Boulder, Colo. (May 19, 2026) — Boulder, Colo.-based Backpacker’s Pantry, the family-owned maker of gourmet adventure meals, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. To commemorate the occasion, the company will launch a multi-channel heritage campaign called “Raised By the Wild,” which aims to engage the outdoor community in the celebration while enhancing its commitment to fueling people’s adventures.
“A lot has changed since 1951, but the reason people take our meals into the backcountry really hasn’t. They want food they can count on after a long day outside. Backpacker’s Pantry has always been built around that idea,” said Aidan Smith, CEO of Backpacker’s Pantry. “For 75 years, we’ve stayed focused on making satisfying meals for people spending real time outdoors, and we’re proud the brand has stayed true to what made people trust it in the first place.”
The Backpacker Pantry story begins in 1951 with Anne Benedict, a Girl Scout trip leader who came home from a grueling backpacking trip carrying a bag full of empty cans and convinced there had to be a smarter way to eat on the trail. She began experimenting in her garage with dehydrating food to reduce pack weight, and from those humble beginnings, Dri-Lite Foods took shape. Nearly two decades later, in 1970, an entrepreneur named Ron Smith stumbled upon Dri-Lite’s meals in a small Southern California ski shop and recognized untapped potential. By 1972, he had reimagined the brand entirely — renaming it Backpacker’s Pantry and introducing freeze-dried ingredients that would dramatically extend shelf life while improving the nutritional value of the meals.
Today, the Smith family legacy continues into a new generation. In 2025, Aidan Smith stepped into the role of CEO, working alongside his brother Talvin to help chart the company’s next chapter. Together, they carry forward the same entrepreneurial spirit their grandfather embodied when he first walked into Jonas’ Ski Chalet in Inglewood, California, more than 55 years ago.
