In 2013, Peter Rahal and Jared Smith, both CrossFit athletes from Glen Ellyn, pooled $10 000 of savings to make the first batch of protein bars in Rahal’s parents’ basement. They sold the bars door‑to‑door to local gyms, using PowerPoint‑made wrappers, and refined their formula after each workout session.
The brand’s breakout came in 2015 when the founders abandoned colorful labels for a minimalist design that listed egg white, dates, and nuts in bold letters, branding it as “No B.S.”
The new look opened retail doors at Target, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, and revenue leapt from $1.8 million in 2014 to $100 million by 2017, according to the company’s own filings.
Kellogg’s CEO John Bryant announced the $600 million purchase on 6 October 2017, describing RXBAR as a “unique asset” that would strengthen its clean‑label portfolio; the deal used a mix of commercial paper and cash and allowed the brand to keep its Chicago headquarters.
After the sale, Rahal stayed on as CEO until 2019, guiding the brand through its integration; Smith, meanwhile, stepped back but remained on the board, while a former CrossFit trainer who first bought a bar in 2014 now runs a franchise that sells RXBARs nationwide.