RXBAR to be made available nationwide

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Chicago-based startup has landed a deal that distributes its product nationwide. You'll now find RXBAR at Trader Joe's stores across the country.

ABC7 Eyewitness News visited the company's headquarters in the West Loop to find out why the product is becoming so popular.

"We believe in real, whole food ingredients. We were looking for a bar that contained whole food and real ingredients - the highest standard ingredients," said Peter Rahal, RxBar founder.

The company's aim is to produce a whole food protein bar with, as the label says, "No B.S."

This is Lupe. She does a lot of the research and development. But three years ago, it was Rahal and his partner who were holed up in a kitchen for several months. They tested hundreds of recipes until they found one that worked.

"It just tasted good and our mothers loved it. That was the pass," Rahal said.

Then they went door-to-door looking for customers to try - and buy - the product.

Protein Bar was among the first.

"They kind of fit three big things we were looking for. First, it tasted great. Second, nutritionally, it was an amazing, relevant product. Third, they were hustlers. They were young entrepreneurs, just like what I am," said Matt Matros, Protein Bar founder.

Franchises stock two of RXBAR's most popular flavors: Chocolate Sea Salt and Blueberry. The newest flavor is Maple Sea Salt. It's delicious - and it takes some time to chew.

Rahal said success is sweet.

"It takes tenacity. So, you have to know where you want to go and there's a lot of failure. But at the end of the day you make progress," Rahal said.

To celebrate their progress, Rahal said they toasted their most recent deal with Trader Joe's sparkling wine.