# LÄRABAR: Lara Merriken

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2018-03-19
- Length: 53m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-19-larabar-lara-merriken

## Summary

Lara Merriken, founder of LÄRABAR, explains how she pivoted from a career in social work to creating an energy bar made of just two or three ingredients like dates, almonds, and cherries. She details the early struggles of finding manufacturing partners, the critical decision to rename the product from 'Mana Bar' to 'LÄRABAR' due to trademark issues, and her strategy of hand-making the first 500 bars to secure a launch at Whole Foods. Merriken also discusses the rapid growth to millions in revenue and her eventual decision to sell the company to General Mills in 2008.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-19-larabar-lara-merriken#t=0) Introduction: Lara Merriken and the Origin of LÄRABAR
- [3:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-19-larabar-lara-merriken#t=194) From Social Work to Natural Foods and Raw Food Inspiration
- [13:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-19-larabar-lara-merriken#t=792) Developing the Recipe and Testing with Friends
- [24:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-19-larabar-lara-merriken#t=1478) Finding Manufacturing and the Name Change to LÄRABAR
- [31:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-19-larabar-lara-merriken#t=1887) Securing Whole Foods and the First Launch
- [40:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-19-larabar-lara-merriken#t=2411) Rapid Growth, Revenue, and Selling to General Mills
- [50:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-03-19-larabar-lara-merriken#t=3022) Postscript: Ginjan Brothers and Jinjan Juice

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- LÄRABAR (product)
- Whole Foods (company)
- General Mills (company)
- Cuisinart (tool)
- Cliff Bar (product)
- Ginjan (product)

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- [Founder Feature: Gabriella Labi and Tonya Reznikovich of Gato Dates](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-04-03-founder-feature-gabriella-labi-and-tonya-reznikovich-of-gato-dates) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
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## Citing this page

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