Our Story...

So how did this whole Grind Bar thing get started anyway? Dave here. I started the company. (you're welcome, haha) It was actually just a couple short years ago this whole thing got started. I was working in a local cannabis dispensary part-time to learn more about the industry and noticed three things. 

 

1) Lots of edibles moving through the store I worked in.

2) There were no healthy options. It was all just sugary treats loaded with THC.

3) A huge lack of anything with just CBD.

 

This was also when I first discovered that CBD was even a thing! I'd heard about it and seen a couple strains that claimed to be high in it, but that was about it. Then I tried some CBD capsules that we had in stock. And I liked them... A lot.

 

So I decided to try and fill said hole. I knew I wanted a healthy option, so I figured there were others out there on the same page. Personally, I really liked using an edible and going for a big hike or some kind of outdoor adventure, and I didn't want to have to eat a super sugary brownie or cookie before taking off. To me, that just didn't seem right.

 

 

I started reading lots of different recipes online, did some experimenting with my own ideas, and as soon as I had something I figured was good enough, I designed some basic packaging and started offering them up!

 

As a sidebar, before I did this, I had been in the entrepreneurial world for a while, and had tried my hand and failed (or rather learned a lot) at a few different businesses. On that journey, I read the books The Lean Startup and The Pumpkin Plan. And since I was flat broke from my previous business adventure, I decided to apply their principles and see what I could do. If you haven't read either of these, the main idea is get something together that's basic enough to sell, sell it, and based on feedback from customers, tweak and make it better, re-release and get feedback, tweak and make it better, etc. 

 

So that's what I did, and my first draft was basic as hell. The first version actually was a thc infused treat called, wait for it...

 

 

It's ok, you can laugh. I am as I write this :) So that was where it all started, the very first version. That sticker, cut out and stuck onto a mini ziplock bag. Ah, memories. 

 

It didn't take long before our next round was out, and the next, and the next...

 

 

You'll notice in the middle photo there are two different bars. So I had the THC version, which was great, but when I was out hiking, I wanted to have something that I could eat that would keep me full and focused, but without getting me higher. So I came up with the Maca Mocha Brownie, which later evolved into the Grind Bar!

 

Why The Grind Bar? Well, the original name came from a few places. I was hiking the Grouse Grind a lot, and it's also for the daily/entrepreneurial grind. And the coffee comes in there too of course. Because while at first I made it more for hiking and playing outside, I soon realized that it was great as a quick breakfast or mid-afternoon snack on the go.

 

Then I finally hired an actual designer to help create a more professional wrapper, got some friends to invest some cash to get them made, and then we had this!

 

 

Which was so awesome! And I was so pumped on it! And still am, to be honest. Around this time we also made the big move from my kitchen at home to a commercial kitchen and my good friend Zak and my brother Will came over to help out. 

 

 

Yes, those are beard nets, and yes they're mandatory to pass the health inspection. Nobody wants a beard hair in their food.

 

So things were coming along, we started getting more retail locations set up, and sales started building. But we hit a bit of a snag with the whole CBD thing (ya, it's still not really allowed yet) and we forgot a couple things on the packaging, (like French, being in Canada and all... sigh) so we redesigned again, and had to find a separate facility to make our CBD bars in (again, sigh...) but after all that we arrived at our current packaging...

 

 

And that's where we're at now! 

 

What's next? Well, if things go according to plan, some new flavors, and some other new products, and fingers crossed, not getting shut down by the government. haha.

 

Thanks so much for reading! It's been quite the journey so far and I'm grateful you took the time to read about it. Now it's time to get back to work and keep writing the rest of the story!

 

While I do, if you want to follow along, the best place is on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thegrindbar/ and on our Blog page

 

And if by now, you're starving and want to get some to try out for yourself, click here to hop over to the store and get some shipped right to your door!

 

Thanks again!