From Homeless to Whole Foods: The Story Behind WhyBars
Fri Nov 07 2025
In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down Jay Kinney, founder of WhyBars, a superfood snack brand built on ancient nutrition and unstoppable persistence. From sleeping in his car to landing on the shelves of Whole Foods and Kroger, Jay’s story is one of grit, creativity, and relentless optimism.
We discussed:
The origin story of WhyBars and its roots in ancient nutrition
Jay’s journey from culinary school and the Army to entrepreneurship
Early experiments selling homemade bars door-to-door
How local farmers markets helped build awareness and demand
The transition from kitchen production to large-scale retail distribution
Building relationships with stores like Kroger, Whole Foods, and Fresh Thyme
The importance of public speaking and storytelling for founders
Personal growth: overcoming homelessness, trauma, and reclaiming his identity
The difference between building a brand to sell vs. a forever business
Staying positive and resilient in the face of personal and business challenges
This episode is brought to you by BSR.
BSR helps e-commerce brands that want to scale their business to the next level through paid ads & email marketing.
To learn more about BSR, visit their website or book a call here.
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In this episode of The DTC Insider, Brian Roisentul sits down Jay Kinney, founder of WhyBars, a superfood snack brand built on ancient nutrition and unstoppable persistence. From sleeping in his car to landing on the shelves of Whole Foods and Kroger, Jay’s story is one of grit, creativity, and relentless optimism. We discussed: The origin story of WhyBars and its roots in ancient nutrition Jay’s journey from culinary school and the Army to entrepreneurship Early experiments selling homemade bars door-to-door How local farmers markets helped build awareness and demand The transition from kitchen production to large-scale retail distribution Building relationships with stores like Kroger, Whole Foods, and Fresh Thyme The importance of public speaking and storytelling for founders Personal growth: overcoming homelessness, trauma, and reclaiming his identity The difference between building a brand to sell vs. a forever business Staying positive and resilient in the face of personal and business challenges This episode is brought to you by BSR. BSR helps e-commerce brands that want to scale their business to the next level through paid ads & email marketing. To learn more about BSR, visit their website or book a call here.