KRISTYN CARRIERE (7 SUMMITS SNACKS)

Alumni-Owned Business Feature: 7 Summits Snacks
Bridging the Gap Between Chocolate and Health

Inspired by the world's seven tallest peaks, 7 Summits Snacks craft purposeful, functional chocolate snacks that prove performance and great taste don't have to be a trade-off. The business was born from a passion for two things that don't always go together: chocolate and health.

Co-founder Kristyn Carriere (BSc Nutrition and Food '09) shared with us the unique and purposeful story behind the company.

What inspired you to start your business?

7 Summits Snacks was founded in 2019 in memory of RH Fisher's last adventure — a deeply personal origin that gave the brand both its heart and its purpose.

I brought over a decade of European chocolate industry expertise — including launching some of the world's best-known chocolate brands — back home to Canada. My sister, Leanna Carriere, a triathlete, former national team pole vaulter, and coach, identified a clear gap in the market: athletes and active people needed simple, purposeful nutrition they could actually understand and enjoy. The business was born from a passion for two things that don't always go together: chocolate and health.

As the business grew, we brought on Jason Britton (BPE '01, MBA '08), a seasoned endurance athlete and coach, to help provide the strategy and direction the brand needed to scale. Jason was a natural fit to help steer 7 Summits Snacks toward nationwide growth.

The mountains were the perfect metaphor: every summit represents a challenge worth preparing for, and every bar is designed to help you meet yours.

How did your time at the University of Alberta influence your career path and decision to start this business?

The University of Alberta was where everything clicked for me. Entering university without a clear direction, it was the exposure to Food Science and specifically Sensory and Consumer Science that ignited a real passion for the discipline. Those courses didn't just shape my academic focus; they opened my eyes to the exciting intersection of nutrition, function, and flavour.

By immersing myself in the Nutrition and Food Science program and getting involved with the Nutrition and Food Science Student Association (NuFSSA), I found myself surrounded by opportunities and ideas that pushed my thinking beyond Alberta's borders. Supported by professors who actively championed career development on a global scale, I landed a role with Cadbury in the UK straight out of university.

Later, when I returned to Edmonton from Europe, and 7 Summits Snacks was already founded, Leanna and I met Jason through our shared world of triathlon coaching in early 2020. As someone who lives and breathes endurance sport, Jason was exactly the target consumer the brand was built for, and when the opportunity arose to be part of the business, he jumped in with both feet.

Completing his MBA at the U of A gave Jason the confidence to bring real strategic business sense to our team. His undergraduate degree (BPE '01) and Varsity Swimming experience helped him discover who he was and built friendships that shaped his life and career in ways he never anticipated.

What is one interesting or unique fact about you business?

The Seven Summits mountaineering challenge inspires each of our products, the quest to climb the tallest peak on every continent. We've built our entire product line around this concept, dedicating a unique snack to each of the world's seven great mountains. What makes it truly special is how we source our flavour inspiration: every product features ingredients native to that mountain's continent, creating an authentic connection between place and taste.

What makes your business stand out?

At 7 Summits Snacks, we believe that what you put into your body should be as purposeful as the life you're living. We're not just another snack brand. We're an Edmonton-based company built by athletes, food scientists, and adventurers who saw a gap in the market and had the expertise to fill it.

Our functional chocolate snacks are crafted with natural, purposeful ingredients that deliver real nutritional value without sacrificing taste. Every product in our lineup is inspired by one of the Seven Summits, the tallest peak on each continent, with flavours rooted in ingredients native to that region.

It's storytelling you can taste. We're proud of where we came from. And we're just getting started.

Check out this Exclusive Alumni Perk!

Get 10% off your order of superfood chocolate snacks at sevensummitssnacks.com using the code GREEN+GOLD, or head over to the Contests tab and enter to win a 7 Summits Snacks Explorer Box.


This spotlight is sponsored by our affinity program partner TD Insurance. With TD Insurance, you get the protection you need for your small business. From the building itself, to what’s inside, safeguard your assets through commercial property insurance. As a grad of the University of Alberta, you're eligible for a group discount on business insurance.