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Clif Bar

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Clif Bar & Company
Company typeSubsidiary
Founded1992;32 years ago(1992)
HeadquartersEmeryville, California,United States
Key people
Gary Erickson, Kit Crawford (co-owners andco-CEOs)
ProductsEnergy barsand snacks
ParentMondelez International
Websiteclifbar.com

Clif Bar & Companyis an American company that produces energy foods and drinks. The company's flagship product, CLIF BAR, was created by Gary Erickson and Lisa Thomas. The company is based inEmeryville, Californiaand was privately held until 2022 when it was acquired byMondelez Internationalfor $2.9 billion.[1][2]In April 2013, Kevin Cleary was named CEO of the company, Rich Boragno was named CFO, and co-owners Erickson and Kit Crawford becameco-chief visionary officers.[3]In 2018, Cleary departed the company and Erickson and Crawford became co-CEOs, positions they held previously.

History

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A baker and former mountain guide,[4]Erickson got the idea for his product in 1990 on a day-long, 175 mile bike ride, for which he packed a variety ofenergy bars.[5][6]Two years later, after experimenting in his mother's kitchen, he settled on a recipe for what would become the CLIF BAR.[7]Erickson tried several ventures—including Forza, Torque, and Gary's Bar—before settling on CLIF BAR, named after his father Clifford.[8]The packaging image of a rock climber was first drawn by Doug Gilmour on a napkin over dinner inSan Francisco.[8]At a September 1991 bike show, Erickson debuted three flavors: double chocolate, apricot, and date oatmeal.[citation needed] In its first year, sales of CLIF BAR exceeded $700,000, fueled primarily by strong sales in bike shops and the growth of the healthy andnatural foodsmovement.[5]Sales doubled each year, and by 1997, revenue surpassed $20 million.[9]In 1997, the company name was changed from Kali's SportNaturals to Clif Bar, Inc.[10]In 2010, the company moved into a new headquarters in the EmeryTech Building in Emeryville, California.[11]Designed byZGF Architects LLP,the former manufacturing plant earnedLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) Platinum status.[12]The building was repurposed and sustainably-designed with photovoltaic panels, solar thermal panels, reclaimed wood, plants, and otherbiophilicfeatures.[13]

Two LUNA Bars: Lemon Zest (left) and Nutz Over Chocolate (right)

In March 1999, Clif Bar introducedLUNA Bar,specifically marketed towards women. In April 2000, Erickson and Thomas turned down a $120 million offer fromQuaker Oatsto buy the company.[14]

Clif Bar & Company was ranked the No. 1 brand in theForbes"Breakaway Brands" survey, conducted byLandor AssociatesusingYoung & Rubicam's BrandAsset Valuator database measuring brand momentum from 2006 to 2009.[15]

In June 2022, it was announced that the company will be bought byMondelez Internationalfor $2.9 billion.[16]

Other ventures

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Erickson and Crawford founded the Clif Bar Family Foundation in 2006.[17]Through 2012 it had committed $1 million to promote organic seed research and conserve crop genetic diversity.[18]

Erickson and Crawford also own the Clif Family Winery & Farm in theNapa Valley,which had its first national release in 2008.[19]

Products

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Two Clif Bars
Clif Builder's Bar, aprotein bar

In addition to its signature original CLIF BAR, the company produces a variety of energy bars tailored to women, children, and other markets, a sports drink, and fruit-based items such as fruit ropes.[20]In 2014, the company unveiled four gel-like squeezable 'energy foods' that were expanded in early 2016 to encompass six flavors.[21]All products useorganicingredients. Seventy percent of the company's purchased ingredients are certified organic.[18]

Environmental sustainability

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The Clif Bar company has instituted policies intended to make it moregreen-friendly.It switched to organic ingredients and eliminatedshrink-wrap,saving 90,000 pounds of plastic and $400,000 annually, and invested inwind energyto offsetfossil fuelusage.[22]

To help reduce fuel consumption, Clif Bar began giving employees $6,500 in 2007 to switch tobio-dieselor high-mileagehybrid cars.[6]As a bio-diesel incentive program, "Cool Commute" was the first of its type nationwide and drew praise fromAl Gorefor helping to aid the fight againstglobal warming.[23]In 2008, the company began giving employees up to $500 to purchase a commuter bike, with annual rewards up to $960 for getting to work on foot, bicycle, or public transportation.[24]The company also began offering employees up to $1,000 annually to make eco-improvement to their homes, such as insulation, solar panel installation, and new windows.[25]In April 2009, Clif Bar joinedBusiness for Innovative Climate and Energy Policyalso known as BICEP, a coalition of companies includingNike,eBayandThe North Face,with the goal of passing progressive climate and energy legislation.[26]In October 2015, Clif Bar along with other members BICEP released a joint letter pledging to accelerate business action on climate change and urging governments to do the same.[27]

In 2012, amid concerns overchild laborand possibleslaveryon West African cocoa farms, Clif Bar was challenged to disclose the source of their cocoa.[28]On March 5, 2012, the company announced that thenceforth "100 percent of cocoa ingredients for CLIF BAR will be sourced fromRainforest Alliance Certifiedfarms. "[29]

Company culture

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In June 2010, Clif Bar initiated anemployee stock ownership program(ESOP), which gave 20 percent ownership of the company to its employees, with Crawford and Erickson retaining the other 80 percent.[30][31]

Company facilities include an on-site gym, rock climbing wall, two yoga room/dance studios, and massage rooms. There are on-site showers so employees can shower after their workout. Employees also have access to free counseling and life coaching.[32]Employees can bring their dogs to work and get two and a half hours of paid exercise each week with free personal training. Clif Bar & Company was named amongOutsidemagazine's Best Places to Work in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.[33][34][35][36][37]

In November 2014 Clif Bar made a decision to limit risky behavior by its sponsored athletes, stating "going forward we will not be sponsoring climbers who are primarily recognized forfree-soloing,B.A.S.E. jumping,andhighlining.This change in sponsorship approach did not come without great debate. "The company reasoned that" [they] no longer feel good about benefitting from the amount of risk certain athletes are taking in areas of the sport where there is no margin for error; where there is no safety net ".[38]

In 2018, the company introduced the “Re-Tern” program, in which pre-retiree Clif Bar employees can apply for an internship at the Community Department to be trained in non-profit operations. The goal is to prepare individuals retiring from the company for “a post-Clif Bar place in the world.”[39]

Community outreach

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Clif Bar began community outreach in 2001, with the initial aim of donating 2,080 employee volunteer hours to community service.[40]In 2010, Clif employees donated 5,290 hours.[41]In 2008, the "In Good Company" initiative was announced, which organizes employees across several companies[which?]to assist in larger development projects, such as inNew Orleans,East Oakland,and theHopi ReservationinArizona.[42]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"CLIF BAR & COMPANY"(PDF).fact sheet.Clif Bar & Company. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 13 May 2012.Retrieved25 June2012.
  2. ^"Mondelez to buy energy bar maker Clif Bar for about $3 billion".CNN.Reuters. 21 June 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-06-21.Retrieved2022-06-22.
  3. ^Frojo, Renee (April 24, 2013)."Clif Bar's Gary Erickson leaves CEO role".Mercury News.Archivedfrom the original on 3 May 2013.Retrieved2 May2013.
  4. ^Riddell, Lindsay (March 2, 2012)."Gary Erickson, co-founder, co-owner and co-CEO of Clif Bar & Co".San Francisco Business Times.Archivedfrom the original on 14 August 2014.Retrieved26 June2012.
  5. ^abDahl, DarrenClif Bar: How a Husband-Wife Team Built a $235 Million EmpireArchived2010-06-24 at theWayback Machine‘’AOL Small Business’’.
  6. ^abHosni, NadiaTriple Bottom Line: Clif Bar & CompanyTonic.July 7, 2010
  7. ^Who We AreArchived2010-08-25 at theWayback MachineClifBar.com.
  8. ^abErickson, Gary and Lois Lorentzen.Raising the Bar: The Story of Clif Bar.San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass. 2004.
  9. ^From Out of the Gym, Into the Grocery StoreArchived2016-06-05 at theWayback MachineThe New York Times.November 22, 1997.
  10. ^Clif Bar & Company: Company OverviewBloomberg Business.
  11. ^"Clif Bar & Company | Press | Release | Clif Bar Company Brings Love of Outdoors Inside with New Planet Friendly He |".Archived fromthe originalon 2011-08-05.Retrieved2012-06-20.
  12. ^Kaye, Leon (May 18, 2012)."Clif Bar Celebrates Its 20th Birthday With LEED Platinum Headquarters".Triple Pundit.Archivedfrom the original on 19 October 2012.Retrieved25 June2012.
  13. ^.McKnight, Jenna M (January 2012)."Clif Bar Headquarters".Greensource.Archived fromthe originalon 27 May 2012.Retrieved22 June2012.
  14. ^A Company Fueled by Athlete's SweatThe Wall Street Journal.March 24, 2010.
  15. ^Breakaway Brands Offer Simple PleasuresArchived2016-06-10 at theWayback MachineForbes.Oct. 8, 2010.
  16. ^"Cadbury owner buys US energy bar maker Clif for $2.9bn".BBC News. 21 June 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 21 June 2022.Retrieved21 June2022.
  17. ^"Our Story".Clif Bar Family Foundation.Archivedfrom the original on 31 May 2012.Retrieved26 June2012.
  18. ^abLempert, Phil (February 9, 2012)."Sustainability Series: Clif Bar".The Lembert Report.Archived fromthe originalon 3 February 2013.Retrieved25 June2012.
  19. ^Ted Loos (May 7, 2008),Clif Hanger,ARTINFO,archivedfrom the original on 2008-07-04,retrieved2008-05-14
  20. ^"(Website/ Products)".Clif Bar & Company.Archivedfrom the original on 27 August 2014.Retrieved26 August2014.
  21. ^"Clif Organic Energy Food Getting New Flavors - Cold Outdoorsman".Cold Outdoorsman.15 February 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 2016-02-17.Retrieved2016-02-16.
  22. ^"The Pioneers".Inc.November 1, 2006.Archivedfrom the original on 1 June 2012.Retrieved25 June2012.
  23. ^Al Gore congratulates Clif Bar on its biodiesel effortsArchived2007-09-27 at theWayback MachineBiodiesel Magazine.February 2007.
  24. ^Steverman, Ben (September 14, 2011)."Creative Employee Benefits".Bloomberg.Archivedfrom the original on 2012-07-02.Retrieved25 June2012.
  25. ^Sustainability Benefits ProgramArchived2010-09-22 at theWayback MachineClifBar.com.
  26. ^Aspen Skiing, Clif Bar, and Seventh Generation Strengthen BICEP Climate CoalitionArchived2010-09-23 at theWayback MachineClimate Biz.April 16, 2009.
  27. ^"Mars, General Mills, Unilever, Kellogg, Nestlé Unite On Climate Action".Consumer Goods Technology.Archivedfrom the original on 18 January 2017.Retrieved27 October2015.
  28. ^Take ActionArchived2012-03-05 at theWayback MachineFoodIsPower.org.
  29. ^"Clif Bar & Company | Press | Release | Clif Bar Company Teams up with the Rainforest Alliance on Sustainable Cocoa |".Archived fromthe originalon 2012-06-30.Retrieved2012-06-27.
  30. ^Clif Bar sells 20% stake to workersArchived2010-07-27 at theWayback MachineSan Francisco Business Times.June 29, 2010.
  31. ^How Clif Bar is Saving Retirement through CSRArchived2016-09-10 at theWayback MachineTriple Pundit.July 9, 2010.
  32. ^"Clif Bar | Best Companies to Work for | OutsideOnline.com | Best Outdoor Jobs | OutsideOnline.com".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-07-06.Retrieved2014-07-09.
  33. ^Best Places to Work: Clif Bar and CompanyArchived2010-09-05 at theWayback MachineOutside Magazine.May 2010.
  34. ^Best Places to WorkArchived2010-09-19 at theWayback MachineOutside Magazine.May 2009.
  35. ^The 50 Best Places to Work in AmericaArchived2010-08-23 at theWayback MachineOutside Magazine.April 6, 2010
  36. ^Madden, KaitlinIt’s Take Your Dog to Work DayArchived2010-08-28 at theWayback MachineJune 25, 2010.
  37. ^THE 30 BEST PLACES TO WORK: CLIF BAR[1]Archived2013-05-30 at theWayback MachineAugust 12, 2012
  38. ^"Clif Bar's Response: A Letter to the Climbing Community".Archivedfrom the original on 2014-11-16.Retrieved2014-11-14.
  39. ^Eisenberg, Richard."How Clif Bar Helps Employees Do Good In Retirement".Forbes.Archivedfrom the original on 2018-09-19.Retrieved2018-09-19.
  40. ^Giving Back is a Key IngredientArchived2010-10-03 at theWayback MachineClif Blog.
  41. ^Project 2080Archived2010-10-03 at theWayback MachineClifBar.com.
  42. ^"In Good Company".Cliff Bar & Company.Archivedfrom the original on 27 July 2012.Retrieved25 June2012.
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