Exploit health opportunities, says energy bar boss

Recession or no recession, Gary Erickson, founder and owner of Clif Bar, talks about sustainability and health food opportunities for retailers.

Q: Was sustainability always a part of your company’s bottom line?

A: Yes and no. The idea to make a better-tasting, all-natural energy bar was inspired by my love of the outdoors — I wanted to create something that was delicious and had the right combination of nutrients to sustain me whether I was cycling, climbing or skiing. As Clif Bar & Company grew, the employees who came to work here were similarly passionate about the outdoors and preserving the places where we live, work and play.

In 2001, after deciding to keep the company private, Kit (co-owner of Clif Bar, and also my wife) and I formalized the company’s commitment to sustainability by making it one our five bottom lines: sustaining our business, sustaining our brands, sustaining our people, sustaining our communities and sustaining the planet. These aspirations are now our business model, and we use them to measure our success. To that end, environmental stewardship and community initiatives are integrated into every area of the business and are weighted with equal importance to traditional business metrics.

Q: You started Clif Bar in the early 1990s and experienced strong growth in spite of a recession. What did you learn then that has helped your company in the current recession?

A: In a recession, the tendency is to focus on everything that can go wrong, rather than on the things that can go right. I try not to buy into that way of thinking and instead run my own race. There are always good opportunities, even in a downturn. The key is to make sure you are in a position to see them and that you have the confidence to act on them.

Q: How can convenience retailers help their customers make healthier food choices?

A: Convenience retailers have made great strides in expanding their offering of healthy, convenient foods. That said, I think there are opportunities to make these options even more visible — this could be using POP displays for nutritional “fun facts” or grouping healthy choices in the store for easy discovery.

Q: What can convenience retailers do to operate energy-efficient stores?

A: A great place to start is to take a look at overall energy use. By finding ways to reduce energy use, retailers will also find [financial] savings. Once reductions are in place, retailers can reduce their climate impact even further by offsetting their remaining energy use with an investment in renewable energy.

Q: What product innovations do you see for organic, better-for-you foods in the coming years?

A: I think people are getting back to basics and simplifying the way they eat. There also seems to be greater recognition of the way in which food interacts with community — whether it’s in the home, at school or on a larger level. In the next three to five years, I think these trends will continue and people will seek wholesome, delicious foods that are good for their bodies, good for the planet and that will give them the right amount of nutrition and energy they need to pursue their life goals.

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