General Mills Sponsors Low-Sugar Protein Bar Startup

Shoppers who are frustrated with their local grocery center’s lack of low-sugar snacks might have a new favorite coming to their shelves soon. After partnering with General Mills, low-carb and non-dairy protein bar production company No Cow is looking to move into the snack market around the country. Packed with protein without the added sugar, No Cow aims to offer on-the-go alternatives for ketogenic dieters and anyone else looking to cut more sugar from their diet. Perhaps the most impressive part? The entire venture was the brainchild of Denver-resident Daniel Katz–who is only 22 years old.

A rocky road

At age 18, when most young adults his age were planning for their senior prom or thinking about what they would like to major in when they entered college, Katz was thinking a little bit bigger. Katz set to work forming his company No Cow in 2015, inspired by the lack of options he had for quick and convenient snacks as a person living with dairy sensitivity. No Cow’s start was anything but sweet; Katz was living out of his office, sleeping on an air mattress, and surviving almost entirely off of cans of discounted vegetables. His formula was far from perfect as well; it took the young CEO dozens of tries to get the flavor and consistency of his product just right.

“I’d say the first 50 rounds of cookies we made fell apart; you couldn’t even hold it,” Katz confessed in an interview with Food Business News.1

General Mills reaches out

Earlier this year, Katz would meet the man who would take No Cow from a startup with massive potential to a full-fledged national brand–John Haugen, the vice-president and manager of General Mills’ research and development department. Impressed by the drive and determination displayed by Katz (along with the passion he had for his brand), Haugen struck a deal made in low-carb heaven. Investing capital, reformulation services, and rebranding, No Cow officially became a General Mills’ product–with massive success.

Today, No Cow has grown to over $10 million in sales and the product is available in more than 13,000 retailers nationwide. Though his partnership with General Mills, Katz hopes to make his products available to even more families and consumers struggling to keep their diets on-track.

No Cow’s expansion is far from finished and the company will continue developing flavors and spreading their reach to more and more Americans. Katz predicts that 2018 will be a “year of massive growth” for both his personal development as a leader and the No Cow brand.

How will No Cow do on the larger market?

Most people who have ever been on a diet will tell you that it can be hard to find snacks that fit their special dietary needs. This can be especially true for low-carb dieters or those who need snacks containing lower levels of soy, gluten, or dairy ingredients. With 12g of protein, 1g of sugar, and a variety of flavors ranging from chocolate chip to peanut butter, No Cow’s protein bars offer a great option for those consumers who have become used to grabbing a candy bar at the checkout line.