Grenade CEO Alan Barratt Steps Down With Open Letter To Staff

Alan Barratt, co-founder of sports nutrition giant Grenade, revealed on his LinkedIn page that as of October 17th 2024 he decided to step down from his role as CEO.

Established in 2009, Grenade quickly gained popularity for its high-quality protein bars, energy drinks, and supplements, recognised for their effective formulas and distinctive branding, including the iconic grenade-shaped product packaging. Alan, with a background in sports nutrition and fitness, aimed to create products that were not only effective but also accessible to a wide audience, bridging the gap between high-performance fitness products and everyday health-conscious consumers. Under his leadership, Grenade grew into a leading brand in the global health and fitness industry, attracting attention from investors and ultimately being acquired by Mondelēz International in 2021. Alan’s innovative approach and commitment to quality have made Grenade a staple in the sports nutrition market, with a loyal customer base and a significant presence in multiple countries across the globe. Alan’s story is a fascinating one that proves anything is possible with the right attitude, passion and dedication.

Below is a copy of the email he sent to the Grenade team to announce his departure…

“Dear Team

After much reflection, I have decided to step down from my role as CEO of Grenade, effective from today. Leading this incredible team has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and I am deeply grateful for the dedication, creativity, and passion each of you has shown.

15 years ago, Jules and I set out to create something special, initially as a hobby. We wanted a brand that consumers could trust, based on the very best products we could possibly make, and run the business our way and nobody else's.

We wanted to keep existing customers happy, not keep looking for new ones, and always pride ourselves on 'doing the right thing.'

Naively, we couldn't possibly have known it would be such a challenge, our hobby became an obsession, and failure was not an option. Although it took us two years to be able to afford our first hire, and despite the fact that if we were awake, we were working, it was immediately apparent to us that we couldn't do this on our own.

We didn't need employees, we needed believers.

As such, a huge thank you all for your unwavering support throughout this journey, especially 'The Originals', you know who you are! Together, we’ve built something truly special, and I am confident that the future of Grenade is brighter than ever.

While I am stepping down as CEO, I am excited to continue my journey with the company in a new capacity as Founder, Advisor and Brand Ambassador. In this role, I will focus on promoting the values and vision that define our brand, both in the UK and internationally, while supporting the leadership team led by Tom and Phil as they take the company to new heights.

I look forward to continuing to contribute to our mission, making world class NPD, and cheering all of you on in this next chapter.

Most importantly I want to continue making serious products, for serious people, but without ever taking ourselves seriously.

I'll be off my Grenade email until Nov 8th while I'm overseas. If you need to reach me urgently during this time, please message me via WhatsApp.

Thank you once again for being such an incredible team, to work with you all has simply been the greatest honour of my life.

Here’s to an exciting future!

With gratitude,

Big Al 🙂”