Snack Like A Boss: How SQUEEZE Is Redefining On-The-Go Fuel (Win!)

Meet Alannah Smith, the Abbotsford-based founder and self-proclaimed recovering corporate hustler behind SQUEEZE—the bold, better-for-you freeze-dried fruit snack taking over Canada’s snack shelves (and handbags). Created by women who hustle, for women who snack hard, SQUEEZE ditches the junk and serves up pure, punchy fruit that “tastes like candy—but better.” With new branding that’s as unapologetically fun as its founder, SQUEEZE is growing fast, now stocked in 40+ stores and counting. We caught up with Alannah to chat about building a joyful food brand, life as a girl mompreneur, and why snack time deserves a glow-up. —Noa Nichol

What inspired you to turn the everyday fruit snack into something bold, joyful, and totally crave-worthy with SQUEEZE?

As a mom of two (under six years old), I get the struggle of trying to get my own kids to eat healthy. The idea for SQUEEZE hit me on the drive home from a local market (two kids arguing in the back seat) while on maternity leave — I wanted something bold, real, and fun.

I loved my corporate HR job, but this idea lit a fire I couldn’t ignore. Hearing moms say “my kid calls these their favourite car schnacks” melts my snack-obsessed heart. What started from a carseat meltdown has turned into a full-blown better-for-you snack brand. Life is hard, being a mom is hard, and if this mess-free, guilt-free snack can add a moment of joy, that’s what it’s all about. 

Your customers say it “tastes like candy, but better”—what’s the secret behind that addictively sweet (but good-for-you) magic?

Honestly? just fruit finally getting the spotlight it deserves. We use 100% real fruit, No added sugar, no fake stuff — just super nourishing real fruit that got a glow-up. Freeze-dried it at its sweetest point, so every bite feels like you’re eating candy but also feels like self-care.

As a self-described “girl mom and recovering corporate hustler,” how has that journey shaped your approach to business—and snacking?

Leaving my 11-year corporate job at 1-800-GOT-JUNK?/O2E Brands (aka my safe zone) was terrifying — when you’ve done something that long, it starts to feel like it’s all you know. But being a mom taught me to roll with the chaos and build something real, flexible, and full of heart. Now I get to grow this business and be present with my husband and girls — even if it means answering emails at 10 p.m. after pasta at the dinner table, sticky hands, and hearing the “good, bad, and buffalo” of their day. They’re also obsessed with making sure SQUEEZE is packed in their lunches… and I’m 100% here for it.

The new branding is seriously cute—what was the vibe or mood board behind SQUEEZE’s fresh new look?

When SQUEEZE first launched, the soft salmon packaging didn’t match the product’s energy — it blended in instead of standing out. The snacks were vibrant and craveable, but the branding wasn’t keeping up. So, we reimagined everything with fruit-coded colours, a playful logo that literally got squeezed, and a cheeky new voice that makes healthy snacking feel flirty, loud, and fun.

Each flavour now has its own personality, the packaging doesn’t just stand out — it shouts, and the retro-inspired photography brings that bold, confident vibe to life. Huge shoutout to Sarah from Core Creates (design) and Aroshaliny (photography) — both incredible women-owned businesses who helped give SQUEEZE her main-character moment.

And now she’s ready for her close-up. 

If you could dream up a limited-edition holiday SQUEEZE flavour, what would it be—and what festive snack would you pair it with?

Ooooh, tough one — but I’d say Cranberry Sparkle. Tart, sweet, and just a little extra. Kind of like that friend who insists on wearing sequins to brunch. I’d pair it with dark chocolate bark or sprinkle it over a peppermint mocha. Basically, the snack version of Mariah Carey defrosting. 🎄

Ok wait… did we just come up with our next flavour?!

Win! A $100+ Custom SQUEEZE Snack Bundle!

Congrats Vicky M. of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, who will receive a $100+ bundle (12 snack bags of their choice) to build their ultimate snack line-up. Pair with your dreamy holiday charcuterie, crumble onto holiday cookies or snack straight up! Dedicated to our Canadian crunch community! Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadailymedia. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.