Mid-Day Squares has carved out a unique niche that defies traditional categorization in the crowded world of nutrition bars and snack foods.
This isn’t just another health bar—it’s a testament to the entrepreneurial vision, brand strategy, and the power of creating a product that speaks directly to consumer desires.
They are focused on a time-of-day, and their product is sold refrigerated.
Smart. Challenging. Distincitive.
The Founders’ Journey: From Personal Frustration to Business Inspiration
The story of Mid-Day Squares begins with three co-founders: Lezlie Karr, Jake Karr, and Nick Saltarelli – a married couple and their close friend who transformed a personal kitchen experiment into a rapidly growing Canadian food brand.
Lezlie and Jake, struggling with processed food options that didn’t meet their nutritional and taste standards, began experimenting with creating a chocolate bar that could serve as both a functional nutrition source and a genuinely delicious treat.
Bringing complementary skills and entrepreneurial energy, Nick Saltarelli joined the Karrs to turn their kitchen prototype into a scalable business. Their health, nutrition, and business strategy backgrounds provided the perfect blend of expertise to challenge the existing snack food market.
When I went looking to find the brand in my local Whole Foods and Sprouts, it was challenging to find because you don’t see a lot of refrigerated sweet goods/bars and cakes. This challenge may also prove to be an advantage, because they can have a cleaner label when they use refrigeration as a preservative.
That was a trick I learned in my Rachel’s Brownie days in the 1980s.
The Entrepreneur’s Perspective: Identifying a Market Gap
From an entrepreneurial standpoint, Mid-Day Squares represents a brilliant market opportunity identification.
Traditional nutrition bars often sacrifice taste for functionality, while indulgent chocolate bars are typically viewed as pure treats with little nutritional value. The founders recognized that modern consumers—especially millennials and Gen Z—were seeking products that didn’t force them to choose between health and enjoyment.
Their chocolate squares are crafted to provide a substantial nutritional profile: high protein, minimally processed ingredients, and made with fundamental, recognizable components.
They created a category-defying product that immediately stood out in a saturated market by positioning their product as a “functional chocolate” that could replace a meal or serve as a substantial snack.
The Brand Strategy Expert’s Analysis
From a brand strategy perspective, Mid-Day Squares is a masterclass in modern brand building. They’ve done more than create a product; they’ve cultivated a lifestyle and personality around their offering. Their crazy Instagram posts are more playful and fun and don’t focus on the bars. It is a terrific example of fleshing out a brand with personality, life, and energy.
Their transparent, almost irreverent marketing approach – which includes candid social media content about their entrepreneurial journey, production challenges, and personal stories – has transformed what could have been just another nutrition bar into a brand with genuine human connection.
Their packaging is bold and distinctive, breaking away from the typical clinical design of nutrition products. Instead of muted colors and medical-looking typography, they’ve opted for vibrant, eye-catching designs that communicate fun and indulgence alongside nutrition.
The brand has also masterfully leveraged digital marketing and storytelling. By sharing their raw, unfiltered entrepreneurial journey, they’ve created a narrative that consumers can connect emotionally. They’re not just selling a product; they’re inviting consumers into their world of entrepreneurial passion and nutritional innovation.
Product Innovation: Beyond Just Another Chocolate Bar
What sets Mid-Day Squares apart is its commitment to using high-quality, minimally processed ingredients. Each square is a small, dense chocolate bar with functional ingredients like plant-based proteins, adaptogens, and whole-food components. They’ve created something that feels like an indulgence but functions like a nutritional powerhouse.
Their initial product line included flavors like “Fudge Yah” and “Peanut Butter Protein,” which immediately signaled to consumers that this wouldn’t be a tedious, bland health product. Each flavor tells a story and invites playfulness into the nutrition space.
Three Key Takeaways for Entrepreneurs and Brand Strategists
1. Authenticity Drives Connection: Mid-Day Squares proves consumers crave genuine, transparent brand stories. By being open about their challenges, failures, and successes, they’ve built a community around their brand that goes far beyond traditional consumer-product relationships.
2. Category Creation is Powerful: Instead of trying to fit into existing market segments, they created a new category that bridges indulgence and nutrition. This approach allows for premium pricing and differentiates positioning.
3. Personal Passion Translates to Brand Energy: The founders’ journey and genuine passion for solving a problem they experienced is palpable in every aspect of their brand. Their energy and commitment have become the core of their marketing and brand identity.
Mid-Day Squares represents more than just a successful food product.
It’s a blueprint for modern brand building – showing that entrepreneurs can transform a simple idea into a movement with the right mix of innovation, authenticity, and strategic thinking.
Today, they are swimming around $30MM.
Can they race to $100MM and beyond and stay afloat?
Time will tell.
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