How two teenagers are setting the bar for snack bars

There are businesses and brands I look up to. Often, they have partnered with a goodwill initiative or built their own world-serving mission from scratch. Other times, while equally admirable, it’s simpler.

SETBAR is a brand with a simple mission and focus.

It’s a brand with a message that runners, walkers, and fitness junkies ought to pay close attention to: “Humble beginnings; humble future. We can change ourselves for the better while impacting those around us.”

That’s how Carter Bouchard and Cru Mahoney, 18 and 19 years old, describe the mission of their popular, growing brand of performance bars. The humility of their endeavor, which began before the two graduated high school, is evident when I ask them to name the ingredients in their product.

Carter lists them without thought; the partners have been making the bars themselves for two years in the kitchen at Larry’s Coffee: oats, almonds, cashews, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, salt, cinnamon, dates, agave nectar, and coconut oil.

“It’s all organic,” Carter laughs. “I didn’t want to say ‘organic’ before each one.”

“I think I can pull most of those out of my pantry,” I say, smiling.

Cru says the bars are dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and raw as a result of using wholesome ingredients.

“There aren’t any questions as to what goes into our bars. None. You can pronounce all those things.”

_{Cru Mahoney (left) and Carter Bouchard (right) founded SETBAR while still in high school.}

Setting the Bar

The name SETBAR came easy for the young business partners. In high school, Cru and Carter were athletes. Carter was a runner and Cru spent his time in CrossFit and free-running gyms (Cru’s biggest accomplishment in fitness is holding a handstand for 1 minute and 15 seconds!). Disciplined in their pursuit of health and wellness, the two often snacked on nutrition and performance bars. As their athleticism improved and their goals inflated, their awareness of nutrition labels heightened.

“In the search to find a bar with ingredients we could pronounce and a taste we enjoyed, we were stumped.”

That shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Cru says they went to Whole Foods and bought a few things, but most ingredients in what would become SETBAR already took up space in his kitchen. “We went with coconut oil because I had some. I know what it is; I used it all the time. My neighbor loved agave nectar; she was always using it. I didn’t want corn syrup or cheap fillers.”

How many tries did it take?

“The first batch was great!” They're essentially still using that first recipe, with just a little refinement.

The two young entrepreneurs smile as they talk about their bars, and they ought to. Few tasty options with simple ingredients—no Google search needed—line grocery store shelves for those in search of a quick snack.

“And they’re made for performance?” I ask, thinking to replace some of my heavily-processed or "what’s-that-word?" gels and bars.

“My favorite time to eat one is one hour before a workout,” Carter says.

He’s training for his first Ironman this spring, having run his first ultra marathon at the Hinson Lake 24-hour race last fall.

“I ran 51 miles in 12 hours. I couldn’t stay for the whole 24 hours, but I look forward to going back.”

The value of SETBAR for performance is evident on the back of the package. 240 calories with no refined sugar and 7 grams of fiber. The bars also have more sodium than some of my favorite on-the-go gels and pack a consistency that goes down well on a long run. In short, they’re easy to eat and easier to enjoy.

I took a SETBAR on a long run, easy this week. I tucked it in my handheld water bottle pocket and set off. A few bites here, a few bites there, and my energy stayed topped off. I felt great. With real ingredients and ample fiber, my stomach never questioned what I was eating.

The portability and delicious flavor of the bars are only outshined by the real, organic ingredients.

“You guys are really setting the bar,” I say with a laugh.

“That’s the point. This stuff is important; what you put in your body is what you’re going to get out of it. We wanted to perform well and have a higher quality of life, so it mattered what we were eating.”

Cru says we have a responsibility to seek improvement in our lives. The biggest complement to fitness and exercise, he says, is nutrition. And when we take care of ourselves in health and wellness, we can take care of others.

Humility

Humility is a big theme with these two. I picked their brains on fitness and some struggles they’ve faced. For Carter, it’s training for his upcoming Ironman and learning to swim efficiently. Cru pitches in, saying that fitness, business, and life are about committing to a willingness to learn. It’s an openness to walking into a room with no knowledge or experience.

“Be willing to feel like an idiot.”

That’s a powerful mantra for runners and anyone eager to make positive change. If fear discourages you from trying, or tells you to hold back, that’s a good opportunity to embrace learning and humility. Races can be overwhelming, new hobbies might feel inaccessible, and joining a training program for your next 5K or half-marathon might seem daunting. Cru and Carter felt this in starting and building SETBAR, and they continue to feel it in their pursuit of health in running, fitness, and nutrition.

“Fear and discomfort are a good sign you’re moving in the right direction,” they say.

Still, holding the hand of their humility is well-earned pride. For running 51 miles and holding a handstand for 1 minute and 15 seconds, for passing on college to build a wholesome and health-oriented business, for committing to scary goals in life and business, for finding partners like Fleet Feet; Cru and Carter have a lot to be proud of.

It was easy enough to hear in talking with them about their bars. It’s obvious in their stories of meeting locals who love their product. The pride pours out in their personal fitness goals.

These guys are setting the bar, and they’re inviting you to get on board.

Your Turn

Commit yourself to learning, to health and wellness in your activity and nutrition, and to carrying yourself as an example for others. It’s your turn to set the bar; the delicious and clean, organic and simple SETBARs are just a starting point.

We all have some goal, some imagined finish line of achievement. What’s yours?

Is it a 5K? A triathlon? A trail race? A marathon?

The founders of SETBAR would say “Go for it!”

They’d tell you to hold your head high for holding your life to a higher standard. Those two would applaud your journey, your race. They’d stand at the starting line with you and see you through the finish, cheering for the example of health and fitness laid out for your family, friends, and coworkers.

Cru would hand you a SETBAR and Carter would ask “What’s next?”

It’s your turn to set the bar.

By George Callahan. George is a runner, cyclist, and Outfitter at Fleet Feet Raleigh & Morrisville.

Connect with Carter and Cru and let them know YOUR favorite ways to enjoy SETBAR!

Instagram: @setbars

Behind the Bar, the guys’ behind-the-scenes YouTube channel for all things SETBAR: Behind the Bar

Website: SetBars.com