I laced up my running shoes and ran out the door for a 14-mile run on a brisk winter’s morning.
In the past, I have made the mistake of not eating breakfast before a long run because of a sensitive stomach, resulting in fatigue and a lack of electrolytes by the end of a run. However, this run was going to be different. Rejuvenated with a boost of energy, the 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio of an energy bar kept me fueled and the delicious taste of coffee and hazelnut kept me content the entire run. This gluten-free and dairy-free energy bar is known as the Smooth Caffeinator by Picky Bar.
The Picky Bar company was co-founded by three endurance athletes/entrepreneurs: professional runner for Oiselle, Lauren Fleshman; her husband and professional triathlete, Jesse Thomas, and professional marathoner and Flagstaff resident, Stephanie Rothstein.
The inspiration behind the Picky Bar Company originated after the 2008 Olympic Trials, when Fleshman and Rothstein were injured, preventing them from competing toward their Olympic goals. Many elite runners and professional athletes experience performance degradation or worse, a debilitating injury at some point in their careers, and thus, encounter a defining moment and wonder what they can focus their energy on besides training.
“It was at a point where we were dreaming about the future and the present seemed so dim,” said Rothstein. “We needed a distraction, a balance in our lives.”
Frustrated by the fact that their careers were met with injury, Fleshman and Rothstein needed something to divert their attention away from elite competition and focus on their recovery. They decided to conduct experiments with various baking recipes in the kitchen to achieve the optimal energy bar formula.
At that time with the “present seeming so dim,” Fleshman’s and Rothstein’s concentration on healing the body slowly transformed into a bright and growing endeavor. Not only was the Picky Bar company expanding, Rothstein acknowledged, “Picky Bar has created this enormous sense of balance and purpose in my life that I did not have before its founding.”
Fleshman graduated from Stanford University and Rothstein graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara. The two women combined their knowledge and athletic performance experience to create energy bars in Fleshman’s home kitchen in Bend, Oregon. In order for Fleshman’s husband, Thomas, to consume a healthy and tasty energy bar for his professional triathlon training, Rothstein said, “Lauren and I were looking for bars that exhibit a slow release of carbohydrates for a level blood sugar, minimal soy content, and healthy fats making up 25 percent of the calories.”
Picky Bars contain 200 calories, seven grams of fat, 28 grams carbohydrates, seven protein grams, and two to three grams soluble fiber, all derived from a selection of healthy natural ingredients. These ingredients include organic dates, organic apricots, rice protein powder, organic rice cereal, cranberries, various nut butters (peanut, almond, hazelnut, sunflower seed), honey, cinnamon, and mixed nuts, all culminating in a variety of five different flavors: Blueberry Boomdizzle (Blueberry Vanilla Hemp Hustlin’), Smooth Caffeinator (Hazelnut Mocha Madness), All-In Almond (Agave Sweetened Awesomesauce), The Need for Seed (Sunflower Butter Sensation) and Lauren’s Mega Nuts (Peanut Butter Booyah).
Fleshman said, “A year’s worth of gooey hands and gut-busting laughs resulted in a product we are exceptionally proud of.” Once the three entrepreneurs/professional athletes realized what they had created, they began to work on the business aspects of the company. Thomas’s master’s degree in Business Administration from Oregon helped to orchestrate and build the Picky Bar business model, which was needed in order to develop an expanding and profitable company.
“We started with the dollars in our wallets and grew very organically, not taking any loans or investments,” said Rothstein. “The materials came from researching the best tools we needed to make the bars, supplies from local suppliers, and building our brand with a message that embodies the Picky Life.”
This “Picky Life” is extremely important to the founders. The Picky Bar Company stands for something about which they are all passionate. After being diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2010, Rothstein needed to consume gluten-free foods. Thus, Picky Bars improved her athletic performance and overall well-being. By creating the healthy gluten-free energy bars, Rothstein hopes that “through the way we live our lives, people will be inspired to live the life they want.”
With the motto “It’s freaking science, dude,” Picky Bars may have a bright future ahead, not only for endurance athletes, but for all individuals. Look for these energy bars in markets, cafés, coffee shops and athletic stores across the country. Picky eaters can buy online or locate a store nearby using the store locator page on the Picky Bar website, www.pickybars.com. FBN
By Hillary Hayes
Flagstaff Business News
Photo:
Picky Bars began in a home kitchen by three professional endurance athletes, Lauren Fleshman, Jesse Thomas and Stephanie Rothstein (shown here with her husband, Ben Bruce). With an expansion in employees, social media and the “Picky” way of life, the “Picky Eaters” supporters and team members have created a growing community that craves to live a life of healthiness, success and motivation to others.