# LÄRABAR: Lara Merriken (2018)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2019-10-28
- Length: 54m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-28-larabar-lara-merriken-2018

## Summary

Lara Merriken, founder of LÄRABAR, explains how she developed a simple energy bar using only dates, nuts, and fruit in her Cuisinart after leaving a stressful social work career. She details the early struggles of finding manufacturing partners, securing $150,000 in funding from 66 friends and family, and launching in Whole Foods, where the product quickly became a top seller. Merriken describes the eventual sale of LÄRABAR to General Mills in 2008, which allowed her to step back from the daily grind while maintaining a role in the brand's growth.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-28-larabar-lara-merriken-2018#t=0) Introduction: Lara Merriken and the Origin of LÄRABAR
- [4:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-28-larabar-lara-merriken-2018#t=252) Merriken's Career Shift from Social Work to Natural Foods
- [14:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-28-larabar-lara-merriken-2018#t=849) Developing the Recipe and Finding Manufacturing
- [25:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-28-larabar-lara-merriken-2018#t=1539) Overcoming Launch Delays and Securing Funding
- [35:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-28-larabar-lara-merriken-2018#t=2100) The Whole Foods Launch and Rapid Growth
- [43:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-28-larabar-lara-merriken-2018#t=2602) Selling LÄRABAR to General Mills
- [50:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-28-larabar-lara-merriken-2018#t=3027) Post-Script: Gerry Stellenberg and Multimorphic Pinball

## 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)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

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

## Mentioned

- LÄRABAR (product)
- General Mills (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Cuisinart (product)
- Multimorphic (company)
- Gerry Stellenberg (other)
- P3 (product)
- Dave and Buster's (company)

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- [Founder Feature: Katie Lefkowitz of Harken Sweets](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-12-06-founder-feature-katie-lefkowitz-of-harken-sweets) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [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)
- [Founder Feature: Erica Groussman of Trubar](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-12-05-founder-feature-erica-groussman-of-trubar) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#252 - The Rise of Laurel's Coffee: Whole Foods, Wegmans & 1,800 Target Stores in Two Years](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-06-09-252-the-rise-of-laurels-coffee-whole-foods-wegmans-1-800-target-stores-in-two-ye) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Morgan Murdock of Unbothered Foods](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-05-02-founder-feature-morgan-murdock-of-unbothered-foods) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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