How The Founder Of Trubar Went From Mom On A Mission To Launching A $50 Million Snack Brand
Trubar's rollout in Target reflects the momentum from the brand's expansion into 15,000 new retailers secured in 2024.
Most people walk into Target with a mission: get in, get what you need, and get out. For Erica Groussman, a trip to the retail chain last month meant something more.
'Seeing Trubar on the shelf at Target for the first time was a 'pinch-me' moment,' says Groussman, founder and CEO of Trubar. 'After years of work, to walk in and see it there was surreal.'
But browse any snack aisle and it's clear there's no shortage of protein bar brands to shop from, with Kind, RxBar, MacroBar, and Quest among the competition. Trubar seeks to differentiate itself by tackling a growing debate in the nutrition world: are seed oils beneficial or harmful? Colleen Coffey, lead nutritionist at Sakara Life, wrote in a Sakara blog that the chemical processes that govern a majority of industrial varieties are 'not only harmful to the environment, but also harmful to our bodies—and particularly our endocrine system.'
Trubar emphasizes its ingredients are seed oil-free, as well as gluten-free, soy-free, sugar-alcohol free and plant-based protein bars. This helped Trubar find its way into more than 15,000 retailers, including Whole Foods, Costco, Amazon, CVS, and more. Since its debut in 2019, Trubar has surpassed $50 million in revenue in 2024 (with the next goal to do $100 million annually by 2026).
Trubar's success started from a mom just looking for a better protein bar, she says. 'The early days were tough. I was juggling being a mom while trying to get a business off the ground. There were moments—late nights, long weeks—when I wasn't sure it would all come together. But I never let that uncertainty stop me from moving forward.'
Miami-based Trubar offers 12 indulgent, dessert-inspired flavors, with festive names like Daydreaming About Donuts and Smother Fudger Peanut Butter. The bars are designed for busy, health-conscious consumers. "I started Trubar because I couldn't find a protein bar that tasted indulgent but was made with clean ingredients that I trusted," she says. Groussman grew up watching her mom try a million different diets, but wanted to create something that felt fun, satisfying, and not restrictive for herself and her two children, now ages 11 and 13. 'I wanted it to taste like dessert, but make it with real ingredients that made you feel good."
Before there were factories, trucks, offices, distributors, or even capital, there was just family and constant runs to the post office. Groussman's loved ones helped pack and ship bars by hand from their kitchen, one by one. 'In the beginning, we were doing everything ourselves—including shipping. My family was a huge part of those early orders. It was truly a team effort and a reminder of how scrappy startups really are at the start.'
Erica Groussman's startup was acquired by Simply Better Brands in 2021, a brand accelerator in the global protein-based nutrition category.
Groussman shares that she "bootstrapped, rebranded, pitched, repitched, and built a business from the ground up.' After about three years of operating as a self-funded business, she grew Trubar into a well-capitalized brand by selling a majority stake to Simply Better Brands Corp., leveraging institutional support to scale its operations. Today, Trubar has surpassed one million bars sold per year, and pulls in an estimated $1 million in monthly Amazon sales.
But Groussman adds that's not to say that her job as Founder and CEO gets any easier now that Trubar 'seems' to be a well-oiled (but not seed oil!) machine, especially when the 9-5 is only half the career. 'Like every working parent, some days feel like a win, others like a juggling act. I focus on being present where I am—at work or with my kids—and I've learned to accept that balance isn't always perfect. Having a great team at home and at work helps a lot.'
Like all moms and entrepreneurs , Groussman says every day tests her ability to problem-solve. 'Whether it's a supply chain delay, a packaging issue, or a last-minute retailer change, part of leading a brand is solving problems quickly and calmly. I've learned to trust my team and focus on solutions, not panic.'
What once started in her home kitchen has turned into a brand name supported by a devoted base of health-conscious moms, kids, fitness enthusiasts, as well as celebrity fans like Bethenny Frankel and Halle Berry.
'Scaling while maintaining our standards is our biggest challenge,' Groussman admits. 'Trubar is indulgent but clean. As we expanded into more retailers, it was essential not to compromise on quality, sourcing, or our brand voice.'
The company now manufactures in multiple U.S. plants to meet demand and partners with national warehousing and logistics firms for distribution across Amazon, retail chains, and direct-to-consumer channels. A dedicated ops team oversees inventory and freight—'a complex system that's only gotten tighter as we've scaled,' she says.
Next up? More flavors, strategic partnerships, and new product iterations. 'We're constantly experimenting with new concepts that feel nostalgic, delicious, and still align with our clean ingredient standards.'
And speaking of nostalgia, Groussman says she has goals to distribute in her current home of Miami and birthplace of upstate New York. 'More airports and on-the-go channels, too. Anywhere people snack—we want to be there.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wall Street Journal
32 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Podcast: Trump's Plan B After Trade Court Setback
Last week, an obscure trade court dropped a bombshell ruling: President Trump didn't have the authority to issue sweeping tariffs under a 1977 law. The government has appealed the court's decision. WSJ's James Fanelli and Gavin Bade dig into the ruling and what it could mean for the future of Trump's trade agenda. Annie Minoff hosts. 🎧 Listen here to The Journal podcast.
Wall Street Journal
36 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Global Markets, U.S. Futures Lower on Trade Tensions
Global stocks and U.S. futures started the new month lower after President Trump threatened to double tariffs on steel and aluminum, and trade tensions escalated between China and the U.S. Late Friday, Trump said he would increase tariffs on steel and aluminum up to 50%, starting Wednesday. The president also accused China of breaking a trade truce agreed in mid-May, which China has denied.
Fast Company
39 minutes ago
- Fast Company
The household auto fleet is a money pit
There's a financial crisis hiding in plain sight: the American household vehicle fleet. Families are hemorrhaging money through car payments, insurance, fuel, maintenance, depreciation, parking, and registration. In many cases, this adds up to more than a family's annual savings—or the cost of sending a child to college every four years. Car ownership is nearly universal in the U.S., with 92% of households owning at least one vehicle. About 37% own two cars, and 22% own three or more. In 2023, the average annual cost to own and operate a new vehicle climbed to $12,182. For households with two cars, that's nearly $25,000 per year—a recurring expense that too often escapes scrutiny. Now consider how those vehicles are used. In 2021, more than half of all daily trips in the U.S. were under three miles. Nearly 30% were less than one mile. We're paying a fortune to go nowhere. The rise of remote and hybrid work has amplified the mismatch between cost and use. As of 2023, more than a third of U.S. employees worked remotely full time, with another 41% following hybrid work models. Pew Research Center reported that almost half of remote workers would look for a new job if their employer took this option off the table. Cars are parked roughly 95% of the time, depreciating as they collect pollen and bird droppings. And yet they demand monthly payments, insurance, fuel, and maintenance. The long-distance commute has been the primary reason for every working member of the family needing their own vehicle, but our travel habits have changed. What if owning fewer cars was a sign of more success? A growing number of families are experimenting with a car-lite lifestyle—ditching the second or third car and rediscovering local travel through bikes, transit, or walking. They're not doing it to make a statement. They're doing it to make ends meet—and to take back their time. At the center of this quiet shift: the e-bike. Part appliance and part liberation machine, e-bikes are redefining what a 'vehicle' can be. School drop-offs, grocery runs, commutes, and social visits—trips once assumed to require a car—are increasingly accomplished with battery-assisted pedaling. Terrain and distance fade as barriers. In 2022, more than 1.1 million e-bikes were sold in the U.S., nearly quadruple the number from 2019. E-bikes now account for over 20% of total bicycle sales in the U.S., and they represented 63% of revenue growth in the bike industry between 2019 and 2023. Bikes have become robust enough to handle everything from kid pickups to bulk grocery runs, and more cities are creating rebate programs to accelerate adoption. Replacing a car with an e-bike can save a household $120,000 over a decade—enough to wipe out debt, fund a college account, or boost retirement savings. And as infrastructure improves with more protected lanes, slower streets, and secure parking, the e-bike can graduate from practical to preferable. What if you spent less on movement and more on meaning? What if streets worked as well for bikes as they do for cars? What if getting around town felt like a lifestyle upgrade? For too long, success was measured by how many vehicles fit in your driveway. But those cars aren't status symbols—they're financial sinkholes. Remember, more than half of America's car trips are under a few miles. If you're going broke to go nowhere, the journey needs a new map.
