Portland, ME

R.E.D.D Bar

R.E.D.D (Radiant Energy Deliciously Delivered) is low sugar, plant-based nutrition for a new generation.

Overview

R.E.D.D. Bars was born on a college campus when founder, Alden Blease, couldn't quite afford the food plan that was offered. He chose to augment his nutrition with a bar that he made in his dorm room. R.E.D.D. has since grown to be one of the most recognizable nutrition bars on the market. Their goal: to provide better tasting, plant-based nutrition to support radiant health.

Vision

Supporting people we believe in.

The most profound part of SIC's relationship with R.E.D.D. is our admiration for Alden's energy, drive & work ethic. At SIC, we primarily invest in people, wether it be with our time or expertise, an investment, or both. When a founder projects confidence, resilience & passion for his mission, there is very little that can stand in his or her way. That said, channeling this energy to be effective is incredibly important to scaling safely and efficiently. This was our vision with R.E.D.D.: to empower the person behind the business with the skills and experience necessary to scale, and channel their energy to maximize impact.

Solution

Equity for services.

When R.E.D.D. approached us about formalizing our relationship, we took one look at Alden and knew the most valuable thing we could give him was our experience and connections. He was confident in his ability to acquire necessary funds needed to scale, but needed supply chain and distribution guidance to maximize returns. So, we engaged in a sweat equity agreement in which SIC would develop a full-stack formalized business model, support efficient use of the supply chain, and leverage connections in the distribution and convenience sector enable the actual sale of his product.

Approach

Channeling passion into results.

As we mentioned Alden did not lack passion or drive, and he was very sharp too. That said, he was young and inexperienced. Our approach was not to leave him with Powerpoints, documents and Excel sheets, but rather to mentor him in the truest definition of the word. We aimed to find balance between spoon feed solutions and leaving him out to dry. The result was a founder that had seen success, failure and yes, a boat load of Powerpoints. Most importantly though, Alden was now equipped with not only the knowledge to succeed but also the experience to continue to carve his own path and channel his energy in the most effective way possible.

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