How a mom turned Paleo diet bars into a booming business empire
Shauna Sledge, a former fitness instructor and mother of three, turned her interest in healthy eating into a thriving business. After meeting Paleo diet pioneer Loren Cordain, she developed a line of nutrition bars made from whole, unprocessed foods. These bars soon became the foundation of her company, Paleo Diet Foods, which later rebranded as The Paleo Ranch.
Sledge first became fascinated with the Paleo diet after connecting with Dr. Loren Cordain, often called the 'Godfather' of the movement. His research suggested that human metabolism remains best suited to foods from the Paleolithic era—lean meats, vegetables, nuts, and berries. She wondered how to make such a diet more convenient for busy people.
Working closely with Cordain, Sledge created a protein bar free from dairy, soy, and gluten. Each bar contains nine essential amino acids and 17 grams of protein, using only Paleo-approved ingredients like eggs, meat, seeds, and fruit. Cordain himself endorsed the product as high-quality. Before appearing on *Shark Tank*, Sledge grew the business to $135,000 in sales. On the show, she and her husband pitched for a $150,000 investment in exchange for 20% of the company. The exposure helped expand their reach, leading to a rebrand in 2016 as The Paleo Ranch. Today, the company sells its products through a successful Amazon store and in major retailers like Walmart and Shaw's. The bars remain focused on the original idea: providing whole-food nutrition in a simple, portable form.
The Paleo Ranch continues to offer bars made without processed ingredients, dairy, or gluten. Their products are now widely available in both online and physical stores. The company's growth reflects a demand for convenient, diet-specific food options.
