Sep 21, 2026 · 1h 6m
Banza rebuilds trust after a pesticide controversy
Banza: Brian Rudolph. The Chickpea Pasta That Nearly Turned to Mush
Brian Rudolph’s account shows how a fast-growing food brand managed a sharp sales collapse by confronting uncertainty, tightening controls, and communicating more openly.
- 1Brian and Scott Rudolph turned improvised Detroit kitchen experiments into a major chickpea-pasta business.
- 2A failed manufacturing run nearly ruined Banza’s first major orders before a hot-water method saved the launch.
- 3After a pesticide report cut sales 30%, Banza expanded testing, traceability, certification, and customer access to results.
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With major orders due and cash nearly gone, the team discovers that steeping the pasta in hot water prevents it from falling apart and hand-adds instructions to 20,000 boxes.
The brief
Brian Rudolph traces Banza from Venture for America and Detroit startup work to a personal discovery: removing wheat improved his recurring sinus problems and redirected him toward food.
With his brother Scott, Rudolph developed chickpea pasta through improvised kitchen experiments, then used crowdfunding, retail pitches, and television exposure to move from recipe to national brand.
Banza’s first large manufacturing partnership repeatedly produced mushy pasta just as Meijer and Eataly orders were due. The team discovered that steeping, not boiling, kept the product intact.
A distinctive orange box and expansion into Target and other retailers helped Banza grow, but a pesticide controversy later triggered threatening messages and a 30% week-over-week sales decline.
Testing found pesticide levels 98% lower than reported, though not zero. Banza responded with stronger traceability, more testing, certification, QR-linked results, and a lesson about communicating sooner.