General Mills Acquires Humm Foods, Makers of LÄRABAR

The brands will become part of Small Planet Foods, the natural and organic products group of General Mills, and a category leader with its Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen brands.

12/06/08 General Mills announced its agreement to purchase Denver-based Humm Foods, makers of LÄRABAR and LÄRABAR JOCALAT.  The brands will become part of Small Planet Foods, the natural and organic products group of General Mills, and a category leader with its Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen brands. 

“We are excited about this announcement,” said Michele Meyer, president of Small Planet Foods.  “LÄRABAR is an exceptional brand that is experiencing rapid growth because of the quality and uniqueness of LÄRABAR products.  We are especially pleased that Lara Merriken, the founder of LÄRABAR, will continue with the business.  Lara is clearly the brand champion of LÄRABAR, and we are thrilled to have her join us as we grow the business together.”

Humm Foods was founded in 2003 by Merriken, whose idea for her namesake LÄRABAR came to her while she was hiking in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Her vision was to create a business centered on delivering an all-natural nutrition bar made of fruit and nuts, with unique flavors and few ingredients.  The business has grown dramatically under her leadership to a category-leading position in the single-serve natural health bar segment.

“I’m pleased to see LÄRABAR joining strong and successful brands like Muir Glen and Cascadian Farm,” said Merriken. “I see this move as important to the future, and I’m excited to work with Small Planet Foods to continue to grow the LÄRABAR business.”

Humm Foods’ brands compete in the single item, natural and organic category at natural, conventional and specialty grocers across the United States and abroad. LÄRABAR makes 14 LÄRABAR brand flavors, which contain fruit, nuts and spices, and six JOCALAT brand flavors, which contain chocolate, fruit and nuts.