Clif Bar

Clif Bar & Company
	File:CLIF Bar & Companu red tag logo.svg
	File:Clif Bar headquarters.jpg Corporate headquarters located in Emeryville, California, United States
Company type	Subsidiary
Founded	1992; 34 years ago
Headquarters	Emeryville, California, United States
Key people	Gary Erickson, Kit Crawford (co-owners and co-CEOs)
Products	Energy bars and snacks
Parent	Mondelez International
Website	clifbar.com

Clif Bar & Company is a U.S.-based manufacturer specializing in energy food products and beverages. The company's signature item, the Clif Bar, was developed by founders Gary Erickson and Lisa Thomas. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, it remained privately owned until its acquisition by Mondelez International in 2022 for $2.9 billion. Kevin Cleary was appointed CEO in April 2013, while Erickson and Kit Crawford took on co-chief visionary officer roles; by 2018, Erickson and Crawford had reassumed leadership as co-CEOs.

History

Gary Erickson, a former mountain guide and baker, crafted the initial Clif Bar formula after a 1990 cycling trip highlighted a lack of appealing energy bars—the market then being dominated by Powerbars. After extensive recipe experimentation, he introduced Clif Bar in 1992, naming it in honor of his father Clifford. The brand’s rock climbing emblem was designed by Doug Gilmour. Early distribution targeted bike shops and the emerging natural foods sector, with first-year sales surpassing $700,000 and doubling yearly to exceed $20 million by 1997. That same year, the company changed its name from Kali's SportNaturals to Clif Bar, Inc.

In 2010, the company moved into a new headquarters in Emeryville that earned LEED Platinum certification for its sustainable design, featuring solar panels and reclaimed building materials. The product portfolio broadened with the introduction of LUNA Bar in 1999, aimed specifically at women consumers. Notably, Erickson and Thomas rejected a $120 million buyout proposal from Quaker Oats in 2000.

Between 2006 and 2009, Clif Bar received top honors in Forbes’ "Breakaway Brands" rankings, highlighting its robust brand growth. Under the strategic guidance of Erickson and Crawford, the company has maintained strong expansion and influence within the energy bar market.

The acquisition by Mondelez International in June 2022 for $2.9 billion marked a pivotal development in Clif Bar’s corporate evolution and global reach.

Other ventures

In 2006, Erickson and Crawford established the Clif Bar Family Foundation, which had allocated $1 million by 2012 to support organic seed research and preserve agricultural biodiversity. They also operate the Clif Family Winery & Farm located in Napa Valley, with their inaugural nationwide wine release occurring in 2008.

Products

In addition to the original Clif Bar, the company produces energy bars designed for various demographics including women and children, alongside a sports beverage and fruit-based snacks such as fruit ropes. In 2014, they introduced four gel-like squeezable energy foods that expanded to six flavors by early 2016. Approximately seventy percent of their ingredients are certified organic, underscoring a strong dedication to organic sourcing.

Environmental sustainability

Clif Bar has adopted environmentally friendly practices such as transitioning to organic components and removing shrink-wrap packaging, resulting in annual savings of 90,000 pounds of plastic and $400,000. The company has also invested in wind power to counterbalance its fossil fuel consumption.

Since 2007, Clif Bar’s "Cool Commute" initiative has provided employees with up to $6,500 to encourage the purchase of biodiesel or hybrid vehicles, a program recognized by Al Gore. In 2008, the company expanded incentives to include support for bike commuting and public transportation, along with up to $1,000 per year for environmentally sustainable home upgrades like solar installations.

In 2009, Clif Bar became a member of BICEP, a coalition featuring companies such as Nike and eBay that advocate for forward-thinking climate policies. By 2015, members of BICEP collectively committed to intensifying corporate climate efforts and called for governmental backing.

Addressing ethical concerns regarding cocoa sourcing from West Africa in 2012, Clif Bar pledged to utilize exclusively Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa ingredients to maintain responsible supply chains.

Company culture

In June 2010, Clif Bar introduced an employee stock ownership program (ESOP), allocating 20% of company ownership to its workforce while founders Crawford and Erickson retained the remaining 80%.

The company’s workplace amenities promote employee health and well-being with facilities including an on-site fitness center, rock climbing wall, yoga and dance studios, massage therapy rooms, showers, and complimentary counseling and life coaching services. Staff are granted two and a half hours of paid weekly exercise time and access to free personal training sessions. Additionally, the office environment is pet-friendly. Clif Bar was recognized by Outside magazine as one of the Best Places to Work from 2008 through 2012.

In November 2014, Clif Bar updated its sponsorship policies to exclude athletes primarily engaged in high-risk sports such as free solo climbing, B.A.S.E. jumping, and highlining due to concerns about the dangers associated with these activities.

The “Re-Tern” program was launched in 2018 to offer internships within nonprofit organizations for employees approaching retirement, preparing them for careers focused on social impact after leaving the company.

Community outreach

Beginning in 2001, Clif Bar established community engagement goals targeting 2,080 volunteer hours contributed by employees each year. By 2010, this figure had grown to 5,290 hours. The "In Good Company" project launched in 2008 further expanded these efforts by organizing employees from various firms to participate in larger-scale development initiatives in areas such as New Orleans, East Oakland, and Arizona’s Hopi Reservation. This reflects Clif Bar’s dedication to corporate social responsibility and active community involvement as integral components of its overall business philosophy.

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