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Parr Foods
Boone, NC
In 2009, Parr Foods raised capital from family and friends and grew from Jay's home kitchen to a 1,000 square foot sustainable production facility producing almost 1,200 handmade and vacuum-sealed bars per week.
Jay Parr, owner of Parr Foods, LLC, started making organic whole food meal replacement bars for himself after graduating from
the Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts in 2004. With his experience as a chef and his passion for the great outdoors, the
creation that would be known as the Boone Barr was inevitable.
In 2008, Jay re-enrolled at Appalachian State University in
Boone to study entrepreneurship and sustainable development.
With encouragement from friends and family, he decided to
sell the bars. After meeting with a local coffee shop owner, the
Boone Barr was sold in its first retail location and sold 12 bars
the first week. SBTDC business counselor Kevin McConnaghy
has been by Jay’s side from the beginning.
After successfully starting the business in his home kitchen,
Jay came to the Appalachian State University SBTDC office
for assistance with business planning. Kevin assisted with the development of a business plan that would allow Jay to continue
part-time studies while growing his business. However, Jay
eventually decided to put off school to focus on the business.
The SBTDC also assisted the business with market research
including food manufacturing industry data and break-even
charts for financial analysis.
In 2009, Parr Foods raised capital from family and friends and grew from Jay’s home kitchen to a 1,000 square foot sustainable production facility producing almost 1,200 handmade and vacuum-sealed bars per week. Parr Foods now employs 2 full-time and as many as 3 part-time staff. Parr Foods clients have grown to include universities and retail grocery chains, and the business has improved production methods to increase margins.
The business has also expanded its product line to include trail mixes, candied nuts, and plans to introduce a protein bar soon.
The SBTDC research and counseling support directly influenced each of these areas of accomplishment.
“The SBTDC was a very influential business mentor. Though I have read a great deal about entrepreneurship, Kevin gave me a realistic picture of what a business looks like,” he says.
Story originally featured in the SBTDC's 2009-2010 Annual Report.