Skip to main content

Fuller Foods: Healthier Addiction

An addiction led Jack Kuo to create his own food company in Portland, Oregon. He simply couldn’t stop eating cheese puffs, but with a background in food science he knew his snack food of choice was packed with a ton of unhealthy ingredients. They don’t call it “junk” food for nothing.

“I knew I could do better,” said Kuo. “I thought, ‘Why don’t I bake my own cheese puffs with actual ingredients?’”

Recommended Videos

The result—Kuo created Fuller Foods and today markets several varieties of non-GMO Serious Cheesy Puffs without the use of artificial or “natural” flavors, coloring agents, processed starches or growth hormones. The puffs are handmade in small batches. The current flavors include Maple Bacon (crafted with REAL bacon), Sriracha, Blue Cheese Jalapeno and India Pale Ale.

serious cheesy puffsWhile his personal favorite is the Blue Cheese Jalapeno, he says he’s very proud of the sriracha variety. “I played around with it, “he said. “It didn’t take me that long. I found the right chili pepper, and yeah, I’d say it’s quite an accomplishment.”

When he passes out taste test samples he encourages people, once they’ve tried all the varieties separately, to eat a sriracha puff at the same time with a blue cheese jalapeno puff. This creates a spicy buffalo wing flavor.

“We’re sort of the skittles of the cheese puff world,” he said. “You know when you eat different flavors of skittles together. Same thing with Jelly Belly jelly beans.”

He says making cheese puffs isn’t a product, like jams or pickles or hot sauces, that often originates in someone’s kitchen and then they expand to a company. Cheese puffs require special dedicated equipment, which is why most puffs are made by big companies who have the right tools to church out hundreds of pounds per hour.

“Cheese puffs are extruded. It’s a mechanical process,” said Kuo. “We have a super small extruder and oven. I bake a batch at a time, and we have a tumbler—a food grade cement mixer we use to season the puffs. It’s all labor intensive. We have a four person team make the puffs twice a week.”

Tasting is believing.

Outside of the Portland area, customers can order online at Scoutmob.com. A three pack assortment retails for $15. 

Marla Milling
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Marla Hardee Milling is a full-time freelance writer living in a place often called the Paris of the South, Sante Fe of the…
Pineapple cocktails are this summer’s hottest trend — these recipes are must-try
Tropical is the way to go for summer cocktails
A glass of pineapple Tiki style cocktail.

Over the last few years, the cocktail world has seen a number of massive trends. From espresso Martini recipes galore to the return of fun flavors like banana, there's been a lot of action behind the bar. After chatting with some industry folks, we're convinced one of the big cocktail flavors of summer 2025 is going to be pineapple.

Call it escapism or that long-standing love for all things tropical, whatever it may be, pineapple seems to be coming back yet again. Recently, it's shown up not just in the form of intriguing cocktail recipes but infused into liqueurs and even injected into beer. Looks like pineapple might just find a way into your favorite glass this summer.

Read more
Flashy Independence Day cocktails from Deep Eddy Vodka
Red, white, blue, and refreshing
Festive Deep Eddy shot.

The Fourth of July is tomorrow and if you don't have a signature cocktail in order yet, fear not. We've got two festive recipes from a vodka brand worth trying out at home. They're cold, colorful, and refreshing, meaning they're more than welcome on a long summer weekend.

Deep Eddy set us up with pair of cocktails befitting of the weekend, each with a trio of colors and flavors. In the end, you're set up with a beverage that can handle even the hottest afternoon as you try out some easy grilling recipes. And you can dress them up any way you like, adding cool straws or garnishes.
Declaration on Ice

Read more
The ultimate holiday weekend drink: Good Guys’ Frozen Fernet & Coke
Bitter, sweet, cold, and cola-driven
Amaro

Fernet is amazing stuff. The iconic Italian amaro adds a smack of bitterness and herbaceous goodness to your favorite cocktails, balancing out the drink at large and making it oh so tasty. And the liquid goes especially well with Coke, preferably frozen.

In the spirit of summer, we reached out to Good Guys in NYC for an optimal hot-weather cocktail. You know, the one that's the equivalent of playing in front of a gushing fire hydrant in New York City on a sweltering day. And I believe we have the drink.

Read more