Nov 24, 2007
Kellogg acquires Darien’s Bear Naked
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Reported Wednesday, Nov. 21
A little granola company has hit the big time.
The Kellogg Company acquired the local Bear Naked, which was started by Darienites Kelly Flatley and Brendan Synnott in 2002 with only a $7,000 investment.
According to the Battle Creek (Mich.) Enquirer, Kellogg paid a total of $122 million for the purchase of Bear Naked and Gardenburger, in separate transactions. Terms for the individual sales were not disclosed. Bear Naked will be operated under Kellogg’s Kashi organic food brand.
In 2002, the founders of Bear Naked were recent college graduates selling out of the back of their cars the roughly 200 pounds of granola they made every night in the kitchen at the Rowayton Market. Within eight months, they moved operations to an old cookie store front in Stamford, where granola production increased to about 3,000 pounds per night.
Earlier this year, the company moved from a 2,400 square foot space in Darien to a 10,000 square foot location in Norwalk.
The granola, which was originally carried by area stores, such as Palmer’s Market, went national to be carried in stores such as Target, Costco and Whole Foods. Bear Naked has been featured on the Food Network several times, including an entire show dedicated to the dynamic company last January.
The sale was finalized on Nov. 1.
According to Kashi spokesman Thuy-An Wilkins, Bear Naked is a “great strategic fit.”
“It’s been a credible and authentic brand,” she said.
With Bear Naked, Kashi hopes to appeal to younger consumers, and will give the company an opportunity to expand into new products.
The move will mean a change of locale eventually. While the short term plans include Bear Naked continuing to operate in Connecticut, a long-term move to LaJolla, Calif., where Kashi is based, is in Bear Naked’s future.
As far as Flatley and Synnott’s roles, so far, they will continue to consult Kashi throughout the transition, Wilkins said.
“We are working with them on roles, future roles that would be a good fit, but in the long-term that remains to be seen,” she said.
Will Bear Naked’s signature packaging remain the same?
“I can’t speak to the packaging, but the Bear Naked brand name will remain. We’re committed to using the same high quality ingredients,” she said.
Bear Naked fans needn’t fear change, however. According to Wilkins, any changes “will improve the quality and consistency that consumers have come to expect from Bear Naked.”
Flatley and Synnott declined comment for this story. Rachel Sanzari of Bear Naked released this statement via e-mail:
“On Nov. 1, Bear Naked was acquired by the Kashi Company. Bear Naked is a great strategic fit with the Kashi brand portfolio.”
Greg Palmer, of Palmer’s Market, who Flatley and Synnott say was one of their biggest supporters, said that he was very happy for the pair.
“God bless them! It is great for them. Not too many little companies build a brand like they did and go on to be that successful and have that opportunity,” he said.
Palmer said Flatley came into the store and told Palmer in person, before he heard about the acquisition somewhere else first, out of respect for the support Palmer’s had given.
What did Palmer say?
“I said congratulations!”
Wilkins said Kashi and Bear Naked are a good fit because they share the same passion.
“They share our passion for natural and organic, great tasting food,” she said.
On the Web: bearnaked.com, kashi.com, kelloggcompany.com
E-mail Darien Times reporter Susan Shultz at
sshultz@darientimes.com.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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