Lara's Story

The Story of LÄRABAR as Told by Lara

It started out as just a hike, no different than countless others I’ve taken into the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Little did I know I was about to come up with a mountain of an idea: combine simple ingredients such as fruits and nuts to create a food product that’s tasty, real, and convenient.

In that instant, in May 2000, LÄRABAR™ was born. After scouring the aisles of grocery stores and noting popular flavors of ice cream and cookies, I delved into my own product development. Natural foods, I believed should be fun and enjoyable. Believe it or not, I used to be a junk food junkie — until… I discovered how natural foods enlivened my mind, body and spirit.

With friends and family serving as focus groups, I tinkered with recipes until a consensus on yummi-ness was reached.The next step was to launch a company to market. I also assembled a sophisticated manufacturing arm… what amounted to be a Cuisinart™ and a rolling pin.

A passion for real food soon followed, and continues to be a driving force behind everything I do professionally and personally. I really appreciate the opportunity I have to make a positive difference in the world we live in.

Lara Merriken, Founder