Soylent (meal replacement)

Last updated

Soylent Nutrition, Inc.
Company type Privately held company
Industry Meal replacement
Founded2013;11 years ago (2013)
FounderRob Rhinehart
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California [1]
,
United States
Key people
Demir Vangelov (CEO)
ProductsSoylent
Website soylent.com

Soylent is a set of meal replacement products in powder, shake, and bar forms, produced by Soylent Nutrition, Inc. The company was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

Contents

Soylent is named after an industrially produced food (the name of which is a portmanteau of "soy" and "lentil") in Make Room! Make Room! , a 1966 dystopian science fiction novel (which was the basis of the 1973 film Soylent Green ) that explores the theme of resource shortages in the context of overpopulation.

The company developed a following initially in Silicon Valley and received early financial backing from GV, the investment arm of Alphabet, Inc., and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. In 2021, Soylent announced that it had become profitable starting in 2020. [2]

History

A Soylent package, along with the powder and resulting drink Soylent drink.jpg
A Soylent package, along with the powder and resulting drink

In January 2013, American software engineer Rob Rhinehart purchased 35 chemical ingredients—including potassium gluconate, calcium carbonate, monosodium phosphate, maltodextrin, and olive oil—all of which he deemed necessary for survival, based on his readings of biochemistry textbooks and U.S. government websites. [3] [4] Rhinehart used to view food as a time-consuming hassle and had resolved to treat it as an engineering problem. He blended the ingredients with water and consumed only this drink for the next thirty days. Over the course of the next two months, he adjusted the proportions of the ingredients to counter various health issues and further refined the formula. [3] [5] [6] Rhinehart claimed a host of health benefits from the drink and noted that it had greatly reduced his monthly food bill, which fell from about US$470 to $155, and the time spent behind the preparation and consumption of food while providing him greater control over his nutrition. [3]

Rhinehart's blog posts about his experiment attracted attention on Hacker News, [4] [7] eventually leading to a crowdfunding campaign on Tilt that raised about $1.5 million in preorders [8] [9] aimed at moving the powdered drink from concept into production. Media reports detailed how operations began for Soylent Nutrition, Inc., in April 2014, using a relatively small $500 system to ship the first $2.6 million worth of product. [10] In January 2015, Soylent received $20 million in Series A round funding, led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. [11] In 2017, the company raised $50 million in venture funding. [12] In 2023, Soylent was acquired by Starco Foods, the third Starco acquisition in six months. [12]

Soylent is named after a food in Harry Harrison's 1966 science fiction novel, Make Room! Make Room! [13] In the book, most types of "soylent" are made from soy and lentils, hence the name of the product, a combination of "soy" and "lent". The word also evokes the 1973 film adaptation, Soylent Green , in which the eponymous food is made from human remains. [4] Rhinehart has said he chose the name, with its morbid associations, to pique curiosity and deeper investigation, since the name was clearly not chosen with a traditionally "flashy" marketing scheme in mind. [14]

Distribution

Soylent was available for purchase and shipment only within the United States until June 15, 2015, when it began shipping to Canada. [15] In October 2017, Canada disallowed further shipments due to a failure to meet food regulations on meal replacements; [16] shipments to Canada resumed in 2020. [17]

In July 2017, 7-Eleven stores in and around Los Angeles became the first offline venues to sell Soylent. [18] By April 2018, the product was sold in over 8,000 U.S. 7-Elevens and was available at Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Meijer. [19] By 2021, over 28,000 retail stores carried Soylent. [12]

Health effects

The makers of Soylent claim it contains the nutrients necessary for a healthy lifestyle. [20] Some people have experienced gastrointestinal problems from consumption of Soylent, particularly flatulence. [21] [22]

Lead and cadmium content

On August 13, 2015, As You Sow filed a notice of intent to pursue a lawsuit against the makers of Soylent, claiming that the company was in breach of California's Proposition 65 for not adequately labeling its product given the levels of lead and cadmium present in the drink. [23] Although Soylent contains levels of lead and cadmium far below the national safety levels set by the FDA, it does contain 12 to 25 times the level of lead and 4 times the level of cadmium permitted in California without additional labeling. [23] [24] A lawyer who had worked on settlements of Proposition 65 suits described the case as "alarmist", as the levels are well below FDA limits of what is allowed in food products. [25] However, as Soylent is marketed as a complete meal replacement, many customers consume the drinks three times a day,[ citation needed ] equating to 36 to 75 times the lead and 12 times the level of cadmium without the Prop 65 label. [26]

Soylent's website displays the Proposition 65 warning required by California. [25] Soylent Nutrition, Inc. published the position that the levels of heavy metal content in Soylent "are in no way toxic, and Soylent remains completely safe and nutritious". [27] The company also published an infographic and spreadsheet based on an FDA study of heavy metal content in common foods, comparing two selected example meals to servings of Soylent with a similar amount of caloric intake.

Product recalls

In 2016, the company announced it would halt sales of the Soylent bar due to reports of gastrointestinal illness, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. [28] They asked customers to discard any unconsumed bars and offered full refunds. [29] On October 21, 2016, the company triggered a product recall.

On October 27, 2016, they also halted sales of Soylent powder. [30] The company said tests on the bar had not shown contamination[ clarification needed ] but also stated that some powder users had reported stomach-related symptoms. [31] [32]

Soylent initially suspected soy or sucralose intolerance. [33] However, on November 7, 2016, the company instead blamed algal flour for making people sick and said it planned to remove it from future formulations of the powders and bars, [34] [35] which it did in the next formulation, version 1.7, introduced on December 15, 2016. [36] [37] The drink-based products use algal oil, not algal flour, so were deemed to be safe for users.[ citation needed ]

Reviews

Soylent has gone through multiple iterations since its release, which have significantly changed the flavor, texture, and nutritional ingredients.

Rhinehart called the flavor of the original versions "minimal", "broad", and "nonspecific". [38] Soylent 1.0 contained soy lecithin and sucralose as masking flavors and to adjust appearance, texture, and smell. [39] Before version 1.4, vanillin was included as an ingredient for flavoring. [40]

Dylan Matthews of The Washington Post noted in 2013 that Soylent fulfills a similar need as medical foods like Abbott Laboratories' Jevity, but at a much lower cost. [41]

Reviews on the taste of powdered Soylent have varied. Writing for The Verge , Chris Ziegler said he was "pleasantly surprised" with the "rich, creamy, and strangely satisfying" flavor, [22] and a reviewer for Business Insider likened it to a vanilla milkshake with the texture of pancake batter, [42] while a writer for The Guardian wrote that it was "purposefully bland", "vile", and made the taster "gag". [43]

Farhad Manjoo of The New York Times said he "found Soylent to be a punishingly boring, joyless product". [21] Chris Ziegler of The Verge, who experimented with subsisting only on Soylent for almost a month, said that although he liked and "never really tired of the flavor", he still concluded that "Soylent isn't living, it's merely surviving", and described the apple he ate at the end of that period as "my first meal back from the abyss" and the best he'd ever had in his life. [22] A writer for Gawker said he "was having trouble getting it down" and eventually "dumped the whole thing in the sink". [44]

Both Manjoo and Ziegler said they had experienced some gastrointestinal problems from drinking the product. [22] [21] Lee Hutchinson of Ars Technica also reported a brief period of "adaptation gas" at the beginning of a four-day experiment. [14]

The mocha-flavored version has been described as similar to a "caffeinated Nesquik drink". [45]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nutella</span> Chocolate and hazelnut flavored spread

Nutella is a brand of brown, sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread. Nutella is manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero and was introduced in 1964, although its first iteration dates to 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soybean</span> Legume grown for its edible bean

The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gatorade</span> Manufacturer of sports-themed beverage and food products

Gatorade is an American brand of sports-themed beverage and food products, built around its signature line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo and is distributed in over 80 countries. The beverage was first developed in 1965 by a team of researchers led by Dr. Robert Cade. It was originally made for the Gators at the University of Florida to replenish the carbohydrates that the school's student-athletes burned and the combination of water and electrolytes that they lost in sweat during vigorous sports activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milkshake</span> Cold dairy beverage

A milkshake is a sweet beverage made by blending milk, ice cream, and flavorings or sweeteners such as butterscotch, caramel sauce, chocolate syrup, or fruit syrup into a thick, sweet, cold mixture. It may also be made using a base made from non-dairy products, including plant milks such as almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. Dry ingredients such as whole fruit, nuts, seeds, candy, or cookies may be incorporated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soy milk</span> Beverage made from soyabeans

Soy milk, also known as soya milk or soymilk, is a plant-based drink produced by soaking and grinding soybeans, boiling the mixture, and filtering out remaining particulates. It is a stable emulsion of oil, water, and protein. Its original form is an intermediate product of the manufacture of tofu. Originating in China, it became a common beverage in Europe and North America in the latter half of the 20th century, especially as production techniques were developed to give it a taste and consistency more closely resembling that of dairy milk. Soy milk may be used as a substitute for dairy milk by individuals who are vegan or lactose intolerant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy bar</span> Nutritional snack bar

Energy bars are supplemental bars containing cereals, micronutrients, and flavor ingredients intended to supply quick food energy. Because most energy bars contain added protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and other nutrients, they may be marketed as functional foods. Manufacturing of energy bars may supply nutrients in sufficient quantity to be used as meal replacements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special K</span> WK Kellogg Co brand of cereal

Special K is an American brand of breakfast cereal and meal bars originally manufactured by Kellogg's. The cereal was introduced to the United States in 1955. It is made primarily from grains such as lightly toasted rice, wheat and barley. Special K used to be marketed primarily as a low-fat cereal that can be eaten to help one lose weight. Following the 2023 spinoff of Kellogg's North American cereal division, the cereal is manufactured by WK Kellogg Co for the United States, Canada, and Caribbean markets. The former Kellogg's, renamed Kellanova, continues to manufacture the cereal for the rest of the world and the meal bars for all markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerry Group</span> Public food company headquartered in Ireland

Kerry Group plc is a public food company headquartered in Ireland. It is quoted on the Dublin ISEQ and London stock exchanges.

<i>Banchan</i> Korean side dishes

Banchan are small side dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine. Banchan are set in the middle of the table to be shared. At the center of the table is the secondary main course, such as galbi or bulgogi, and a shared pot of jjigae. Bowls of cooked rice and guk (soup) are set individually. Banchan are served in small portions, meant to be finished at each meal and replenished during the meal if not enough. Usually, the more formal the meals are, the more banchan there will be. Jeolla province is particularly famous for serving many different varieties of banchan in a single meal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ensure</span> American brand of nutritional supplements

Ensure is an American brand of nutritional supplements and meal replacements manufactured by Abbott Laboratories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soy protein</span> A protein that is isolated from soybean

Soy protein is a protein that is isolated from soybean. It is made from soybean meal that has been dehulled and defatted. Dehulled and defatted soybeans are processed into three kinds of high protein commercial products: soy flour, concentrates, and isolates. Soy protein isolate has been used since 1959 in foods for its functional properties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smoothie</span> Drink made from fruit or vegetables

A smoothie is a beverage made by puréeing ingredients in a blender. A smoothie commonly has a liquid base, such as fruit juice or milk or yogurt. Other ingredients may be added, including fruits, vegetables, non-dairy milk, crushed ice, whey powder or nutritional supplements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meal replacement</span> Food substitute with controlled quantities of calories and nutrients

A meal replacement is a drink, bar, soup, etc. intended as a substitute for a solid food, usually with controlled quantities of calories and nutrients. Some drinks come in powdered form or pre-mixed health shakes that can be cheaper than solid foods with identical health qualities. Medically prescribed meal replacement drinks include the body's necessary vitamins and minerals. Bodybuilders sometimes use meal replacements, not formulated for weight loss, to save food preparation time when eating 5-6 meals a day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nesquik</span> Brand of products made by Nestlé

Nesquik is a brand of food products made by Swiss company Nestlé. In 1948, Nestlé launched a drink mix for chocolate-flavored milk called Nestlé Quik in the United States; this was released in Europe during the 1950s as Nesquik.

Ambronite is a nutritional drinkable meal replacement intended to supply all of a human body's daily needs, made from 20 organic ingredients that includes berries, nuts, seeds and spinach. The product is a powder that is mixed with water to turn it into food. Ambronite's name is based on the Greek word for "food of the Gods" — Ambrosia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vegan cheese</span> Cheese-like substance made without animal products

Vegan cheese is a category of non-dairy, plant-based cheese analogues. Vegan cheeses range from soft fresh cheeses to aged and cultured hard grateable cheeses like plant-based Parmesan. The defining characteristic of vegan cheese is the exclusion of all animal products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huel</span> Powdered food product and company

Huel Ltd. is a complete nutrition brand that makes plant-based meals, snacks, drinks, and supplements. Its products are made from oats, rice protein, pea protein, sunflower, flaxseed, coconut oil MCTs, and several dietary supplements. Most products are sweetened with sucralose or stevia. The product's name is a portmanteau of human fuel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nutribun</span>

Nutribun, also referred to as Nutri-bun or Nutriban, is a bread product used in elementary school feeding programs in the Philippines to combat child malnutrition, initially as part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)'s Food for Peace program from 1971 to 1997, and later as part of the child health programs of various Philippine cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pea milk</span> Plant milk made from pea protein

Pea milk is a type of plant milk. It is made using pea protein extracted from yellow peas, usually in combination with water, sunflower oil, micronutrients added for food fortification, thickeners, and phosphates. Commercial pea milk typically comes in sweetened, unsweetened, vanilla and chocolate flavors. It is marketed as a more environmentally-friendly alternative to almond milk and a non-GMO alternative to soy milk. It is a suitable product for people with soy allergies.

<i>Soy boy</i> Pejorative term for men perceived as non-masculine

Soy boy is a pejorative term sometimes used in online communities to describe men perceived to be lacking masculine characteristics. The term bears many similarities and has been compared to the slang terms cuck, nu-male and low-T – terms sometimes used as an insult for male femininity by online communities.

References

  1. ↑ "Soylent Offices – Los Angeles". May 20, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Soylent, once the beverage of tech bros, finds a new audience". finance.yahoo.com. July 28, 2021. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "How I Stopped Eating Food". Rob Rhinehart personal blog. February 13, 2013. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "The End of Food". The New Yorker. May 12, 2014. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  5. ↑ Storr, Will (May 6, 2013). "The man who lives without food". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on May 8, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  6. ↑ Hannan, Caleb (July 18, 2013). "Could This Liquid Replace Food?". Popular Science. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  7. ↑ Johnson, Theresa Christine (March 14, 2017). "The Fascinating Start to Future Food Brand Soylent". The Dieline. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  8. ↑ Hutchinson, Lee (October 21, 2013). "Soylent gets a $1.5 million infusion of venture capital". Ars Technica . Archived from the original on February 6, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  9. ↑ Luzar, Charles (October 22, 2013). "Crowdfunding Darling Soylent Nets $1.5 Million in VC Funding".
  10. ↑ Ballantyne, Alando (June 3, 2015). "How We Spent $500 on Tech to Ship $2.6M of Soylent". Medium.com . Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Soylent Raises Money". Rob Rhinehart personal blog. January 14, 2015. Archived from the original on January 21, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 Hall, Christine (February 21, 2023). "Soylent acquired by Starco Brands as nutrition company shifts into its 'natural next stage'". TechCrunch.
  13. ↑ Varughese, Ansa (March 15, 2013). "Rob Rhinehart, 24, Creates Soylent: Why You Never Have To Eat Food Again". Medical Daily. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  14. 1 2 Hutchinson, Lee (September 15, 2013). "Ars does Soylent, the finale: Soylent dreams for people". Ars Technica . Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Soylent: Now Shipping to Canada". Soylent Blog. June 15, 2015. Archived from the original on June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  16. ↑ Kappler, Maija (October 25, 2017). "Meal replacement company Soylent has imports blocked in Canada". CTV News . Toronto. Archived from the original on October 25, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Meal Replacement Startup Soylent Returns to Canada for First Time Since 2017". forbes.com. April 13, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Soylent is being sold offline for the first time". The Verge. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Soylent Meal Replacement Drinks Are Coming to Walmart". Fortune. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  20. ↑ Hutchinson, Lee (January 29, 2014). "Soylent gets tested, scores a surprisingly wholesome nutritional label". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on June 13, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015. However, nutrition testing done to gain the label established that Soylent meets the Food and Drug Administration's standards for a whole raft of healthy claims: 'Everything from reduced risk of heart disease and some cancers to absence of tooth decay', said Rhinehart. Based on the testing, he explained, Soylent can make many of the health and nutrient claims that the FDA tracks.
  21. 1 2 3 Manjoo, Farhad (May 28, 2014), "The Soylent Revolution Will Not Be Pleasurable", The New York Times , archived from the original on February 15, 2017, retrieved March 3, 2017
  22. 1 2 3 4 Ziegler, Chris (July 17, 2014). "Soylent survivor: one month living on lab-made liquid nourishment". The Verge . Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2016. Each box contains seven packets of powder – one per day – paired with seven bottles of a fish oil / canola oil blend.
  23. 1 2 Houck, Brenna (August 16, 2015). "Soylent Under Fire for Allegedly Failing to Provide Adequate Warnings on Its Labels". Eater. Archived from the original on August 17, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  24. ↑ "As You Sow Files Notice of Legal Action Against Soylent Super Food". PR News Wire. August 13, 2015. Archived from the original on August 15, 2015.
  25. 1 2 Watson, Elaine (August 17, 2015). "Soylent case reignites debate over Prop 65: 'It's basically extortion,' claims attorney". Archived from the original on August 16, 2015.
  26. ↑ Westervelt, Amy (August 18, 2015). "Heavy metals prove all too common in meal replacement products, says watchdog group". The Guardian . London. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  27. ↑ "Soylent FAQ: California Proposition 65". Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  28. ↑ Mole, Beth (October 12, 2016). "Soylent halts sale of bars; investigation into illnesses continues". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  29. ↑ Lomas, Natasha (October 13, 2016). "Soylent Bars recalled after some customers get sick". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Soylent Thinks It Found What Was Making People Sick: Algae". Bloomberg.com. November 7, 2016. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  31. ↑ Lomas, Natasha (October 28, 2016). "Soylent pulls Powder as part of probe into customer sickness". TechCrunch. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  32. ↑ Dave, Paresh (October 27, 2016). "Soylent halts sales of its powder as customers keep getting sick". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  33. ↑ Mole, Beth (October 12, 2016). "People get "violently ill" from Soylent bars; company stumped". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on October 12, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  34. ↑ Filloon, Whitney (November 7, 2016). "Soylent Blames Algae for Making Customers Violently Ill". Eater. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  35. ↑ Mole, Beth (November 8, 2016). "Solved: Algal flour was causing violent illnesses, Soylent says". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  36. ↑ Purbasari, Anisa (November 7, 2016). "Soylent blames algal flour for consumer complaints". The Verge. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  37. ↑ "Powder 1.7 Now Shipping". Soylent Nutrition, Inc. December 15, 2016. Archived from the original on December 16, 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  38. ↑ "Stephen Colbert Taste Tests Soylent... And Finds It Delicious?", Inc. , June 13, 2014, archived from the original on November 9, 2017, retrieved February 11, 2018, Rhinehart described the 'minimal flavor' as 'broad' and 'nonspecific'
  39. ↑ "Soylent: There is more to food than nutrition. Even a..." soylent.me. January 13, 2014. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  40. ↑ Soylent 1.4 begins shipping today., February 25, 2015, archived from the original on February 27, 2015, retrieved March 20, 2015
  41. ↑ Matthews, Dylan (March 14, 2013). "Rob Rhinehart has a crazy plan to let you go without food forever. It just might work". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  42. ↑ Love, Dylan (July 14, 2014), "Soylent Review", Business Insider , archived from the original on May 23, 2016, retrieved August 15, 2014
  43. ↑ Mahdawi, Arwa (February 8, 2016), "Mansplain it to Me: inside the Stupid Hackathon for extremely stupid ideas", The Guardian , archived from the original on February 8, 2016, retrieved February 8, 2016
  44. ↑ "We Drank Soylent, the Weird Food of the Future", Gawker , May 19, 2013, archived from the original on October 5, 2014, retrieved February 5, 2017
  45. ↑ Robinson, Melia. "I gave up breakfast for a week and drank this caffeinated meal-replacement shake instead". Business Insider. Archived from the original on November 5, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.