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