Jim Simon Talks Creatine Innovation Live on WGN Radio
JiMMYBAR! CEO & Co-Founder Jim Simon went live on WGN Radio 720's Noon Business Lunch with John Williams, Chicago's go-to show for business news and the entrepreneurs behind the city's fastest-growing companies.
Jim talked about how a family-owned Chicagoland brand created America's first Creatine + Protein Bar, why it just launched in Target stores nationwide, and why every bar is still made right here in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.
Click here to listen to the full episode
From a Family Kitchen to America's First Creatine Protein Bar
JiMMYBAR! started with two siblings who grew up playing sports in Deerfield, Illinois. Jim's sister Nettie is an Italian chef who ran her own restaurant for 30 years. Jim is a serial entrepreneur who has started and sold multiple companies.
When they looked at the protein bar aisle, nothing stood out. Plenty of protein, but no real benefits. So in 2014 they started making high-protein bars with benefits: natural caffeine, collagen and, during COVID, an immune-boosting orange bar packed with vitamin C.
The breakthrough came in 2024. Jim and his wife were debating whether their 15-year-old son should take creatine. Creatine is one of the most researched supplements in the world, but it only came as powders and pills. One year later, JiMMYBAR! launched America's first Creatine + Protein Bar: a great-tasting, convenient way to get your daily 5 grams of creatine.
What Makes a JiMMYBAR! Creatine Protein Bar Different
Every JiMMYBAR! Creatine + Protein Bar has 20 grams of protein and 5 grams of creatine monohydrate. Each one starts with a peanut or almond butter base, so it tastes like real food, not a supplement.
It's the easiest way to take creatine out of the supplement aisle and into your everyday snack routine.
Now in Target Stores Nationwide
JiMMYBAR! Creatine + Protein Bars are now in about 1,300 Target stores across the country, with every Target store coming in April. That includes 62 stores in Illinois, 50 of them right here in Chicagoland.
Target shoppers get four exclusive flavors:
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Chocolate Peanut Butter
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Double Fudge Brownie
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Strawberry + Collagen
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Blueberry Lemon + Collagen
For a family-owned business from Chicagoland, seeing our bars on Target shelves nationwide is a huge milestone.
Still Made in Elk Grove Village
As JiMMYBAR! grows nationally, Jim and Nettie have kept production in-house in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. That means hiring locally, controlling quality batch by batch and investing in the community that helped build the brand.
What's Next for JiMMYBAR!
The creatine innovation keeps coming. JiMMYBAR! just launched Orange Dream, a new creatine bar flavor, with Creatine Cookie Dough coming soon. The world's first Protein + Creatine Trail Mix is also heading to major national retailers.
Listen to the Full Interview
Hear Jim tell the JiMMYBAR! story in his own words on WGN Radio's Noon Business Lunch with John Williams.
Click here to listen to the full episode
Ready to try America's first creatine protein bar? Shop JiMMYBAR! now or find us at your local Target.
