Clif Bar: Gary Erickson

Origins

Gary Erickson's journey to creating Clif Bar began with a simple idea inspired by his mother's baking and a need for better-tasting energy bars. In the late 1980s, while working at a bicycle seat factory and racing bikes, he realized the existing energy bars lacked flavor and appeal. This realization struck him during a grueling 175-mile bike ride when he could no longer stomach another Power Bar, the leading energy bar at the time 1.

I turned to my friend Jay and said, you know what? I can make a better energy bar than that.

--- Gary Erickson

Determined to create something better, Gary enlisted his mother's help to develop a new recipe, using whole ingredients like oats and fruit, and avoiding refined sugars and oils 2 3.

   

Recipe Development

The development of Clif Bar was a collaborative effort between Gary and his mother, who worked tirelessly to perfect the recipe. They experimented with whole oats, real fruit, and a rice-based sweetener, striving to create a bar that was both nutritious and delicious. Despite numerous failures and feedback from friends who found the early versions unpalatable, they persisted for six months until they achieved the desired taste and texture 3.

My mom and I just knew, like, okay, this is what we were looking for.

--- Gary Erickson

Once the recipe was finalized, Gary focused on branding, choosing the name "Clif Bar" in honor of his father, Clifford Erickson, and designing packaging that reflected the adventurous spirit of the product 1.