Since most of us now take these products for granted....
March 23, 2004 Brian Maxwell, 51, Marathoner Who Created
Energy Bar, Dies By REUTERS
Brian Maxwell, a former world-ranked marathoner who created
the PowerBar in his kitchen to improve his performance and
started a sports nutrition revolution in the process, died
on Friday. He was 51.
Mr. Maxwell collapsed while waiting in line to mail a
package at the San Anselmo post office in Marin County,
Calif., friends said. He was pronounced dead at Marin
General Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Born in London, Mr. Maxwell grew up in Toronto. He graduated
from the University of California at Berkeley in 1975 with a
degree in architecture.
For eight years he earned a living as a long-distance
runner representing Canada in international competitions.
In 1977 he was ranked the No. 3 marathoner in the world by
Track & Field News. By 1980 he was the top-ranked Canadian
marathon runner on the Olympic team that boycotted the
Moscow Olympics.
In 1983, after winning 14 marathons, Maxwell developed a
stomach ailment that slowed his timing near the end of a
race, causing him to finish seventh.
He took to the kitchen in his Berkeley, Calif., apartment
and began mixing various low-fat potions that would be
easily digestible and provide quick energy.
The bar was developed over three years with help from Bill
Vaughn, a biochemist from the University of California at
Berkeley, and Jennifer Biddulph, a food science student who
would later become his wife.
After offering homemade bars to several friends who claimed
their performances improved, Mr. Maxwell decided to open a
business. He put his life savings into the company and
manufactured 35,000 bars in malt-nut and chocolate flavors.
Over the next 13 years, PowerBar expanded into a multimillion-
dollar company that created a market filled with competitors
like Balance Bars and Clif Bars.
In 2000 the company was sold to Nestlé S.A. for a reported
$375 million, and Mr. Maxwell turned his energies to
mentoring other entrepreneurs and to philanthropic
activities.
He is survived by his wife and six children.