Soilent 2.0 - liquid food of the future for the fight against snacks and fast food

In our blog, we talked about how restaurants automate their work using special systems (for example, Jowi ), take care of the comfort of visitors using the right light and sound , and also use psychological tricks to increase the average bill.

We also touched upon health issues - for example, is fast food food really harmful than “restaurant” , and also told about a new slimming drink called “ bulletproof coffee ”. Another project, even more popular with audiences and investors, is liquid food called Soilent. Not so long ago, developers have released a new version of this "product." The TechCrunch edition decided to study in more detail to whom it might be useful, and what the creators thought about. We present to your attention an adapted translation of this note.
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Soylent , the producer of the drink that replaces solid food, named after the film in which people, unwittingly, fed on other people, announced their new product. In August, a venture capital- funded company unveiled Soilent 2.0 (still not human), a vegan soy-based nutritional drink that is now available in bottles. Initially, Coilent was sold in powder form for $ 3 per serving and delivered in a set with a free mixer and a spoon.

Thanks to external investments, the cost of Soylenta was reduced to $ 2 for 400 kilocalories (or $ 70 / month). The drink itself is a mixture of carbohydrates, amino acids, proteins and many vitamins.

The product created a real sensation, especially among scientists, engineers and students who would prefer to switch from traditional food to Solent during periods when they are too busy programming or studying, and they do not have time to cook.

However, the product was well known only in narrow circles of the first consumers, not only because of the novelty and complexity of its preparation, but also because Soylent was initially positioned as a "complete replacement for traditional food." Its creator, Rob Rhinehart, even lived on Soilent for a month before returning to regular food. Representatives of the company report that today the number of their customers, including regular and made a single order, has exceeded 50,000.

The new ready-to-use mixture developed by the company from the beginning to the end, with the addition of vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and proteins needed by the human body, is designed for a slightly different category of customers. In its blog, the company noted that Soilent 2.0 will help consumers to abandon fast food and snacks between breakfast and lunch.

In other words, Soilent 2.0 is looking for its client among those who are already buying beverages that replace food. Its main competitors in the market are, first and foremost, companies such as Ensure and Boost, which sell similar meal replacements. Do not forget about the manufacturers of diet cocktails (Slimfast, Atkins, Special K, Nutrisystem and many others) and protein drinks, designed for athletes and people who adhere to a special diet.

Soilent 2.0 is described by the manufacturer as a vegan drink whose caloric content comes from algae. It has a low glycemic index, since 47 percent of its dietary energy is released from healthy fats, 33 percent from “slow” carbohydrates, and the remaining 20 percent from proteins. This provides a uniform, constant release of energy, without jumps and failures.

Each bottle of Soilent 2.0 contains 20 percent of the daily requirement of essential vitamins and minerals. The product can be stored for one year in non-refrigerated condition.

However, it is difficult to predict how a new formula with algae will affect the taste of the product until it falls into the hands of consumers. From the very beginning, the company has been experimenting with a cocktail recipe, trying to improve its viscous powdery consistency. The impressions of those who have already tried Soylent turned out to be ambiguous . Stephen Colbert (Stephen Colbert), once having tasted a drink, immediately added chocolate syrup to it. The New Yorker, in contrast, called the cocktail "a complete substitute for traditional food."



The novelty went on sale on October 15 at a price of $ 29 for a package of 12 bottles (that is, about $ 2.42 per bottle), which is significantly higher than the price of competitors. For example, a pack of 16 bottles of Ensure at Walmart.com costs only $ 20. However, the company claims that competitors' products are not as nutritious as Soilent, which gives the body all the necessary substances, and often contain sugar in its composition.

Now the main question is whether the company will be able to convince consumers of its competitors to switch to Soilent or at least try it.