One of our co-founders is a vegetarian by choice for decades and is an avid runner and a hiker. On a summer afternoon hike to San Jacinto Peak in Southern California, she was offered an energy bar by a friend. Being a biomedical scientist, it was natural for her to check the nutrition label on the back. 21 grams of sugar in one serving! There was also an allergy warning: Contains soy and peanuts and may contain traces of milk, wheat, and tree nuts. Since she has food allergies, there were only a few energy bar products that suited her dietary restrictions. It was at that moment the idea occurred to her. There should be a vegetarian healthy energy bar that will not contain soy, egg, gluten, whey, and nuts, the most common food allergens. She shared this idea with her MBA class and formed a team with two other students. Bänzo Bar was born!