LIFT UP LOCAL 042
Written by Pamela Patton
📷 courtesy of Amber Rose Photography
A Gluten-Free Snack from the Heart of Brazil
Let’s be honest. There are times when we crave something crunchy to snack on that’s different from what we’ve munched on before. And if it’s all natural and gluten-free, even better!
Nani Girl Cassie Puffs contain only three ingredients: cassava flour, eggs, and sunflower oil that are mixed into a batter, extruded onto a tray, and then baked in an oven for about 18 minutes, until they come out as little puffs approximately the size of a quarter.
Cassava flour is made from the whole, dried, and ground root of the cassava plant (also known as yuca or manioc). The flour is a versatile, gluten-free flour with a neutral flavor and fiber content similar to wheat flour. Most people don’t realize that tapioca is the extracted starch from the cassava plant or have heard of cassava flour.
What do Cassie Puffs taste like? Matheus Nascimento, Nani Girl Operations Manager, explains. “The flavor is hard to describe. Cassie Puffs are savory, crunchy, and airy, with a texture like cheese puffs, but without the artificial ingredients. But we recognized the demand for flavored Cassie Puffs, so we’ve created a cheese flavor made with powdered cheese that’s simply real shredded cheese dehydrated until it’s brittle, then ground into a fine powder. Pizza flavor uses herbs such as oregano and basil.
Cassie Puffs was founded by Matheus’ mother, Claudilane. “Her nickname is "Nani," so my sister always calls her "Nani Girl," which is how the brand name was born! This popular Brazilian snack is called Biscoito de Polvilho, but until Nani Girl, there were few authentic cassava snacks in the United States.”
Claudilane began selling Nani Girl Cassie Puffs only at local farmers’ markets, handling the sales entirely on her own for about three years.
After graduating from MSU with a major in business and marketing and a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation, Matheus began working with his mother to take Nani Girl Snacks to the next level. “I saw a unique opportunity to help build and grow the company. It’s a family business, as my sister often serves as our advisor and my brother occasionally assists with production.
Mother and son began approaching various stores to offer samples, a move that, in 2022, led to their first retail partnership with Bridge Street Market. Since then, they have expanded into other stores, including Capital City Market.
“Cassie Puffs aren’t just for Brazilians. They’re perfect for anyone, gluten-free or not, to indulge in a crunchy snack that’s good for you.””
“Cassie Puffs are on the road to being featured in more Meijer stores as part of the "Local Favorites" section. They are made in the incubator kitchen at Grand Rapids’ Downtown Market, but we’re building our own kitchen to help with scaling. Currently, we produce 200 to 300 bags per session, once or twice a week, over four to five hours. But the new kitchen will enable us to scale up production if a large order, such as 1,500 bags, were placed.”
The snacks are named Cassie Puffs for two reasons. “‘Cassie’ is short for cassava, but it was also the name of my mother’s Australian Shepard dog, who passed away in September. Cassie loved eating the puffs, and the natural ingredients make the snacks a great treat for dogs.”
The puffs currently have a shelf life of about three months, but they are exploring processes such as nitrogen sealing to remove oxygen and extend their shelf life to six months.
And according to Matheus, new flavors may be coming soon. “In order to offer new flavors, yet stay with natural, gluten-free ingredients, the company had to change its cassava flour brand to one that is more adaptable and of better quality to make this possible. The number one new flavor we’re working on is a sweet flavor, such as a cinnamon toast flavor. Other flavors include salt and vinegar, jalapeno, and ranch.”
“Cassie Puffs aren’t just for Brazilians. They’re perfect for anyone, gluten-free or not, to indulge in a crunchy snack that’s good for you.”