Atkins Nutritionals

Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. was founded by Robert Atkins in order to promote the low-carbohydrate packaged foods of the Atkins diet. Currently it is owned by Roark Capital Group.

Atkins founded Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. in 1989 to promote the low-carbohydrate products of his increasingly popular Atkins diet. This diet was developed after Atkins read a research paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association published by Gordon Azar and Walter Lyons Bloom. Atkins used information from the study to resolve his own overweight condition.

In October 2003 Parthenon Capital LLC and Goldman Sachs both acquired stakes in the company. Following the death of its founder in 2003, the popularity of the diet and demand for Atkins products waned, causing Atkins Nutritionals Inc. to file for bankruptcy in July 2005, citing losses of $340 million.

The company emerged from bankruptcy in 2007 owned by North Castle Partners, with a softened marketing emphasis on the low-carbohydrate aspect of its products and an attempt to emphasize the overall nutritional value of its line of foods. It now has in place a business strategy concentrating on sales of nutrition bars and shakes.

Roark Capital Group bought the company in 2010. Under Roark it has stabilized but it is rumored to be a disappointment;n its 6 year hold period is longer than typical for private equity firms. In February 2015 it was reported that Roark was seeking to sell the company but no buyer ever materialized.

The Atkins Nutritionals' products are low-carbohydrate. Although the marketing focus of the company has changed after their emergence from bankruptcy, the products remain low-carbohydrate to stay faithful to the philosophy of the diet. It is also stated on the packages the stage of the Atkins Nutritional Approach where they may be used. There are four lines of Atkins products, Advantage, Day Break, Endulge and Cuisine.

In the Advantage line, the main products are meal bars, snacks and shakes. The Advantage bars claim to be "a satisfying meal replacements or filling snacks". The Advantage Snack/Light Meal Bars claim to "help fight hunger in-between meals". The Advantage Shakes claim to have "protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals with almost no sugar".

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