A Yale Startup Redefining Healthy, Caffeinated Energy
Verb Energy, Inc, co-founded by four Yale undergraduates, produces caffeinated energy bars. Unlike other caffeinated energy products on the market, however, Verb bars are simple, affordable, and taste great.
I love coffee. But after more than a cup or two, I find myself jittery and fatigued. As a student balancing late homework nights, athletics, and extracurriculars, and now a recent graduate about to enter a fast-paced, professional environment, such a combination is simply not an option.
When I first heard of the concept for Verb from Co-founder Matt Czarnecki (Yale College '18), I was in the midst of a stint as a summer analyst at an NYC investment bank. I was averaging about four to five cups of coffee a day, beginning regularly with a cup of dark roast at 6:00AM. Coffee was a staple by default for managing directors and summer analysts alike, fueled by a set of Keurigs on each floor of the office building. Thus, as you can imagine, a sustainable alternative to coffee on the trading floor was incredibly enticing.
Then, balancing a full-course load with athletics in the fall, I sampled Verb’s newest product in a soft launch on campus. I was hooked. Here’s what caught my attention about the Verb bar:
- appealing balance between smooth and crunchy texture
- conservative, cocoa taste without the over-sweetness of traditional competitors like Clif bar
- caffeinated kick absent the tangy aftertaste that defines most other caffeinated products on the market
- perfect proportions as a slim, efficient pick-me-up rather than a mass of gooey sugar
Ultimately, I was glad to discover a portable, manageable lifestyle supplement rather than a bulky, chewy dessert.
The Basics
Verb’s flagship product is a 180 calorie bar with eight all-natural ingredients including almond butter and rolled oats. The bar has 100 mg of caffeine — the equivalent of a cup of coffee. Unlike coffee, however, the caffeine in a Verb bar is derived from organic green tea extract, known for its absence of coffee-based side effects like jitteriness. Furthermore, Verb has zero grams of sodium and only about half the amount of sugar as a Clif bar at 12 grams per serving. Perfect for high-intensity athletic competition, late night cramming, and sustained focus in a professional setting.
As stated in The Yale Herald, Verb seeks to produce “an energy bar that tastes good, is natural, and is relatively inexpensive, something its founders felt did not currently exist on the market.” Co-founder Byerley elaborates, “We didn’t set out to make a bar company. We were just unsatisfied with our energy options.” The solution emerged in the form of a sleek, portable bar unique enough in composition and design to immediately catch attention.
“Originally we thought we had like a Redbull, Five Hour Energy thing,” says Byerley, “but we realized that we made something that’s better for use every single day, if you want. You don’t have to be jumping off mountains or doing backflips to enjoy our bars.” Essentially, Verb had created a product that prioritized sustainable, healthy energy rather than traditionally excessive energy laden with sugar and chemicals.
Verb is pursuing a direct to consumer model rather than more traditional routes of online retail such as Amazon; the bars can be ordered individually or as a monthly subscription through the company’s website.
On Becoming a “Noun”
Verb has come a long way since its inception a year ago. The original team of Czarnecki ’18, Bennett Byerley ’19, and André Monteiro ’18 has expanded to include Isaac Morrier ’17. The company’s advisory board is accomplished and well-positioned in the consumer product and e-commerce industries. It includes Yale Professor Barry Nalebuff, Co-founder of Honest Tea, as well as Kevin Ryan (Yale College '85), serial entrepreneur and founder of internet home-runs including DoubleClick, BusinessInsider, and MongoDB.
Since a soft launch on Yale’s campus in the fall of 2016, Verb has sold its entire inventory, with back orders online and nationwide. Verb has official campus reps on four college campuses and its bars are now displayed in a variety of local New Haven retailers. Plans are underway for an acceleration in production and an expansion to major chains such as Kroger.
Most recently, Verb was accepted to the Summer @ Highland incubator, hosted at seasoned venture capital firm Highland Capital’s Silicon Valley and Cambridge headquarters. As part of the program, Verb will receive $30,000 in cash, free office space, and extensive mentorship through Highland’s network. The program has previously hosted ventures such as Handy ($111M raised), Ksplice (Acquired by Oracle), and CloudFlare ($182M raised), with a portfolio track record of more than $400M in follow-on VC funding.
Verb’s acceptance into Summer @ Highland follows a series of recent milestones, such as winning the $10,000 CTNext Entrepreneur Innovation Award and receiving early backing from Dorm Room Fund. Verb has also received the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute summer fellowship, which includes a $15,000 grant and access to YEI mentorship and regional exposure.
Potential
The energy bar market is competitive. There is an array of caffeinated energy products on the market, including market leaders Gu and Clif Bar. However, what sets Verb apart is its appealing taste, simple ingredients, and incredibly hungry management team.
Following a successful summer in expansion through Verb’s online direct to consumer subscription service, there is major potential for the brand to simply bypass traditional e-commerce vendors like Amazon. Why? Young, working professionals like me need an affordable, sustainable alternative to coffee.
I believe Verb is poised to become a “noun” in the caffeinated product space. The team has expansive plans this summer and is in the process of raising a seed round. I look forward to following and supporting the Verb founders in their continuing endeavors.
