Published on 13, Sep 2023

Exotic Snack Guys: The Tasty, International Hit in Chicagoland

For decades, entertainment like anime, manga, wuxia, and K-pop were seen as “weird” or “nerdy” niche interests. While there are certainly people who can be particularly... passionate about these subjects, there were many more building a community of like-minded individuals who cared deeply about the same things they did in a world that just didn’t understand. Fast forward to today where such interests have broken into the mainstream, allowing fans to come together on a wider scale and share the fruits of their passion more openly.

This has also given rise to more companies that cater to these fans, and this has brought a slew of goodies from the East over to the West for great enjoyment and has encouraged more countries to open their doors and join the hype. Not only has this brought more forms of entertainment media, but also snacks! With fans bringing more credence to these goods, even brick and mortar stores have been able to sell their products to those outside of their target demographic.

Enter Exotic Snack Guys. They import can’t-be-beat, just-dying-to-eat snacks directly from 40 different countries including France, India, Taiwan, Australia, Greece, South Korea, and Japan. With products like catchy products like mojito-flavored 7UP, banana-flavored Fanta, masala ball Cheetos, and Kobe steak Lays, Exotic Snack Guys has been bridging the tasty divide by providing a slew of snacks that we never get stateside.

Even international fans have found themselves walking the snack-filled aisles of the Chicago-based store. The company opened in June of this year in Lincoln Park and has since been pulling in a rapidly growing revenue from curious visitors and veteran flavor-diverse enthusiasts. Though the company has only recently debuted, one thing’s for certain: people are falling in love with Exotic Snack Guys’ eclectic collection of food stuffs.

One of the owners, Zohaib Naman, commented on the store’s success by saying, “It seemed like such a good idea. When I walked into a Middle Eastern store — I was born in the Middle East — I saw this candy that I remembered from when I was a kid and that brought back memories. It’s been great bringing those kinds of memories and feelings back for other people, and it’s been exciting to learn about different kinds of snacks too.”

Mystery boxes have also been a hit item for the brand, and while the concept isn’t new, it has seen rapid popularity over the past few years, especially as subscription services have become more commonplace. Exotic Snack Guys offers small, medium, and large sizes for their mystery boxes, adding a fun twist to the snacking experience.

“I’m glad to have met so many people already through this adventure,” adds Zohaib, “and I’m proud to say that this is only the beginning for us.”

When Exotic Snack Guys first launched, it imported from 30 countries and has since risen to over 40. By the end of the year, the brand is looking to bring snacks from over 100 countries to the American market. The brand is also making moves to open new stores in Houston, Orlando, Miami, and Milwaukee to service a greater range of local snack fans.

Exotic Snack Guys specializes in bringing snacks from all over the world to American enthusiasts. Fans can choose from hundreds of high-quality and unique snacks, chocolates, and drinks imported from over 40 different countries online or by purchasing at the company’s physical location in Chicago, IL.