Dak Story
The story of the Founder & CEO of Dak Bar, Susie Smith
I once heard that when you’re trying to find your path in life you should remember back to what you gravitated toward as a child. When I was growing up you would always find me outdoors building forts with elaborate kitchens, or making mud pies in sandboxes. When I wasn’t pretending to be a chef, I was taking expeditions on my bike to explore the edge of the woods or the shores of Lake Superior that called my soul to a new adventure.
My young adult life brought me to Colorado, where I spent my time hiking 14 thousand foot peaks, ice climbing vertical ice flows, canoeing class 4 rivers, and scaling sheer rock walls. I found myself, playing in wild places. These activities required sustained energy and the bars I was eating at the time took the wind out of my sails. They delivered the taste of cardboard and a fake, jittery energy that left me feeling unsettled.
I knew I could do better.
So into the kitchen I went. I was determined to use only real, whole ingredients in my bars – nothing overly processed or fake. I wanted to create a bar that would energize me naturally with all the perfection that nature provides.
Armed with the knowledge I had gained from a few nutrition classes in college at CU-Boulder, I toiled over which combination of ingredients would give the best ratio of proteins, carbs and fats to keep me truckin’ on down the trails at top form. I also wanted the flavors to be outstanding; good food while playing out in the wilderness makes the experience all the more enjoyable. I had a knack for tasting flavors in my mind, allowing me to come up with unique ingredient combinations that would fuel my passion for the outdoors.
Together with friends on hiking trails throughout the Rocky Mountains we found what worked, what didn’t, and what would go on to inspire us. I persevered until I created the perfect bar that fuels you to find that second wind to finish your journey. I created a bar that makes you feel GOOD, so you can do what you love, longer.
As I watched the busy streets and too tall buildings take over the foothills of my home, I felt the loss of the wild. I felt a need to find beautiful mountains that would never become overrun with growth, with a pact that would keep them forever wild. That led me to the Adirondacks where I knew I could live in a serene paradise in a log home surrounded by mountains with animals that roamed wild and free.
Right outside my door was a sense of adventure and many trails to conquer. I couldn’t help but remember those bars I created back in Colorado and knew I had found that missing ingredient that I needed to share with the world. I found my 1% wild, that untouched taste of pure natural wonder.
In the fall of 2010, I decided to start my own energy bar business. I wanted people to know what it felt like to take your taste buds on a journey and feel like you could take on the world. Dak Bar was founded and quickly became a hit with the locals. It became more than just fuel, every bite became an adventure.
The Adirondacks have a flavor of their own; it’s an untamed experience, it’s a wild inspiration, and now it’s in a bar.
