Does this sound like you? You walk into a coffee shop to grab a coffee and a snack bar/muffin – and walk out with a receipt that looks more like a meal bill than a quick grab and go? That $10 (or more!) adds up quickly at the end of the week. And many times that “meal” leaves you with a sugar-and-caffeine crash within an hour.
Matt Czarnecki gets it. He, too, was spending money on overpriced cups of Joe and fast snacks. In 2017, the busy and health-focused college student had an experience that gave him an idea. “I walked into a coffee shop and grabbed a coffee and a granola bar,” he told Beyondish. “I looked at my receipt and realized I’d spent almost $7. I thought to myself: “What if there were a more convenient and affordable way for me to get energy?”
He and his co–founders André Monteiro and Bennett Byerley used their Yale University dorm room kitchen as an experimental lab, creating caffeinated, bite-size energy bars they started selling on campus. When they couldn’t keep up with the demand, they moved to a manufacturing facility and formally launched in 2018.
That’s the story of NYC-based Verb Bars, which, according to the owners, pack as much caffeine as an espresso, but are made with organic green tea for a focused, jitter-free boost. They are also vegan and gluten-free. Years of perfecting the recipes with trial and error have led to the bars you see today. “It’s been quite the journey,” said Czarnecki.
Today, there are more than 10 flavors, including S’mores, Cookies & Cream, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, Lemon, Chocolate Sea Salt and Cookie Butter, with Birthday Cake being among their most popular. Just as popular is the brand itself, which is gaining in energy as it grows.
For the first three years in business it was just the three founders doing everything . Now it’s much bigger and the team has great plans for future growth. After selling online for the first five years, they just launched in Kroger food stores and are now in 1,000 Target stores nationwide. Future expansion plans will be in retail stores, noted Czarnecki. They’ve also just launched a caffeinated protein bar that’s getting rave reviews. The company even has the celebrity endorsement of decorated Olympic-Medalist gymnast Shawn Johnson East who’s been a Verb partner for the past three years.
AUTHOR
Elizabeth Hazard is a writer, producer and photography editor. Her work has appeared in various publications and she writes frequently about art, culture, fashion and history.
NEXT ON THE DISH
