EMERYVILLE, CALIF. — Clif Bar & Co. has launched the Trailblazers Incubator, an in-house new ventures group built to deliver “disruptive innovation and create sustainable business opportunities.”
The Trailblazers team of “intrapreneurs” will expand into new categories that align with Clif Bar’s Five Aspirations business model. Rizal Hamdallah, chief innovation officer of Clif Bar, will oversee the incubator, while Greg Lok will lead it as senior director.
The Trailblazers first venture is Clif Pet, which will debut plant-based pet treats and snacks. Clif Pet will launch in early 2022 and will feature three flavors of jerky snacks for dogs with plans to build out the product line over the next 24 months.
“Just as Clif Bar was founded on disrupting the energy bar category nearly 30 years ago, the Trailblazers Incubator is built to consistently deliver our bold innovation agenda and accelerate our growth plan,” Mr. Hamdallah said. “In addition to a rapid, data-driven product development and go-to-market strategy, what makes our approach different is extending the loyalty of the Clif brand. By introducing Clif Pet, we will bring energy to the whole family.”
Clif said Trailblazers also will be pursuing projects in the human food space.