Bear Naked

Bear Naked

Company type	Private
Industry	Consumer Goods
Founded	2002
Founder	Brendan Synnott and Kelly Flatley
Headquarters	Norwalk, Connecticut, Connecticut, U.S.
Key people	Keegan Sheridan (Natural food and lifestyle expert) Ryan Therriault (Ambassador of Goodwill)
Products	Granolas Cereals Snack foods
Parent	Kellogg Company
Website	http://www.bearnaked.com/
Footnotes / references

Bear Naked is an all natural food and lifestyle company that offers a full line of all natural granola, granola bars and ready to eat cereal. Bear Naked was founded in 2002 by Kelly Flatley and Brendan Synnott. In 2007, Bear Naked was purchased by Kashi Company, a subsidiary of Kellogg Company. Today, Bear Naked operates as an independent business in La Jolla, Calif. It has evolved into a nationally recognized consumer brand that is available in more than 10,000 retail stores across the U.S.

History

Bear Naked was founded in October 2002 as a two-person operated business. By the year's end, Bare Naked was selling its product in 25 stores in the Connecticut area.

In 2003, Bear Naked clinched their first 50 case deal with Stew Leonard, Jr. of Stew Leonard's Inc. (a dairy and grocery store chain in Norwalk, CT) by showing up unannounced at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast after countless unanswered phone calls. 2003 also marked the company's first hire as well as a growth in their sales distribution from 40 to 400 stores. Bear Naked has since grown to be distributed from coast to coast and is currently the #1 granola brand on the market.

Products

All Bear Naked products are made with real whole grains and contain no artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, trans fat, cholesterol, hydrated oils, or high fructose corn syrup.Vegetarian friendly and Kosher certified.
100% Pure & Natural Granola: The company's original, signature soft-baked granola; made with real [whole grains]; flavors include:

Fruit & Nut

Banana Nut

Heavenly Chocolate

Maple Pecan

Bear Naked Fit™ Granola: This granola blend is lower in sugar and fat than the company’s original offerings with just 4g of sugar and 2.5g of fat per serving ; flavors include:

Vanilla Almond Crunch

Triple Berry Crunch

Bear Naked Peak™ Granola: Bear Naked Peak granola provides nutritious performance food to fuel an active lifestyle; flavors include:

Bear Naked Peak Protein, The Original

Bear Naked Peak Flax Oats and Honey with Blueberries

100% Pure & Natural Cereals: Made with whole grain flakes, fruits, nuts and seeds, and granola clusters; flavors include:

Cranberry Raisin: includes wheat and rice flakes, raisins, sunflower seeds, cranberries, pepitas and more

Banana Nut: made with whole grain and wheat flakes, banana chips, rolled oats, oat clusters dried apples and walnuts

100% Pure & Natural Grain-ola™ Bars: made from all natural granola, fruits, nuts and seeds; flavors include:

Fruit & Nut: replicates Bear Naked All-Natural Granola flavor with a blend of raisins, cranberries and hearty pecans and almonds

Chocolaty Cherry: featuring cherries, pecans, almonds and chocolate

Tropical: featuring mango, papaya, coconut and pineapple

Distribution

Bear Naked's first distribution methods were heavily based on the efforts of its founders Brendan Synott and Kelly Flatley. As the demand for the product increased, the founders decided to hire Chris Mears (their first full-time employee) to help out with the distribution before turning to major delivery company UPS after achieving a rapid 3-year growth spurt. After Bear Naked sold its operations to Kellogg in 2007, Kellogg immediately closed down the Bear Naked plant that employed 48 in order to inexpensively produce Bear Naked in its own manufacturing plants.

Corporate Citizenship

Team Bear Naked is the group of 110 runners and triathletes that act as ambassadors through their achievements and in their local communities. Team Bear Naked members are represented in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Boston, Baltimore/D.C., New York, Miami and Portland, Ore. Potential athletes for the annual team selection are required to have at least 4 events within the year in order to be eligible. Team members assist in managing events such as breakfast or training clubs in order to further promote the brand.

Bear Naked also partners with TerraCycle through the Bear Naked Brigade, a program that encourages participants to save used bags that are repurposed into eco-friendly products such as shower curtains, umbrellas, and other "upcycled" accessories sold at major retailers. Bear Naked and TerraCycle donate two cents per bag collected to a charity or school of the brigade's choice.

Corporate Growth

Outbursts from critics came when Bear Naked Inc.'s original owners sold the company to Kellogg in 2007. Founders Kelly and Brandan argued that Bear Naked's accelerated growth left them without the capacity to produce to meet the full demand for the product and felt that Kellogg would be the best at taking the brand mainstream. Also, with the brand under the management of Kellogg, more people could have access to Bear Naked. The sale occurred in November 2007 when Bear Naked was purchased by Kashi, a subsidiary of Kellogg. This sale allowed Bear Naked to continue to grow in response to rising consumer demand, while still operating independently.

"Bear Naked maintains its original spirit and passion for great-tasting, nutritious food that supports active lifestyles," Ryan Therriault, a senior brand manager for marketing and innovation at Bear Naked, who was with the company before it was purchased, said in a statement. [1]

References

1. http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/05/smbusiness/bear_naked.fsb/index2.htm

2. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/index.cfm?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=53267

3. http://www.bearnaked.com/estore/fitgranola/

4. http://www.fitsugar.com/1722226

5. http://www.bearnaked.com/teambearnaked/

6. http://www.terracycle.net/brigades/9-Bear-Naked-Brigade

External links

• Company Website