Walk into any grocery store and you'll find plenty of jerky. Beef jerky. Turkey jerky. Chicken jerky. So when people first discover Chicka Chew, they often ask: "Is it chicken jerky?" The answer is simple: No. It's khô gà.
And that distinction has become one of the most important parts of our journey.
What Is Khô Gà?
Khô gà is a Vietnamese dried chicken snack made from shredded chicken that is seasoned, cooked then dried to create a savory, chewy, protein-rich snack. For years, it has been enjoyed throughout Vietnam as a flavorful everyday snack.
Its texture, flavor profile, and cultural roots make it fundamentally different from traditional jerky. While jerky is typically cut into strips and associated with smoky, cured flavors, khô gà offers a unique shredded texture and a distinctly Vietnamese flavor experience.
The Early Days of Chicka Chew
Like many food startups, we began with a family recipe and a simple goal: share something we loved with a broader audience.
As we started developing Chicka Chew, we often found ourselves explaining the product through comparisons.
"It's kind of like jerky."
"It's similar to dried chicken."
"It's an Asian-style meat snack."
These descriptions helped people understand the product quickly, but something felt off. The more we tried to fit Chicka Chew into existing categories, the more we realized we were unintentionally shrinking its story.
The Turning Point
Two of the most instrumental weeks in our startup journey happened while working alongside the team at the Drexel University Food Lab. We arrived focused on commercializing a recipe. We left with something much bigger: clarity about who we are.
Through product development and countless conversations, we came to a realization that changed the direction of our brand:
We are not building a jerky brand. We are building a khô gà brand.
That insight may seem small, but for us it was transformative. Instead of asking how we could fit into an existing category, we started asking how we could introduce Americans to a snack category they had never experienced before.
The encouragement from the Drexel University Food Lab team gave us the confidence to embrace our identity rather than dilute it.
Why Category Creation Matters
Most brands compete within existing categories. Another chip. Another cookie. Another jerky. But some of the most exciting food brands in America have succeeded by introducing consumers to something entirely new. There was a time when many Americans didn't know what kimchi was, or siracha, or boba, or gochujang.
Today, those foods are celebrated for what they are—not what they resemble. We believe khô gà deserves the same opportunity. Rather than calling it "Vietnamese jerky," we want consumers to learn its real name and appreciate its cultural heritage. Because great foods don't need to live in someone else's category forever.
More Than a Snack and The Future of Khô Gà
At Chicka Chew, we're not just making dried chicken snacks. We're introducing people to a piece of Vietnamese food culture. We're honoring the flavors many of us grew up with. And we're creating a bridge between tradition and modern snacking.
Every bag represents countless hours in the kitchen, lessons learned through entrepreneurship, and the belief that authenticity is worth preserving.
We know building a new category won't happen overnight. It will take education, storytelling, and thousands of first bites. But that's exactly what excites us.
Our vision is simple: When consumers think of khô gà, we want Chicka Chew to be the brand that introduced it to them. Not as a jerky alternative. Not as a fusion snack.
But as its own category.Its own tradition. Its own experience.
Chicka Chew. The Original Vietnamese Khô Gà Snack.
We are not a jerky brand; we are Chicka Chew Khô Gà!