CLIF Bar was born on a bike in 1990 during a 175-mile ride in Northern California on which Clif Bar & Company Founder and Co-CEO Gary Erickson had “the epiphany” that he could make a better tasting energy bar. Two years later the first CLIF Bars hit the market and the company was off and running. This past spring, we celebrated our 20th anniversary by asking people to submit their own epiphanies for the Share Your Epiphany contest. We selected five winners who each awarded $5,000 from us to the nonprofit of their choice in their name.

To help share their inspiring tales, here are three of the five winning epiphanies in their entirety. Tomorrow we’ll share the final two winners. The first three winners include Jennifer Anderson (Wyoming, Rhode Island) donated $2,500 to Rhode Island Disaster Animal Response Team. Katie Hensel (Verona, Wisconsin) donated $5,000 to Tri 4 Schools, and Tim Dixon (Huntsville, Texas) donated $5,000 to Texas High School Mountain Bike League.

Name: Jennifer Anderson

Tell Us About Your Epiphany

I was volunteering in Rhode Island at the Navy housing to temporarily house Katrina victims that had been flown up from Louisiana and Missouri. I took stock of what I could do to offer more in such times of need and realized that, if well-crafted, I could weave together my veterinary tech experience and Emergency Responder NAD first-aid certificates together with my horse and dog training skills to become a K-9 search and rescue professional. I’d brought one of my dogs over to serve as a therapy pup and calm the transplanted victims’ nerves.

Read More…

At Clif Bar & Company, we commit to sustaining our health as much as sustaining our planet. Employee fitness has always been a crucial component of the company’s wellbeing, and while we enjoy pushing ourselves, injuries and setbacks can happen. So how do you maintain a consistent fitness routine? To inspire your post-holiday endeavors, here are a few pointers from the Clif Bar employee gym.

1. Consistency trumps intensity
In the New Year, we’re apt to set ambitious goals to get on track. Unfortunately this traps us into all-or-nothing thinking. We are more likely to throw in the [gym] towel when we can’t live up to unrealistic standards. Instead, give yourself an easy win. Didn’t wake up at 6am for your run? Try a walk during your lunch break. Remember, some movement is better than nothing.

2. Get support
(We are not talking about sports bras here.) A training partner, a coach or the camaraderie of a class keeps you showing up and accountable. Teammates often push you harder than you could on your own. Even a dog that expects to be walked motivates you to get outside for a stroll. At the very least, we all need our family and friends that support our fitness priorities. 

Read More…

And you thought we only make bars?

Well, once a year our employees come together to cook, pour, plate and serve our guests in a fundraiser we affectionately call the “Big Dinner”.

Read More…

We’re honored to be recognized for the fourth year running by Outside Magazine as one of the country’s Best Places to Work!

2011’s award focuses on our company-wide aspiration to support the community. Landing at #5 on the list, Outside Magazine highlights our In Good Company program, where we partner with 11 community-minded companies to make a difference in our communities through hands-on action. 

They also mention 2 Mile Challenge, where we encourage people from across the country to log miles travelled during short bike trips to compete for a $35,000 donation to a favorite charity.

At Clif, however, “doing good” doesn’t stop there! We are encouraged to sustain our communities and the planet in a variety of ways:

Read More…

You’ve probably seen CLIF CRUNCH in your local store, but we wanted to give you a closer look at how our new crunchy granola bar was dreamed up.

So head inside the Clif Bar & Company kitchen to see how CLIF CRUNCH, is made! And don’t forget, jump over to our store locator to find a CLIF CRUNCH retailer near you.

Read More…