Banza: Brian Rudolph. The Chickpea Pasta That Nearly Turned to Mush
How I Built This with Guy Raz
- Published
- September 21, 2026
- Duration
- 58:30
- Summary source
- description
- Last updated
- Sep 22, 2026
Discusses Brian Rudolph started making chickpea pasta in his Detroit apartment because wheat made him feel sic…
Summary
Brian Rudolph started making chickpea pasta in his Detroit apartment because wheat made him feel sick. A decade later, Banza was in more than 25,000 stores, and today, it’s one of the most popular pasta brands in the country. Success was not automatic: The business barely got off the ground because the cooked pasta was turning to mush—and as Banza became …
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Show notes
Brian Rudolph started making chickpea pasta in his Detroit apartment because wheat made him feel sick. A decade later, Banza was in more than 25,000 stores, and today, it’s one of the most popular pasta brands in the country. Success was not automatic: The business barely got off the ground because the cooked pasta was turning to mush—and as Banza became known for its health benefits, a food-safety scare sent sales plunging by 30%.In this episode, Brian explains why he was inspired to create a w