“Intending to brainstorm a list of art-related ideas to do as a weekend project with a college friend, I made hummus to snack on while we talked,” Armstrong said. “She suggested I make hummus to sell.”
At first, Armstrong thought the idea was ridiculous, but she did it anyway. She began selling her hummus at the Oxford Farmer’s Market, where she met Allyson Moore of Chubby Bunny Bakery, with whom she now shares a storefront and kitchen.
Chickpea Chicks provides many sweet and savory flavors of hummus, ranging from dill pickle to chocolate raspberry. There are even seasonal flavors, such as pumpkin pie and gingerbread. Armstrong describes the flavors as big and unique and the products as fresh. She prides herself on making vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, with no preservatives.
“I’ve noticed on bigger brands you get that weird aftertaste, which are the preservatives,” Armstrong said.
The customers are Armstrong’s favorite part of owning a business, especially the young customers; Armstrong described children as the most honest critics, so she finds it especially rewarding when children like Chickpea Chicks products.
“It’s also fun to see people who say they aren’t fans of hummus taste ours and change their minds,” Armstrong said.
Chickpea Chicks’ most recent move is a collaboration with Underdogs Almost Famous Wieners, located inside Swine City Brewing, on a plant-based veggie dog using garlic hummus. Armstrong summed the collaboration and the ethos of the business simply: “It’s nice to have a veggie option.”
More details
Chickpea Chicks is located at 216 Main St. in Hamilton, in the same space as Chubby Bunny Bakery. The store is open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Chickpea Chicks products can also be found at MOON Co-Op in Oxford, Jungle Jim’s in Fairfield, and Harmony Plant Fare in Findlay Market in Cincinnati.
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