View source for PowerBar

{{short description|American maker of energy bars and related product}}
{{Infobox company
|name     = PowerBar
|logo     = Powerbar-logo.png
|logo_size  =200
|type     = [[Subsidiary]]
|fate = Acquired by [[Nestlé]] in 2000, becoming a brand.
|predecessor      = 
|foundation       = {{start date and age|1986}}
|founder          = [[Brian Maxwell]], Jennifer Biddulph
|location_city    = [[Glendale, California]]
|location_country = [[United States]]
|locations        = 
|area_served      = North America, Europe
|key_people       = 
|industry         = [[Food processing]]
|products         = [[Energy bar]]s, [[sports drink]]s, [[energy gel|gels]]
|services         = 
|revenue          = US$175 million
|revenue_year= 2013
|operating_income =
|net_income       =
|assets           =
|equity           =
|num_employees    =
|parent           = Premier Nutrition Company, LLC <ref name="pnc">{{cite news| url=http://www.powerbar.com |title=PowerBar® Sports Nutrition Energy Protein Snack Bars|date=2021}}</ref>
|owner            = {{plainlist|
* [[Nestlé]] (2000–14)
* [[Post Holdings]] (2014–pres.)
}}
|caption=
|divisions        = 
|subsid           =
|homepage         = {{URL|https://www.powerbar.com/|powerbar.com}}
|footnotes        =
}}
'''PowerBar''' is an American [[brand]] of [[energy bar]]s and other related products including [[sports drink]]s, [[energy gel|gels]], and the ''Pria'' bars targeted at women. The company was established in 1986, and was later acquired by [[Nestlé]].

==History==
[[File:Berkeley-downtown-Bay-bridge-SF-in-back-from-Lab.jpg|thumb|left|200px|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 [[Canada|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.<ref name=Biddulph>[https://runningmagazine.ca/raising-the-power-bar-the-brian-maxwell-story/ "Raising the Power Bar: The Brian Maxwell story"], ''Running Magazine'', Dan Hill, September 21, 2010. Retrieved November 10, 2017.</ref> They eventually acquired a headquarters building in downtown Berkeley.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

The company eventually reached $150 million in sales before being purchased by [[Nestlé]] in 2000 for $375 million.<ref name=Biddulph /> In February 2007, PowerBar moved its headquarters from Berkeley, California, to the [[Nestlé]] headquarters in [[Glendale, California]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

On February 3, 2014, [[Post Holdings]] announced it had reached an agreement to acquire PowerBar, Musashi and related worldwide assets from [[Nestlé]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.drugstorenews.com/article/post-acquires-powerbar-musashi-brands-nestle | title=Post acquires PowerBar, Musashi brands from Nestlé | work=Drug Store News | date=February 3, 2014 | access-date=February 4, 2014}}</ref> In 2021, PowerBar regained control of their brand and became a registered trademark of Premier Nutrition Company, LLC.<ref name="pnc" />

== See also ==
* {{C|Food and drink companies based in California}}
* [[List of food companies]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website}}
* [https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/SAN-ANSELMO-PowerBar-founder-collapses-dies-at-2778452.php "PowerBar founder collapses"] (20 March 2004), ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]''
* [https://archive.today/20130203094943/http://center.spoke.com/info/pNRFax/MikeMcCollum Center.spoke.com: Mike McCollum, Board Member]

{{Energy bars}}
{{Post Holdings}}
{{Portal bar|Food|California|Companies}}

[[Category:1986 establishments in California]]
[[Category:American brands]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1986]]
[[Category:Companies based in Berkeley, California]]
[[Category:Companies based in Glendale, California]]
[[Category:Dietary supplements]]
[[Category:Energy food products]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies based in California]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1986]]
[[Category:Food manufacturers of the United States]]
[[Category:Post Consumer Brands brands]]


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