. Founded in 2004, the business began with kettle corn and gradually expanded into prepopped popcorn, extruded curls, puffs, and related snack formats. Its brand proposition is centered on making familiar indulgent snacks with comparatively simple ingredients and a health-conscious presentation. Products have commonly been marketed around attributes such as organic certification, non-GMO ingredients, gluten-free formulations, plant-based options, and short ingredient lists, although the applicable attributes vary by product. The company was originally established by Michael A. Sands, Gene Hackman, and Jim Cramer in Tuckahoe, New York. Its first major offering was kettle corn. In 2006, Lesser Evil introduced Krinkle Sticks, followed later by curls and puffs intended to compete in the cheese-puff and extruded-snack categories. The business changed ownership in 2011 when Charles Coristine, a former bond trader, acquired it. Under Coristine, Lesser Evil developed its own manufacturing capacity: a Danbury factory opened in 2012, and operations moved to Commerce Park in Danbury by 2013. The facility is certified organic according to the referenced Wikipedia material. Lesser Evil’s route to market has emphasized natural and specialty grocery, including retailers such as Whole Foods, while also serving the broader U.S. packaged-snack market. Its product portfolio has included popcorn varieties such as Kettle Corn, Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn, and Homer’s Blend Organic Popcorn, as well as vegan cheese-style puffs and other extruded snacks. The company has used playful packaging and guru-style mascots to communicate a mindfulness-oriented approach to snacking. A 2019 rebrand made that positioning more explicit, presenting the brand as an option for consumers who want indulgent flavors with a more considered ingredient profile. The company broadened its scope beyond popcorn and puffs in April 2022 by acquiring R.E.D.D. Bar, an energy-bar maker. In 2023, Lesser Evil sold a significant minority interest to Aria Growth Partners, with the stated aim of expanding manufacturing and retail distribution. The brand attracted editorial recognition for several products, including Sun Poppers Sour Cream and Onion, vegan puffs, organic popcorn, and Homer’s Blend Organic Popcorn. At the same time, its health-oriented marketing drew legal scrutiny: a consumer lawsuit filed in 2023 alleged that Lesser Evil misrepresented its snacks as healthier than competing products. The allegation should be distinguished from a final judicial finding; the available reference does not establish an outcome. In April 2025, The Hershey Company agreed to acquire Lesser Evil, and the transaction was completed in November 2025 according to the referenced material. The acquisition placed the formerly privately held snack business within Hershey’s broader portfolio while preserving Lesser Evil as a distinct brand. Lesser Evil’s current significance lies in its combination of organic-snack manufacturing, mainstream snack formats, and better-for-you branding rather than in a single flagship product.
History
Lesser Evil was founded in 2004 in Tuckahoe, New York, by Michael A. Sands, Gene Hackman, and Jim Cramer. The company entered the snack market with kettle corn, a format that established its early identity around a familiar treat presented as a more considered alternative to conventional indulgent snacks. In 2006, it added Krinkle Sticks, followed by extruded curls and puffs designed to compete in the cheese-puff category. A major ownership change occurred in 2011, when Charles Coristine acquired the company. Coristine’s tenure shifted Lesser Evil toward greater control over manufacturing and a more developed better-for-you brand platform. The company opened a factory in Danbury, Connecticut, in 2012. Although its headquarters remained in Wilton for a period, operations moved to Commerce Park in Danbury by 2013. The factory is described in the reference material as certified organic, supporting the company’s focus on organic snack production. During the 2010s, Lesser Evil expanded its range of prepopped popcorn and extruded snacks. The brand’s messaging emphasized organic and non-GMO ingredients, gluten-free products, plant-based choices, and relatively short ingredient lists where applicable. These claims helped it occupy the growing natural-food and premium-snack segment while retaining accessible formats such as popcorn, curls, and puffs. Its products were distributed through natural and specialty retailers, including Whole Foods, as well as the wider U.S. grocery market. In 2019, Lesser Evil completed a rebrand focused on “mindful” snacking. Guru-like mascots became a recurring packaging device, giving the company a distinctive visual language and linking its products to moderation, awareness, and intentional consumption. The approach allowed the brand to frame popcorn and cheese-style puffs as enjoyable foods that could fit within a health-conscious lifestyle rather than as strictly diet products. The company expanded through acquisition in April 2022, purchasing energy-bar maker R.E.D.D. Bar. This move broadened its product and category footprint beyond popcorn and extruded snacks. In 2023, Aria Growth Partners acquired a significant minority stake. The investment was described as supporting additional manufacturing capacity and retail distribution. The same period brought reputational and legal pressure: a consumer lawsuit alleged that Lesser Evil’s health-related representations were misleading. The available reference does not provide a final legal outcome, so the allegation should not be treated as an adjudicated violation. Lesser Evil received recognition in consumer and food media during the early 2020s. Examples cited in the reference include Prevention’s recognition of Sun Poppers Sour Cream and Onion, Good Housekeeping’s recognition of its vegan puffs, Self’s selection of the company’s organic popcorn, and Good Housekeeping’s award for Homer’s Blend Organic Popcorn. These mentions reinforced the brand’s visibility in the better-for-you snack segment. In April 2025, The Hershey Company announced an agreement to acquire Lesser Evil. The transaction was completed in November 2025 according to the supplied reference material. Lesser Evil therefore moved from an independent, privately held snack company into Hershey’s corporate portfolio, while continuing to be identified as a separate snack brand. The business’s development illustrates the progression of a niche organic-popcorn producer into a broader better-for-you snack platform with owned manufacturing, adjacent-category acquisitions, outside growth investment, and eventual acquisition by a major confectionery and snack company.
- 2025
Acquired by The Hershey Company
[1]Hershey agreed to acquire Lesser Evil in April, with completion reported in November.
- 2023
Aria Growth Partners investment
[1]Aria Growth Partners purchased a significant minority stake to help develop manufacturing and distribution.
- 2022
R.E.D.D. Bar acquisition
[1]Lesser Evil acquired energy-bar maker R.E.D.D. Bar.
- 2019
Mindful-snacking rebrand
[1]A brand refresh placed greater emphasis on mindful snacking and introduced or reinforced guru-style mascots on packaging.
- 2013
Operations move to Danbury
[1]The company moved operations to Commerce Park in Danbury after a period in which its headquarters remained in Wilton.
- 2012
Danbury factory opens
[1]Lesser Evil opened a factory in Danbury, Connecticut.
- 2011
Charles Coristine acquires the company
[1]Former bond trader Charles Coristine acquired Lesser Evil and later expanded its manufacturing operations.
- 2006
Krinkle Sticks introduced
[1]The company added Krinkle Sticks and subsequently developed curls and puffs for the extruded-snack category.
- 2004
Lesser Evil is founded
[1]Michael A. Sands, Gene Hackman, and Jim Cramer founded the snack company in Tuckahoe, New York, initially focusing on kettle corn.
Products and positioning
Premium, health-conscious packaged snacks emphasizing organic ingredients, recognizable formulations, and mindful indulgence.
Popcorn
Organic Popcorn
Lesser Evil’s popcorn portfolio includes prepopped organic varieties positioned as cleaner-label alternatives to conventional packaged popcorn. Flavors cited in reference material include Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn and Homer’s Blend Organic Popcorn. The line emphasizes familiar popcorn formats, organic positioning, and relatively short ingredient lists where applicable.
Popcorn · 2004
Kettle Corn
Kettle corn was Lesser Evil’s initial product offering and remains an important expression of the brand’s original sweet-and-salty snack identity. The product helped establish the company before it expanded into broader popcorn and extruded-snack lines.
Extruded snack · 2006
Krinkle Sticks
Krinkle Sticks were introduced in 2006 as Lesser Evil’s second product line. They represented an early expansion beyond the company’s original kettle corn offering and preceded further development of curls and puffs.
Extruded snack
Vegan Cheese Puffs
Lesser Evil’s vegan puff products use the format and flavor cues of cheese puffs while serving the company’s plant-based and better-for-you positioning. Good Housekeeping recognized the brand’s vegan puffs in its snack coverage, increasing their visibility among consumers seeking alternatives to conventional cheese snacks.
Extruded snack
Sun Poppers Sour Cream and Onion
Sun Poppers Sour Cream and Onion is an extruded snack associated with Lesser Evil’s puff and crisp portfolio. Prevention named it its Best Protein Puff in 2022, reflecting the product’s positioning within the higher-protein and better-for-you snack conversation.
Energy bar
R.E.D.D. Bar
R.E.D.D. Bar became part of Lesser Evil’s portfolio through the company’s April 2022 acquisition of energy-bar maker R.E.D.D. Bar. The acquisition expanded Lesser Evil into a portable bar category beyond its established popcorn and extruded-snack business.
Controversies
2025
Distancing from controversy involving Edward Coristine
Lesser Evil distanced itself from Edward Coristine, the son of CEO Charles Coristine, amid controversy related to his work with the Department of Government Efficiency and private-sector activities.
2023
Lawsuit over health-related representations
A consumer lawsuit alleged that Lesser Evil represented its snacks as healthier than other products in a misleading manner. The supplied reference does not establish the final outcome of the case.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Mindful Snacking Rebrand
United States
Lesser Evil refreshed its brand identity around mindful snacking, using guru-style mascots and packaging to present its products as intentional alternatives to conventional indulgent snacks.
Outcome. The rebrand strengthened the company’s distinctive health-conscious and lifestyle-oriented positioning.
Brand decisions
2025
Acquisition by The Hershey CompanyM&ABackground
Hershey agreed to add Lesser Evil’s better-for-you snack platform to its broader portfolio.
Action taken
Hershey signed an acquisition agreement in April 2025, with the transaction reported as completed in November.
Aftermath
Lesser Evil became part of The Hershey Company while continuing to operate as a distinct snack brand.
2023
Minority investment from Aria Growth PartnersStrategyBackground
Lesser Evil sought resources to expand production and retail distribution.
Action taken
The company sold a significant minority stake to Aria Growth Partners.
Aftermath
The investment was intended to support further manufacturing and distribution development.
2022
Acquisition of R.E.D.D. BarM&ABackground
Lesser Evil wanted to extend its portfolio beyond popcorn and extruded snacks.
Action taken
The company acquired energy-bar maker R.E.D.D. Bar.
Aftermath
The transaction added an energy-bar business to Lesser Evil’s snack platform.
2011
Charles Coristine acquires Lesser EvilM&ABackground
The company sought to develop its snack business under new ownership.
Action taken
Charles Coristine acquired the company and subsequently invested in manufacturing capacity in Connecticut.
Aftermath
The business opened a Danbury factory and later shifted operations there, creating a foundation for expanded organic-snack production.
Recent events
- 2025
The Hershey Company agrees to acquire Lesser Evil[1]
M&A
Hershey signed an agreement to acquire Lesser Evil in April 2025. The transaction was reported as completed in November 2025.
- 2023
Aria Growth Partners takes a significant minority stake[1]
M&A
Lesser Evil sold a significant minority interest to Aria Growth Partners to support manufacturing and retail-distribution development.
- 2022
Lesser Evil acquires R.E.D.D. Bar[1]
M&A
Lesser Evil acquired energy-bar maker R.E.D.D. Bar, extending the company beyond popcorn and extruded snacks.
Sources2 sources
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