New Hampshire Entrepreneur Turns Protein Snack Side Hustle Into Brand

Theresa Burnley started a small protein-snack business called Circ while she had another job.

She wanted to make a different kind of protein food that was easier to eat than a bar.

Circ makes small, round protein bites that come in packs of five.

Burnley and her team spent more than $1 million developing the products and packaging.

The company initially had high costs because it made the snacks itself.

Circ later grew and became available in 13,000 stores, including Starbucks and Walmart.

The brand reported about $2 million in revenue in 2025.

Burnley eventually sold her bakery business so she could work on Circ full time.