Tyler Merrick
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
JOYRIDE
Tyler Merrick has been married to his high school sweetheart, Taylor, for 24 years. They have three incredible daughters—Quinn, Harper, and Liv—and he remains active in his local church and community volunteering.
He is the founder and CEO of JOYRIDE, an uncommon candy brand on a mission to revolutionize the candy category. JOYRIDE makes all of its candy with 50% less sugar or more compared to competing brands, and with no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives.
Before JOYRIDE, Tyler founded Project 7, a social enterprise that used consumer goods to give back to seven areas of humanitarian need. He began his career in consumer goods working for his family’s pet food business in the Texas Panhandle, where he launched a better-for-you, human-grade pet food brand called “Merrick,” later acquired by Nestlé.
Tyler graduated from Texas A&M University’s College of Agriculture after failing out of the business school during the spring semester of his junior year.
His co-founder, partner, and friend is Ryan Trahan, a leading creator in the YouTube universe and one of the most-subscribed channels in America. This summer, Ryan used his platform to raise over $11.5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through his “50 States in 50 Days” campaign. Ryan is a former college athlete at Texas A&M University, Chief Creative Officer for JOYRIDE, and married to his wife, Haley Pham.
Together, Tyler and Ryan, along with their team at JOYRIDE, are driven to create the next great American candy brand.
He is the founder and CEO of JOYRIDE, an uncommon candy brand on a mission to revolutionize the candy category. JOYRIDE makes all of its candy with 50% less sugar or more compared to competing brands, and with no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives.
Before JOYRIDE, Tyler founded Project 7, a social enterprise that used consumer goods to give back to seven areas of humanitarian need. He began his career in consumer goods working for his family’s pet food business in the Texas Panhandle, where he launched a better-for-you, human-grade pet food brand called “Merrick,” later acquired by Nestlé.
Tyler graduated from Texas A&M University’s College of Agriculture after failing out of the business school during the spring semester of his junior year.
His co-founder, partner, and friend is Ryan Trahan, a leading creator in the YouTube universe and one of the most-subscribed channels in America. This summer, Ryan used his platform to raise over $11.5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through his “50 States in 50 Days” campaign. Ryan is a former college athlete at Texas A&M University, Chief Creative Officer for JOYRIDE, and married to his wife, Haley Pham.
Together, Tyler and Ryan, along with their team at JOYRIDE, are driven to create the next great American candy brand.