NEWSTrippie's Strips & Dips: The New Celebrity Food Sensation Taking the US by Storm
Sept. 22 2023, Published 6:31 a.m. ET
It's official. With names like Wiz Khalifa, Steve Aoki, George Lopez, Mariah Carey, and Dylan Lemay joining the trend, opening a restaurant is the next hottest thing. While most celebrities have been quite successful at this, with a few exceptions like that of MrBeast Burgers' recent fiasco, a new competitor could very soon overshadow their success: Trippie's Strips & Dips.
If you are one of the over 22.5 million people who listen to Trippie Redd’s hits on Spotify, you probably already are familiar with the brand. The launch of Trippie's Strips & Dips was announced by the young rapper just one month ago, with the first local opening its doors in Los Angeles to offer some of the best chicken strips, chips, and dips in town… All with Trippie’s distinctive style.
Trippie's Strips & Dips restaurants are being operated by the artist in partnership with PopChew, a New York startup that has already collaborated with popular public figures like “Zias”. The company, which has raised over $3.6 million in funding, has proven to be especially efficient at establishing strong brands that not only connect artists and influencers with their fans but also bring value to all of them.
“Trippie is an icon in the hip-hop community, having a number one album and multiple singles breaking into the Billboard Hot 100 list,” says PopChew Co-Founder Rushir Parik when asked about the reasons behind the now iconic partnership. ”Popchew works with people who define and shape culture, and Trippie is exactly that.”
With the restaurant selling out within the hour of opening and continuing to do so daily ever since, calling it a success would be an understatement. Now, members of the “1400 gang” and chicken fans all over the United States will soon be able to enjoy a menu based on Trippie’s favorite foods and flavors.
By opening in New York City on September 14th, the restaurant has just started its expansion across the country. Plans to open in Dallas Chicago, Miami and Atlanta in the near future are already underway, with other major cities being sure to follow before the end of the year thanks to the demand.
“We’re making food delivery fun like it should be!” said Parikh last year. “We’re combining highly engaging brands built by our favorite creators with digital experiences like prizes, drops, and gifting, to create a delivery brand customers love.”
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And Trippie’s food certainly is fun. In addition to the artist’s personal touch being present in every food item, these all come in a stylish meal box that just screams “Trippie Redd.” Each box also comes with a QR code thatfans can scan to join a reward program, earning limited edition toys, exclusive merch, concert tickets, and much more.
“We’ve taken the time to build our business diligently, knowing that shortcuts in the food space don’t work because at the end of the day the food has to be good for customers to want to come back,” says Parik when asked about what sets Trippie’s new culinary endeavor apart from the competition. “Our team is composed of experts in the space who come from some of the fastest growing startups in the world to some of the most loved QSRs and we’ve built the technology infrastructure and operational backend to create great food at scale. Businesses and celebrities can avoid controversies by fully vetting the systems and standards that potential partners have in place.”
While music certainly has been one of the biggest factors in the artist's amassing his massive net worth, his business acumen is nothing to scoff at. This gastronomical venture is only the latest non-musical project by the “F%&k Love” artist, who has also secured many lucrative endorsements and collaborations, created his own clothing line, invested heavily in real estate, and pursued other investment opportunities.
As Trippie continues to grow his presence and notoriety in and out of the music world, more celebrities are certainly to follow his example. PopChew, for example, is already working on establishing partnerships with some of the world’s biggest artists, allowing their fans to enjoy what has now become a new form of content.
“Food is a medium to connect people through an experience and we think content is a perfect definition of that.” says Parikh. “We have an extensive pipeline [of potential artists], but would love to work with Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, Doja Cat, the list goes on.”
With Trippie now leaving a mark by bringing his music and personal style into an iconic dish, it's not hard to imagine a future where new artists offer their own distinct flavors to the world. Maybe your favorite pop star can start serving up ice cream that's as sweet as their melodies or a rock star dishing out fiery spicy dishes that match their on-stage energy, it's just a matter of time.
