JAMBAR Organic Artisan Energy Bars Now Available in Select California and Hawaii Whole Foods Market Stores
In keeping with Whole Foods Market’s mission of giving back to the community, JAMBAR donates 50% of after-tax profits to local music and active-living organizations
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (June 19, 2024) – JAMBAR®, the artisan-made organic energy bar company launched in 2021 by PowerBar® co-founder Jennifer Maxwell, continues to expand its nationwide retail footprint. JAMBARs will now be carried in select Whole Foods Market stores in Northern California, Southern California and Hawaii.
“JAMBAR is excited to be a part of the Whole Foods Market family. These organic energy bars not only meet Whole Foods Market’s high-quality standards, but they’re also delicious,” said JAMBAR founder and CEO Jennifer Maxwell. “Our company’s dedication to organic food and farming, along with its commitment to giving back, makes JAMBAR a natural addition to Whole Foods Market shelves,” she added.
Maxwell and her late husband, Brian, essentially created the energy bar category when they launched the original PowerBar in 1985. More than three decades later, Maxwell had a new vision. She put the KitchenAid mixer she used for the first PowerBars back to work, blending the highest-quality, most innovative organic ingredients into a new type of whole food energy bar.
The result is JAMBAR. Whole Foods Market will offer four flavors of JAMBAR – Malt Nut Melody, Musical Mango, Chocolate Cha Cha and Jammin’ Jazzleberry. JAMBARs are made with organic, gluten-free ancient grains, berries, fruit, nuts, fair-trade chocolate, proteins from sunflowers and organic dairy, and pure syrup, juices and honey as sweeteners. The Musical Mango and Jammin’ Jazzleberry varieties are 100% vegan and suitable for plant-based diets. All JAMBARs contain 10g of premium quality protein.
JAMBARs are made in the U.S. and crafted in small batches in the company’s own state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Northern California. A woman-owned business and a mission-based “conscious CPG brand,” JAMBAR donates 50% of after-tax profits to organizations that support music and active living. Runner’s World named JAMBAR the Best Protein Bar for runners in 2022 and also recognized JAMBAR with its 2023 Fitness Nutrition Award.
JAMBAR is distributed by leading natural and specialty foods distributors, including UNFI and KEHE. For wholesale inquiries, contact jammin@jambar.com, 877-JAMBARZ.
About JAMBAR
In 2021, Jennifer Maxwell founded JAMBAR with the goal of helping people feel good not only about the ingredients they put in their bodies, but also about the positive impact they can have on their local communities. A mission-based brand, JAMBAR donates 50% of after-tax profits to organizations that support music and active living. Runner’s World named JAMBAR the Best Protein Bar for runners in 2022 and also recognized JAMBAR with its 2023 Fitness Nutrition Award.
Learn more at www.jambar.com and follow JAMBAR on Facebook and Instagram.
Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel: 303.807.1042
Woman-Owned JAMBAR®, Maker of Organic Whole Food Energy Bars, Expands Retail Presence with Erewhon
Founded by Jennifer Maxwell, creator of the original PowerBar®, JAMBAR certified organic energy bars are now available in all 10 locations of leading natural products retailer Erewhon. Rapidly growing its retail and distribution base, JAMBAR also recently appointed natural products industry sales veteran Darren Wagoner as national sales manager.
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (Feb. 6, 2024) – Independent, woman-owned JAMBAR, the artisan-made, organic energy bar company founded in 2021 by Jennifer Maxwell, is pleased to announce significant expansion of its line of certified organic, whole food energy bars. Maxwell, a food scientist, athlete and musician, together with her late husband, Brian Maxwell, essentially created the entire energy bar category when they launched the original PowerBar® in the mid-1980s.
Consumers can now find JAMBAR organic energy bars in all 10 Erewhon locations. Based in Los Angeles, Erewhon is renowned as one of the most innovative natural products retailers in the U.S. Erewhon will offer three JAMBAR flavors – Malt Nut Melody, Chocolate Cha Cha and Jammin’ Jazzleberry. By supporting local producers, ethical brands and sustainable farming practices, offering exceptional customer service and education, and fostering community, Erewhon has built a reputation that attracts healthy lifestyle consumers, athletes, entertainers and celebrities alike.
“With its commitment to quality, selection and service, Erewhon has become a ‘gold standard’ among grocers who sell natural products. As a mission-based brand committed to providing customers with premium quality organic products at an affordable price, we’re excited to partner with Erewhon,” said Maxwell, JAMBAR’s CEO and founder.
“We are pleased to offer JAMBARs to our customers,” said Vito Antoci, executive vice president of Erewhon. “First, they are simply delicious and nutritious whole food, certified organic energy bars that meet our high standards. Second, we support mission-based brands such as JAMBAR, which donates 50% of after-tax profits to organizations that promote music and active living.”
JAMBAR Featured in Leading Groceries, Specialty Retailers
In addition to Erewhon, JAMBAR is expanding its retail presence across the U.S. – the company’s artisan-made, organic energy bars are now available in leading grocers and specialty and athletic stores, including Safeway (NorCal Division), Raley’s Supermarkets, Mother’s Market & Kitchen, Lazy Acres, Gelson’s Markets, Earth Fare, The Fresh Market, Good Earth Natural Foods, Mollie Stone’s Markets, Nugget Market, Cambridge Naturals, United Market, Scotty’s Market, Lucky’s Market, Bon Appetit, Fleet Feet and more.
Using only certified organic, whole food ingredients, JAMBARs are crafted in small batches in the company’s own state-of-the-art facility. Made of organic ancient grains, berries, nuts, premium chocolate, proteins from sunflowers and organic dairy, and real syrup, juices and honey as sweeteners, JAMBAR delivers a convenient, incredibly tasty bar you can take anywhere. All four flavors of JAMBAR — Malt Nut Melody, Musical Mango, Chocolate Cha Cha and Jammin’ Jazzleberry — are also available online at JAMBAR.com and via Amazon Prime.
For wholesale accounts, JAMBAR is distributed by leading natural and specialty foods distributors including UNFI, KeHE and Chex Distributing. For wholesale inquiries, contact jammin@jambar.com, tel 877-JAMBARZ.
JAMBAR Appoints National Sales Manager
In related news, JAMBAR recently appointed natural products industry sales veteran Darren Wagoner as national sales manager. Wagoner’s experience includes serving as national account manager and key account manager for such leading brands as Activate Drinks, Purity Organic, High Brew and CB Gourmet Foods. The appointment reflects the company’s focus on building sales in key natural products markets as it expands manufacturing and distribution.
Visit JAMBAR at Natural Products Expo West, Booth N2140
Visit JAMBAR at Natural Products Expo West, the world’s largest natural and organic products trade exhibition, March 13-15, 2024, Booth N2140 in the North Hall’s Hot Products Pavilion at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. In addition, JAMBAR will be sampling its products at all Erewhon Southern California locations the week before Expo West.
About JAMBAR
In 2021, Jennifer Maxwell founded JAMBAR with the goal of helping people feel good about the ingredients they put in their bodies, and about the positive impact they can have on their local communities. A mission-based brand, JAMBAR donates 50% of after-tax profits to organizations that support music and active living. Runner’s World named JAMBAR the Best Protein Bar for runners in 2022 and also recognized JAMBAR with its 2023 Fitness Nutrition Award. Learn more at www.jambar.com and follow JAMBAR on Facebook and Instagram.
Media Contacts
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel: 303.807.1042
Debbie Pfeifer, JAMBAR, debbie@jambar.com, tel: 206.669.3580
Founding an Industry: Q&A With Energy Bar Entrepreneur Jennifer Maxwell
In the mid-1980s, Jennifer Biddulph was a nutrition and science major and track athlete at the University of California, Berkeley. Her boyfriend, Brian Maxwell, who had been a track star at UC Berkeley a decade earlier, was an Olympic marathon runner.
Like many marathoners at that time, Maxwell was concerned about what to eat to avoid running out of carbohydrate fuel and “hitting the wall” during a race. He and Biddulph began experimenting with recipes that included amino acids, complex and simple carbs, and other nutrients that could not only help high-level athletes perform, but also get what Biddulph called “that extra 1% advantage.”
In 1986, Maxwell and Biddulph debuted PowerBar®—the world’s first energy bar. In the ensuing years, the duo grew their company into a nine-figure business, married and had a family, and eventually sold PowerBar to Nestle in 2000.
JAMBAR founder and CEO Jennifer Maxwell
But in 2004, tragedy struck. Brian, who had been diagnosed with a congenital heart condition as a teenager, died of a heart attack at age 51—leaving behind Jennifer and six children under the age of 15. Devastated, Jennifer turned to music as a healing force. She took up the drums and today plays in two bands. She also started running again, and in 2021, combined all of her passions into a new energy-bar company, JAMBAR®.
All of JAMBAR’s four flavors are certified organic and whole-food based, and Jennifer Maxwell donates 50% of the company’s profits to community, education, music and outdoor activities. She also funds a sustainability program and entrepreneurship scholarship at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.
Recently, Maxwell joined industry veterans Bill Capsalis and Steven Hoffman for their podcast Compass Coffee Talk. Read on to learn more about the genesis and evolution of PowerBar and JAMBAR, along with Maxwell’s thoughts on philanthropy, sustainability and the future of the natural products industry.
Q: You literally created the energy bar industry and an entire food category out of scratch. What was it like back in PowerBar’s early days?
We started in our little apartment from nothing, really from nothing. And we grew not just a great product that was innovative at the time, but also a company that was innovative, as well.
We had an employee stock-ownership program, so all of our employees owned the company. We also divvied up the profits among all of the employees, from the warehouse people to top management. And I think that was one of the things that led to our success—people really believed in what we were doing, and they were essentially working for themselves.
Q: How did you actually get PowerBars out there and into stores?
We started as a mail-order business; of course, there was no Amazon at the time. We figured the bar would sell itself, so we'd go to events and give out a lot of product, and also put flyers on windshields of cars at races. There would be a little coupon you could tear off and you'd send it in the mail and get your three dozen bars for $39.
I was still a student at Berkeley, so on breaks from classes, I’d go to the post office, get the orders in the mail, go back to our apartment and fulfill the orders and put them out on the porch for UPS to come pick them up. And all of a sudden, we'd have 20, 30, 40 boxes a day going out of our little apartment.
After we moved on from being a mail-order business, our main market was bike shops. We went down to the local bike shop, walked in, showed them the product. People were so receptive to our bars that we were able to do our own brokering. We'd have stores calling us to place an order.
Q: By the '90s, things were rocking and you ended up selling PowerBar. And then you had some life events occur, unfortunately. You took a break to take care of the family and play music. What led you to get back into the industry with JAMBAR?
JAMBAR came about as part of a conversation I was having with my daughter around the kitchen table. She said, "Mom, I know you like energy bars, and there's nothing out there that you want to eat for one reason or the other." And I said, "You're right. I'm a food scientist, so why don't I get back into the game and spend some of my knowledge and experience creating something that is great?"
It took me about four years of putting ingredients together to come up with a product I liked. My big thing is I wanted it to be organic, because I believe in preserving our earth and helping people avoid pesticides and eating the best that they can. That limits ingredients a little, because you have to have mass quantities of organic ingredients available.
And then I wanted to use all real food. I didn't want to use ingredients that I didn't know where they came from, that were somehow changed in a lab or created with mechanisms that I didn't really want to put in my body. I wanted ingredients that are close to nature and that taste great.
And, of course, there are a lot of ingredient options that we didn't have in the '80s, whether it's different grains, proteins, fruits, chocolate, and different ways of holding the product together. That’s a plus because one of the most important things I wanted to include in my portfolio of flavors is a lot of variety.
Each of the four JAMBAR flavors—Chocolate Cha Cha, Malt Nut Melody, Jammin’ Jazzleberry and Musical Mango—is very different from the other. Where other products on the market might take a base formulation and just add a little of this, a little of that and call it a new flavor, I didn't want to do that. So it made my formulation job very challenging—working with an array of very different percentages of all of these different ingredients, but keeping each bar similar enough that it's treated the same in the factory.
We have our own state-of-the-art manufacturing facility—which, interestingly, was once a Grateful Dead recording studio—so that gives us the ability to call our own shots. We can do a run of one flavor and then reset for the next run of a different flavor. We can say, “OK, it's Mango Bar Day.” We cut our own mango, and because it’s the second ingredient on the label, we have a lot of mango in there.
Q: What are some of the other major differences you see in the supply chain and business practices as you’ve come back into the industry with JAMBAR?
I think there’s always a lot to learn. I have a lot of experience and I have my own way of doing things, but I have to be able to adapt to a new way of doing things, which is full of technology. We came from an era of no technology to an era of everything's technology. So that's a pretty steep learning curve. Of course, I don't live in a tunnel or a cave, but in terms of really getting the most out of your resources, you have to be very savvy with your technology.
But the caveat to that is we have to be able to keep what makes us human. And that’s the challenge we are having today, in terms of really looking at what we want to accomplish. With JAMBAR, we want to accomplish supporting community, we want to accomplish manufacturing a great product full of real-food ingredients, and we want to accomplish having a type of work environment where people feel they can really make a difference and be a part of.
And the overall arching concept behind remembering what makes us human is communication. Sometimes, when you get a lot of technology involved, effective communication goes out the window. That's what I'm seeing with sales, in distribution and sometimes in marketing and brokering—communication can become very challenging, and you can lose a little bit of the essence of what you want to accomplish each day or each week or each month. That’s why I emphasize communication—it’s paramount to keeping the ball moving forward.
Collegiate Running Association and JAMBAR Announce Partnership
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (May 17, 2023) – The Collegiate Running Association (CRA) and JAMBAR are excited to announce their partnership, with JAMBAR becoming the official energy bar of the association. JAMBAR is an organic energy bar crafted with high-quality protein and fiber, and naturally sweetened for a healthier alternative to traditional energy bars.
Jennifer Maxwell, the founder and CEO of JAMBAR, has been a pioneer in the energy bar industry since 1987, when she founded PowerBar with her husband, Brian Maxwell. After Brian’s death in 2004, Maxwell took time to heal and raise her six children before crafting JAMBAR for a new generation of fitness enthusiasts.
JAMBAR is more than just an energy bar – it promotes community and healthy organic nutrition, with a purpose that goes beyond fueling optimum performance. The company donates 50% of after-tax profits to organizations that support active living and music. The name is inspired by Maxwell’s passion for music, and the bars are crafted in a dedicated, state-of-the-art production facility in San Rafael, California. Certified organic JAMBARs include vegan and gluten-free options and come in four flavors: Malt Nut Melody, Chocolate Cha Cha, Musical Mango and Jammin’ Jazzleberry.
Both Jennifer and Brian Maxwell were competitive collegiate runners, Brian was an Olympic marathoner, and all of their six children are also runners. “As a lifelong runner, I wanted to create a great-tasting, highly digestible bar with a texture and nutritional profile that is perfect for training, as well as pre- and post-race,” said Maxwell. “The CRA is a natural match for JAMBAR and we are honored to fuel the next generation of runners with them.”
The CRA is thrilled to partner with JAMBAR, providing their athletes with a premium energy bar option that aligns with the association’s values of promoting a healthy lifestyle and community engagement. The partnership will include JAMBAR’s participation in CRA events and promotions, as well as exclusive offers for CRA members.
“We are excited to partner with JAMBAR and provide our athletes with a high-quality, organic energy bar option that is not only delicious but aligns with our values as an organization,” said Steve Taylor, president and co-founder of the Collegiate Running Association. “Jennifer Maxwell’s dedication to promoting healthy nutrition and community engagement is inspiring, and we look forward to working with JAMBAR to further promote these values within the running community.”
About the Collegiate Running Association
The Collegiate Running Association (CRA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting healthy living and active lifestyles among college students through distance running. It organizes national championship events in road, mountain, trail and snowshoe running and hosts a diverse range of races and events throughout the year. Notably, the CRA is the first and currently the only running organization that offers prize money races exclusively for college athletes. It was established in 2013. Visit them at www.CollegiateRunning.org.
About JAMBAR
In late 2021, Jennifer Maxwell founded JAMBAR with the goal of helping people feel good about the ingredients they put in their bodies, and the positive impact they can have on their local communities. Made from only premium organic ingredients, JAMBARs feature ancient grains, authentic natural sweeteners and high-quality proteins. Runner’s World named JAMBAR as the Best Protein Bar for runners in 2022 and also gave JAMBAR a 2023 Fitness Nutrition Award. JAMBARs are available at jambar.com, on Amazon.com and at select grocery, running and sports specialty stores. Learn more at www.jambar.com.
For more information about the partnership or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural: steve@compassnatural.com, (303) 807-1042
Debbie Pfeifer, JAMBAR: debbie@jambar.com, (206) 669-3580
Steve Taylor, Collegiate Running Association: steve.taylor@collegiaterunning.org, (804) 349-3367
JAMBAR® Takes Off: Artisan-Crafted Organic Energy Bar Created by Jennifer Maxwell, Inventor of the Original PowerBar®, Expands in Natural, Organic and Specialty Retail Stores
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAMBARs are now available in four San Francisco International Airport retail locations and a growing number of natural and specialty food stores and grocers. Visit JAMBAR® at Natural Products Expo West, Booth #151 in the Arena, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California, March 9-11, 2023
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (February 21, 2023) — JAMBAR® – the artisan-crafted, certified organic energy bar created by Jennifer Maxwell, inventor of the original PowerBar® – is taking off. The whole food bar, available in four flavors and with 10g of protein per bar, is now available in four retail locations in the San Francisco International Airport and in a growing number of leading natural, organic and specialty retail stores across the country.
MIssion-based, the brand is committed to donating 50% of profits to philanthropic causes supporting sports and fitness, music, community and active living. Today, JAMBAR sponsors more than 200 sports and music events throughout the year. In January 2023, Bicycling and Runner’s World magazines both named JAMBAR as a 2023 Fitness Nutrition Award Winner.
In addition, the brand is getting ready to exhibit for the first time at Natural Products Expo West, the world’s largest natural and organic products trade show, held each year at the Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) in Anaheim, California. Buyers from the world over attend this highly anticipated industry event. There, the JAMBAR team will share samples of its organic energy bars and interact with wholesale buyers and industry professionals in exhibit booth #151 in the ACC Arena, March 9-11, 2023.
Growing Retail Presence From East to West
In just two years since the company launched, JAMBARs are now available in such leading retail locations as Berkeley Bowl in Berkeley, California; 16 of 21 Earth Fare locations in the southeastern U.S.; all four Jimbo’s stores in San Diego; Good Earth Natural Foods in Fairfax and Mill Valley, California; all Mollie Stone’s locations in the San Francisco Bay Area; select Safeway stores in Northern California; Nugget Markets, Scotty’s Market, United Markets and Woodland Market in the Bay Area; and more.
"We first spoke with JAMBAR because they were a local company but soon discovered they are so much more! Besides creating a delicious, all-organic snack bar, they also donate 50% of their profits to support music programs and activities. They truly stand for health and taking care of people. A mission and a product that resonates with our customers as well as all of us at United Markets!" said Kelly Smith, president of United Markets.
For travelers in the San Francisco International Airport, JAMBARs – the perfect organic whole food energy bar for people on the go – are available in two Klein’s Deli locations and two Napa Farms locations.
“We are excited and motivated by such a positive response from natural, organic and specialty grocers across the country. They help support and expand our philanthropic mission,” said JAMBAR founder and CEO Jennifer Maxwell. “Also, I believe health-conscious consumers will embrace JAMBAR’s commitment to flavor, nutrition and sourcing the highest-quality organic ingredients in crafting JAMBARs. We offer premium, healthful, on-the-go nutrition at a reasonable price."
Small-Batch Crafted in the U.S.A. in JAMBAR’s Own Production Facility
With its own manufacturing facilities in San Rafael, California, JAMBAR is an independent, woman-owned business founded in 2021 by lifelong athlete, musician and food science and nutrition expert Jennifer Maxwell.
Natural products industry veterans and energy bar aficionados may remember Jennifer, who, along with her late husband, Brian, created the original PowerBar®, which, when it was introduced in 1985, effectively launched the entire energy bar category.
Today, inspired by organic food and agriculture and a desire to give back to and support healthy communities and the environment, Maxwell developed certified organic JAMBARs in four delicious whole food flavors that provide a good source of protein, nutrients and fiber. Using organic ancient grains, berries, nuts, premium chocolate, proteins from sunflowers and organic dairy, and real syrup, juices and honey as sweeteners, JAMBAR delivers a convenient, incredibly tasty bar you can take anywhere.
JAMBAR Is Available in These Musical Organic Flavors:
Chocolate Cha Cha — A blend of premium Guittard chocolate, real food ingredients and ancient grains. Fair trade certified, non-GMO and gluten free with 10g of protein per serving.
Malt Nut Melody — Peanut and maple malted magic with a touch of sesame and vanilla for an amazing medley of flavors, Malt Nut Medley is non-GMO, with 10g of protein per serving.
Jammin’ Jazzleberry — Vegan and gluten free, a jazzy combo of organic strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, with 10g of plant-based protein per serving.
Musical Mango — Energy goes exotic with delicious mango and ancient whole grains. The Musical Mango bar is vegan, gluten free and contains 10g of plant-based protein per serving.
JAMBARs are available online at JAMBAR.com, on Amazon.com and also at leading natural food and specialty stores. For wholesale inquiries, contact jammin@jambar.com, tel 877-JAMBARZ. For more information, visit www.JAMBAR.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Visit JAMBAR at Natural Products Expo West, the world’s largest natural and organic products trade exhibition, Booth #151 in the Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, March 9-11, 2023.
Media Contacts
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042
Debbie Pfeifer, JAMBAR, pfeiferworks@gmail.com
Compass Coffee Talk™ Gets Its JAM On: Podcast to Feature Jennifer Maxwell, Creator of the Original PowerBar® & Founder of the New, Artisan Organic Energy Bar, JAMBAR®
Compass Coffee Talk™, a popular live webinar series featuring conversations with top business leaders in the natural, organic and sustainable products industry, welcomes Jennifer Maxwell, Co-Founder of the original PowerBar® and Founder and CEO of the new Certified Organic, Artisan Energy Bar Brand, JAMBAR®.
What: Compass Coffee Talk™
When: Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 8:30 am PT; 9:30 am MT; 10:30 am CT; 11:30 am ET
Presented by: Compass Natural, Connecting Media and Markets in Natural and Organic Products
Sponsored by: Presence Marketing, Naturally Boulder, Naturally New York and Naturally San Diego
Register: Register for Free Here
BOULDER, CO (February 17, 2023) — How do you top being the person who created the entire energy bar category? By taking that category to the next level. Jennifer Maxwell, inventor of the original PowerBar and founder and CEO of JAMBAR, is doing just that.
Maxwell will appear on April 5, 2023, on the popular Compass Coffee Talk™podcast, which features lively conversations with natural products industry leaders, innovators and experts designed to help guide entrepreneurs and businesses to succeed in the market.
Jennifer Maxwell, founder and CEO of JAMBAR®
Jennifer, along with her late husband Brian Maxwell, literally invented the entire energy bar category in the mid-1980s. Today, the energy bar category, valued at nearly $5 billion globally, is one of the most vibrant product sections in any retail food store.
Jennifer launched JAMBAR using her food and nutrition science skills first learned at the University of California, Berkeley, to create a line of artisan energy bars with certified organic, whole food ingredients, high-quality protein and fiber.
Considered the “next generation” of energy bars, JAMBARs boast one of the cleanest labels in the category. In addition, Maxwell’s commitment to philanthropy is at the forefront of the brand’s mission – JAMBAR donates 50% of all after-tax profits to support music, active living and community connections in Marin County, California, where the company is based, and around the country.
Hosted by natural and organic products industry veterans Bill Capsalis and Steven Hoffman, Compass Coffee Talk is produced by Compass Natural Marketing, a leading public relations, branding, and business development agency serving the natural, organic, eco-friendly and hemp products industries. Capsalis and Hoffman will interview Maxwell to learn more about her comeback story.
A Legacy of Athletics, Entrepreneurship … and Music
A lifelong long-distance runner, Maxwell studied food science, nutrition and exercise physiology at U.C. Berkeley, where she met her husband, Brian. After developing the original PowerBar energy bar recipe in their kitchen, they began building the business from a small apartment, growing the company to more than $150 million in annual sales before selling the company in 2000. When Brian passed away unexpectedly in 2004, Jennifer focused on raising her six children and, over the years, discovered the healing power of music. Today, in her free time, she performs regularly as a drummer in bands in the San Francisco Bay Area.
“We’re thrilled to host Jennifer Maxwell on Compass Coffee Talk,” said Steven Hoffman, Managing Director of Compass Natural and co-host of Compass Coffee Talk. “As musicians in our spare time ourselves, Bill Capsalis and I appreciate JAMBAR’s mission and Jennifer’s passion for supporting music and active living. Jennifer invented the energy bar category and we look forward to hearing her perspective on this growing food segment, her comeback in the natural foods industry, and her continued entrepreneurship.”
Register for Compass Coffee Talk with Jennifer Maxwell
Register here for free to participate in the upcoming Compass Coffee Talk, Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 11:30 am – Noon ET.
About Compass Coffee Talk
Take a 30-minute virtual coffee break with Compass Coffee Talk™. Hosted by natural industry veterans Bill Capsalis and Steve Hoffman, Coffee Talk features lively interactive conversations with industry leaders and experts designed to help guide entrepreneurs and businesses of any size succeed in the market for natural, organic, regenerative, hemp-derived and other eco-friendly products.
Compass Coffee Talk™ is produced by Compass Natural Marketing, a leading PR, branding and business development agency serving the natural and organic products industry.
Previous Episodes of Compass Coffee Talk
View the entire library of Compass Coffee Talk episodes on YouTube. Co-hosted by natural products industry veterans Steven Hoffman and Bill Capsalis, Compass Coffee Talk has featured notable professionals such as Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado; Steve Hughes, co-founder of Sunrise Strategic Partners; John Mackey, CEO and Co-Founder, Whole Foods Market; Miyoko Schinner, CEO and Founder, Miyoko’s Kitchen; John Foraker, CEO of Once Upon a Farm; Emerald-Jane Hunter, Founder of the MyWhy Agency; Heather Terry, CEO of GoodSAM; Milton Zimmerman, Executive Vice President, Presence Marketing; and more.
Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com
JAMBAR® Expands Natural, Specialty Wholesale Distribution Network for Line of Certified Organic, Artisan Energy Bars
- New Distributors Include KeHE, Vistar and Faire -
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (January 18, 2023) — Certified organic, artisan, hand-crafted energy bar maker JAMBAR®, a new natural products brand which donates 50% of its profits to music and active living, is expanding its wholesale distribution network to make its products available to more natural channel, independent and specialty retailers, primarily in the Southern and Western United States.
The distributor partnerships reflect the company’s focus on building sales and retail accounts in key Western natural products markets in advance of exhibiting the brand for the first time at Natural Products Expo West, the world’s largest natural and organic products trade exhibition, scheduled for March 7-11, 2023, in Anaheim, Calif.
With manufacturing facilities and headquarters in San Rafael, Calif., JAMBAR is an independent, woman-owned business founded in 2021 by mom, life-long athlete, musician, and food science and nutrition expert Jennifer Maxwell. Natural products industry veterans and energy bar aficionados may remember Jennifer, who, with her late husband Brian, created the original PowerBar®, which, when it was introduced in 1985, effectively launched the entire energy bar category. PowerBar was sold in 2000.
Today, inspired by the organic food movement and a desire to give back to and support healthy communities and the environment, Maxwell developed certified organic JAMBARs in four delicious, gluten-free, whole-food flavors that provide a good source of protein, nutrients and fiber.
Distributors to Serve Independent, Natural & Specialty Retailers
JAMBARs are now available to retailers in Southern California, the Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest through leading wholesale distributor partners including KeHE, one of the nation's leading natural products distributors with distribution centers across the country. KeHE will assist in distributing JAMBAR products in Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area, to start. JAMBAR is also available through Vistar, one of the nation's largest distributors of candy, snacks, beverages and other convenience foods to retailers, hospitality, campus retail, vending, theater and concessions, and more. JAMBARs also are available through a number of additional independent regional distributors, as well as to retailers throughout the country via Faire's online wholesale ordering platform. Faire features products made by small businesses and brands, including JAMBAR.
As JAMBAR grows its presence in the natural and specialty retail channels, it also is expanding its distribution base rapidly, says company founder Maxwell. She encourages prospective buyers to contact JAMBAR to find the best distributor through which to work.
In addition, JAMBAR is working with leading independent brokers including Independent Natural Products Brokers, serving Southern California, Arizona, Utah, Washington and Oregon; and FamilyQuest Marketing, serving natural products retailers in Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming.
JAMBARs are Small-batch Crafted
Using only certified organic, whole food ingredients, JAMBARs are crafted in small batches in the company’s own facility by a team of dedicated employees who share the company’s mission. Using organic ancient grains, berries, nuts, premium chocolate, proteins from sunflowers and organic dairy, and real syrup, juices and honey as sweeteners, JAMBAR delivers a convenient, incredibly tasty bar you can take anywhere.
JAMBAR is available in these certified organic, musical flavors:
Chocolate Cha Cha — Find your rhythm with a luscious blend of premium Guittard chocolate, real food ingredients and organic ancient grains. Dancing on the edge of decadence, it’s a bar to make brownies jealous! Fair trade certified, non-GMO and gluten free, Chocolate Cha Cha delivers 10g of protein per serving.
Malt Nut Melody — Peanut and maple malted magic mixed with a touch of sesame and vanilla for an amazing medley of flavors, Malt Nut Medley is non-GMO, with 10g of protein per serving.
Jammin’ Jazzleberry — A jazzy combo of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, it’s “berry” delicious and vegan, gluten free and contains 10g of plant-based protein per serving.
Musical Mango — Energy goes exotic with delicious mango and a blend of ancient whole grains. The Musical Mango bar is vegan, gluten free and contains 10g of plant-based protein per serving.
JAMBARs are available online at JAMBAR.com, on Amazon.com, and also at leading natural food and specialty stores including Good Earth Natural Foods, United Markets, Scotty’s Market, Safeway, Nugget Markets, Mollie Stone's, Jimbo's, Woodlands and more. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. For wholesale inquiries, JAMBARs are available in leading natural and specialty food distributors including KeHE Distributors.
For wholesale inquiries, contact jammin@jambar.com, tel 877-JAMBARZ.
Visit JAMBAR at Natural Products Expo West, the world’s largest natural and organic products trade exhibition, March 7-11, 2023, Booth 151 in the Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.
Media Contacts
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042
Debbie Pfeifer, JAMBAR, pfeiferworks@gmail.com