Episode 4 | How RXBAR Became the $600 Million Brand
with Co-Founder and CEO Peter Rahal
They’re the bar brand everyone is talking about.
RXBAR make whole food, minimally processed protein bars that taste great and are made with only a handful of ingredients. Their bars are also famous for emphasizing what’s NOT in them – No Dairy. No Soy. No Gluten. No B.S. And they are killing it.
Less than five years after launching the brand from their kitchen, founders Peter Rahal and Jared Smith recently announced a $600 million acquisition by Kellogg.
How’d they do it? We’ve got co-founder and CEO Peter Rahal to clue us in.
In this episode you’ll learn the following three takeaways:
- Prove your concept. The RX story isn’t about accepting a huge sum of money, like the headlines might imply. It’s about NOT taking money. It’s about going out there and selling bars. Peter explains this mindset and how it’s shaped his outlook.
- Look inward to find your brand identity. Peter and the RX team intentionally didn’t look at the marketplace for inspiration for the brand and product. He explains why they did that and how that became their big advantage.
- Simple sells. This is a brand that made their ingredient list their marketing campaign. We’ll hear from Peter about the thought process behind that decision.
Jump to
- Peter tells us how his dyslexia shaped his personality, and how the dyslexic mind can be an advantage in business. 3:50
- Peter describes the early days hatching the RX brand – and making hundreds of RXBARS in his parents’ kitchen with co-founder Jared Smith. 6:50
- Peter tells a great story about the moment he and Jared knew they had a hit on their hands. 8:30
- Peter explains why he didn’t raise money until he could prove there was a demand for his product. 9:55
- Peter tells us what it’s like building a business with his childhood best friend. 12:33
- Peter describes the history of RXBAR’s simple packaging, and the thinking behind the simplicity of their brand. 14:28
- Peter tells us why you shouldn’t look to the market for inspiration, and why he’s ultimately in the people business. 16:30
Links
- RXBar https://www.rxbar.com/
- RX on instagram https://www.instagram.com/rxbar/
- RX on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RXBAR/
- Peter on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-rahal-037bba43/
Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! Brandbuilder@snacknation.com.
Brand Builder is presented by SnackNation.
