Sam’s Club was recently offering samples of a new product, Caribou Coffee granola bars. I tried a bit sized piece and thought WOW, this is delicious. I immediately picked up a box of 6 chewy granola bars in the Caramel High Rise flavor, but they didn’t last long after I brought them home. Even my 13 year old grandson thought they were delicious, and they seemed to give him that little boost he needed after school to get a few things done instead of crashing in front of the television.
I decided to check out the nutritional content of the bars and found that each bar is guaranteed to contain at least 8 grams of whole wheat, the average bar also contains 2 grams of protein, and only 3.5 grams of fat, with zero grams of trans fat. The bar is a good source of calcium as it contains 10% of our daily need. At 140 calories per bar, I think this is a nutritious snack and certainly better than a candy bar or your typical store bought muffin or cake. Each bar contains 2 carbohydrate choices on the diabetic food chart, and so can certainly be factored into just about any diet plan. The bars do contain wheat, milk, soy, peanut, almond, and sunflower ingredients, so for those who are sensitive to these substances, take notice.
I decided to research the Caribou Coffee Company as I had never heard of it and do not know of any stores in my area (thought there might be some). I discovered that this company was founded in 1992, in Edina, Minnesota, and has now grown to be the second largest coffee store in the United States, second only to Starbucks. Many stores sell lunch items and baked goods. However, the wholesale distribution of the granola bars is a relatively recent endeavor with The Caribou Coffee granola bars being packaged and distributed by General Mills. The readily available bars come in four flavors: Chocolate Mocha, Vanilla Latte, Mint Condition, and Caramel High Rise. Thus far the Caramel High Rise is my favorite but all are delicious. As stated on the Caribou Coffee Granola Bar box, the mission of the company is “to make the day better, and we do that one moment at a time. Take a moment now and savor our favorite new experience – the Caribou Coffee Bar. The best coffee bars are made from the best coffee. We’re devoted to finding the best coffee beans in the world and treating them right from start to finish. Caribou Coffee Bars are deliciously unique chewy granola bars that elevate your day with their rich and flavorful taste”.
What a great mission statement from a company that is up and coming and doing a great job of expanding their market. They are producing a great product in the granola bars, and I am sure their coffee is wonderful also, and I am not even a coffee drinker! The granola bars seem to be available in most grocery stores, at mass merchandisers, and online for delivery right to your doorstep. The price is reasonable ( less that $3.00 for a box of 6, 1.2 ounce bars), the taste is delicious, the nutritional value is good, and the packaging box is made from 100% recycled paperboard. Visit the Caribou Coffee website at cariboucoffee.com or also visit www.generalmills.com for more information.
