Round 2 Catching up with Kellie Lee of ROWDY 1

Today I’m welcoming back Kellie Lee, Creator and CEO at Rowdy Prebiotic Foods Company, for an update on her entrepreneurial journey. 

Kellie developed Rowdy bars when she was creating convenient, real foods to take on hikes with her husband.  What makes Rowdy products special is YaconRoot - the unique prebiotic, naturally sweet ingredient that has become the foundation of all Rowdy offerings.  Rowdy is committed to empowering people to better digestive health so they can restore balance and get back to being themselves, so they can “get back to being Rowdy.”

In this episode you’ll hear how Rowdy has expanded and grown since the founding of the company, what effects the pandemic had on the industry and on Rowdy bars, how the company expanded with four flavors of collagen powders, and some advice for other entrepreneurs thinking of entering this space.

The “NexxtLevel Brands Podcast’ is hosted by G. Steven Cleere, Founder and “Chief Pot Stirrer” of NexxtLevel Brands. This show focuses on disruptors and thought-leaders from the Entrepreneurial Food, Beverage, and CPG Industry, but we also share tips from veterans and key suppliers that may help fellow CPG professionals achieve their goals.

Discussion Points

• Reviewing how Rowdy bars got started
• Kellie’s only future vision was to get into Whole Foods
• First distribution beyond local - Sprouts nationwide, adding more flavors
• How the pandemic hurt - launching in April 2020
• YaconRoot prebiotic is key for all bars and powders
• Expansion into collagen powders
• Kellie is surprised that more people don’t know what they are eating/reading labels
• Financing - starting and scaling
• Growth and sales - launching a commission-only sales force for non-traditional channels
• Planning an exit strategy – 5 to 7 years
• Words to grow by: “Stay the course”

Resources:

Kellie on LinkedIn

Rowdy Bars Website

NexxtLevel Brands Website

1. Steven Cleere LinkedIn