The $500 million gummy bear

It would’ve been easy to doubt Grüns. On the surface, it’s just another supplement brand joining the crowded marketplace of pills, powders, and gummies that come with major health claims.   But just two years into its existence, Grüns has hit a $500 million valuation — a figure more on par with that of AI companies than a new consumer brand. The company’s CEO says it’s already profitable, too, and has landed placements in Walmart, Target, and more.  David Lidsky, Inc.’s head of editorial strategy, recently got an inside look at Grüns and its finances. On this week’s Circling Back, he tells reporter Chloe Aiello why he thinks the company is on track to hit $200 million in revenue this year and how it plans to leverage its gummy bear mascot, Barry, to keep growing.   Then, on Closing the Loop, David and Chloe share their news obsessions of the week: the leadership shakeup at Sequoia Capital, and Republican leaders who used the solar subsidies they voted to kill.