Health food stores are filled with a myriad of apparently magical supplement bars, guaranteeing everything from a stronger immune system to enhanced eyesight. But for all their variety, most of them taste horrible. Element Bars, an Illinois-based startup launching today, is handing the reins over to the public, giving users the chance to build their own (hopefully better tasting) supplement bars.
To build a bar, users are first asked to pick a base texture, with options including “Oaty”, “Crispy”, and “Datey”. From there, they gradually add fruits, nuts, sweets, and finally a choice of “Boosts” – the powdered supplements that contain large portions of protein, fiber, or antioxidants. While users are free to create whatever combinations they’d like, the site will warn them if one of their choices will probably turn their bar into a chalky mess (for example, it recommends against adding excessive protein to an Oaty bar).
The site says that all ingredients are all-natural and minimally processed, without any artificial sweeteners or processed starches. CEO Jonathan Miller explains that as a result a well-designed bar will generally taste much better than those purchased in a store, though he acknowledges that users might not be able to pack in as many grams of protein as they can get from mass-produced “artificial” bars.
Bars run $36 for a pack of 12, though users can get a $6 discount if they purchase bars that are listed under the popular section of the site (ElementBars gives a discount because they can order these in bulk). Miller says that an average order should arrive within 7-10 days.
If Element Bars can prove that its bars are either better tasting or healthier than the competition, it could find itself in a very profitable niche. Health fanatics are notoriously picky when it comes to the food they eat, and will probably flock to the service. Another startup in this space is YouBars, which also crafts built-to-order supplement bars.
I’m not a health fanatic, but I like how the site is set up. Good use of AJAX and very clean design. But why classic ASP? Could have gone with .NET 3.5.
wow … very unique concept … made me remember … Think Gum !
Darin
I think this is a cool idea.
sounds good in theory, but it’s gonna bomb.
Needs more sugar.
Cool concept. I think mass customization is the near future. The problem here is that the ingredients are the same old stuff in most of the bars I now avoid. If they add more choices, they could have a hit.
Just like YouBars (http://www.youbars.com) – neither has a fantastic site, but I agree that this is likely the future of consumer products.
I disagree that this is the future of consumer products. This is basically a gimmick along the same lines of printing a logo or text on m&m’s. It could do well for a niche audience that is empowered to take control of their fiber intake, though I wonder with these bars if you can end up making bar thats pretty unhealthy or not.
The mainstream audience for this stuff is still a ways away. This feels like customization at a premium.
A similar concept to Trueprotein, which is where one can create your own protein mix. Most of the serious weightlifters I know swear by them, and will probably also use element bars if they work half as well.
Yikes, I just saw the prices. One of trueprotein’s best features is it’s relatively cheap to get high quality, highly customized protein. This is much more expensive than bars I can buy on nutrition sites.
Still, there may be a niche for those that are very picky about what they eat.
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I read on Lifehacker a couple years back about Matisse & Jack’s Bake-at-home Energy Bars… and been an addict ever since. (They’ve recently renamed them “Power Snacks” however.) Taste like fresh-baked goodies, but have a good protein / carb balance with low sugar. Just add applesauce, mix, bake like brownies.
http://www.matisseandjacks.com
I think that this is a great idea, but the average person doesn’t know either what ingredients would taste well together or what they want in a bar. Also, the “boosts” available would be better on the human body if they were being consumed in real food, not a health bar.
Nice. Love the concept … web version of Jamba Juice in a bar. Interesting
I think the idea’s quite innovative. Sounds like a win-win if they profit from this novelty and customers are able to get exactly what they want.
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Hey.. this sounds like good news. I was so fed up with the nutrition bars in the market that I had started making my own stuff… my mom owns a bakery; but still it was too much trouble, adding the protein powder and everything. And you know every time i entered the bakery, I ended up eating a whole lot of muffins and doughnuts, sending my diet plan and nutritional supplements for a six! So I think this new bar will just be the right thing for me. And I really like the idea that the site will inform us whenever our choice of ingredients go wrong.. I have made some real chalk like protein bars.. so I know it is really important.. I am all for it.. I don’t care about the look of the site.. just hoping that the bars are the real thing!!
I’ve seen YouBars before. This is a great kind of product for promotional purposes, rather than direct to consumers.
Just made my order. I think it is great for people who sit there looking at the back of every protein bar trying to figure out which one has the balance of protein vs. fat vs. calories vs. sugars before they have to settle on something that has horrible flavor. I’m in.
Additional comment, I really like that if you picked two things that don’t go well together like the Oaty base and more than 5 grams of Soy Protein it makes s suggestion for other bases. Really helps you make informed decisions. Imagine Crispy core with M&Ms, Apricots, Cashews, and Soy Protein 14.2 g protein, 8.2g of fat, 237 Calories.
Great Idea !!!!
I’ve been eating You Bars since March and I don’t see how this company offers anything better. You Bars allows the customer much more control over what goes into the bar through allowing them to choose what is in the base and offering a much greater variety of ingredients. Also You Bars are only $2.99 a bar rather than $3.50 and they are guaranteed delicious so if I ever make something I don’t like I can send it back and get a new one free of charge. If you are looking for a customized bar go with http://www.youbars.com or just make it yourself.
Great idea. I just ordered my first order and i can’t wait to taste them. Good luck, guys!
you bars are much better than these – and their new website has much better features.
This is Jonathan from Element Bars. Thanks for the helpful feedback. I just wanted to clarify two things. First, our bars are actually $3 per bar for custom bars or only $2.50 for popular bars. Second, Element Bars does have a taste guarantee, but more importantly, warns the users about incompatible ingredients while designing the bar so users can get a delicious bar the first time.
Hi!
Great protein bars!!… delicious… and exactly as I ordered! So much more variety than I ever seen before! And I like the idea where it makes suggestions when the customer chooses some ingredients that do not go well together…it really helps to make well informed decisions. You know I like to have control over what I am eating and your bars provide it really well. Just ask what you want and you get it!! These protein bars have really carved a niche for themselves in the market. A great step forward in the world of diet supplements!
A new addition to the nut butter business in particular and mass customization in general is SpreadableNuts.com. You can design your own handcrafted, custom, all organic nut butters or spreads from a selection of nut bases and delicious certified organic ingredients, including goji beries, cacao nibs, and exotic argan oil, to name a few.