Shirt a Phobia

Sample Page

PowerBar is an American brand of energy bars and other related products including sports drinks, gels, and the Pria bars targeted at women. The company was established in 1986, and was then acquired by Nestlé in 2000 and Post Holdings in 2014.

History

Bay Area (pictured in 2005), with PowerBar sign just recognizable, at top of high rise in downtown Berkeley (center left)

The PowerBar company was founded by Brian Maxwell, a Canadian athlete and entrepreneur, along with Jennifer Biddulph, and Mike McCollum. They started in Maxwell’s kitchen, where they formulated the recipe using the knowledge of Jennifer Biddulph, a nutritionist. The two would eventually marry. They used $55,000 in cash to launch the company in 1986 in Berkeley, California. This was the first “energy bar” for use during competition by endurance athletes, such as ultramarathoners and cyclists.[2] They eventually acquired a headquarters building in downtown Berkeley.[3]

The company eventually reached $150 million in sales before being purchased by Nestlé in 2000 for $375 million.[2] In February 2007, PowerBar moved its headquarters from Berkeley, California, to the Nestlé headquarters in Glendale, California.[4]

On February 3, 2014, Post Holdings announced it had reached an agreement to acquire PowerBar, Musashi and related worldwide assets from Nestlé.[5] In 2021, PowerBar regained control of their brand and became a registered trademark of Premier Nutrition Company, LLC.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b “PowerBar® Sports Nutrition Energy Protein Snack Bars”. 2021.
  2. ^ a b “Raising the Power Bar: The Brian Maxwell story”, Running Magazine, Dan Hill, September 21, 2010. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  3. ^ Natividad, Ivan (23 February 2024). “A history of innovation: Berkeley founders, movements that influenced our culture”. Berkeley News. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  4. ^ Mara, Janis (17 July 2023). “‘The melting pot of ideas keeps us here’: Why sports nutrition maker GU calls Berkeley home”. Berkeleyside. Retrieved 16 April 2026. PowerBar moved to Nestle headquarters in Glendale after being acquired by that company in 2007.
  5. ^ “Post acquires PowerBar, Musashi brands from Nestlé”. Drug Store News. February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.