2015-01-14

Soylent’s Next Chapter

We are thrilled to announce that Soylent has received $20 million in Series A funding led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from Lerer Ventures, Index Ventures and individual investors including David Friedberg, CEO of The Climate Corporation. Chris Dixon, general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, will also join Soylent’s board. This is a huge leap forward for our company, and we are humbled by the trust our investors and all of you have put in Soylent as we continue to grow.

With this funding, our team will have the opportunity to accomplish many of our short and long-term business goals. First and foremost, we will be significantly expanding our manufacturing and shipping capabilities. This process has already begun with two new manufacturers that will ramp up our production to more than fifty times its previous rate allowing us to vigorously tackle our order backlog while working toward imminent real-time shipping fulfillment. As always, we will also continue our ongoing product development efforts and biotechnology research to provide you with the most efficient, sustainable staple food on the market.

Like most start-ups, we have experienced growing pains, running the gamut from product development to fulfillment issues. Working with Chris Dixon, the entire Andreessen Horowitz team, and all of our seed and angel investors has been an invaluable experience for our organization. Their guidance and support has been instrumental in our progress thus far, and will continue to be as our business grows and evolves.

Below please find posts from Rob and Chris Dixon that explain this deal in detail and what it means for Soylent and the food tech industry:

Rob Rhinehart 

Chris Dixon 

2014-12-11

Soylent 1.3 Shipping Today

We are pleased to announce the arrival of Soylent 1.3, the latest milestone in our development of an increasingly efficient and environmentally-friendly staple food. With the inclusion of dipotassium phosphate and a reduction in the size of our shipping boxes, we have incrementally improved both your Soylent experience and our distribution efficiency.

The last Soylent 1.2 shipments left our warehouses yesterday, and starting today (11 Dec 2014) Soylent 1.3 will be the only version shipping to customers.

What’s New in Soylent 1.3

Soylent 1.3 now contains dipotassium phosphate, which replaces potassium gluconate as the primary source of potassium. Through this change, we have been able to improve the neutrality of Soylent’s flavor profile while decreasing the mass of the Soylent pouch to 432 grams.

You will also notice that we have made a slight change in our packaging with another reduction in the size of our shipping boxes. Customer feedback has indicated that surplus volume in our shipping boxes is inconvenient, and we are working constantly to make the packaging as space-efficient as possible.

Regarding Gluten

Making Soylent free of all major allergens has been a priority since conception. While no ingredient in Soylent 1.3 naturally contains gluten, our oat flour is produced in a facility that also processes wheat products. Even with an allergen containment program in place, Soylent contains gluten at a concentration greater than 5 parts-per-million, the upper limit for gluten free certification from the Celiac Support Association.

The cross-contamination challenges of oats are significant. From the farms where they are grown, the containers in which they are transported, and the facilities that process them, oats have numerous opportunities to come into contact with surfaces shared with wheat, barley and rye. Certified gluten free oat flour has proven extremely challenging to source at scale, and several promising alternatives to oat flour are currently under examination. We look forward to releasing a future Soylent update which is certified gluten free.

Additional Information

Thank you to all of our customers who have taken the Soylent journey with us, through the crowdfunding campaign, our release of 100% animal-free Soylent 1.2, to today’s announcement. Your feedback continues to be the cornerstone of our product development process — we look forward to hearing what you think of this updated version. As of today, all orders being shipped to you, regardless of order date, will include the new formula.

Our product development team is moving at lightning speed to further enhance your Soylent experience, and we look forward to hearing your feedback on Solyent 1.3 to include in any future versions of the product. If you have any questions, need additional information or simply want to discuss your thoughts on Soylent 1.3 with our community, please visit the Soylent Discourse.

2014-11-10

Announcing Soylent 1.2

Development of the Soylent formula is ongoing as we work to engineer the most healthy, affordable, and convenient staple food ever produced.  

Today, we take another step towards achieving this goal with the launch of Soylent 1.2. All shipments leaving our facilities now contain the updated formula.

Soylent 1.2 no longer uses fish oil as a source of omega 3 fatty acids.  These essential nutrients are now provided by algal oil, which results in a formula produced with increased efficiency and without the use of animal products.

After further evaluation, the enzyme blend introduced in Soylent 1.1 has been removed from the 1.2 formula to increase satiety.

Oil Blend Changes / Soylent Now Animal-Free

Efficiency in all areas has always been a core principle of Soylent’s product development. Animal-based products are inherently less efficient than plant-based products due to the greater amount of resources required in their creation.

A perfect example of the inefficiency of animal-based nutritional compounds is fish oil, used in Soylent 1.0 and 1.1 as the source of omega-3 fatty acids DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).

The fish oil used in those versions of Soylent is manufactured from Icelandic herring, mackerel, and anchovy. These animals have a natural diet of algae, which results in high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids in their flesh. After being harvested from the North Atlantic by large fleets of fishing vessels, these fish are transferred to processing facilities where they are turned into fish oil through an energy-intensive process which includes application of heat, pressure, and centrifugal force.

For Soylent 1.2, we eliminated fish from the production process entirely. DHA and EPA are now harvested directly from algae cultivated in large fermentation tanks. This leads to a much more tightly controlled process with increased efficiency and sustainability.

An added benefit to this increased efficiency is that Soylent is now 100% animal-free, meaning that we will no longer need to offer the “vegan” formula which required users to supply their own oil blend. We are excited to simplify the user experience for these customers and appreciate their patience over the past several months as we have worked towards this goal.

Digestive Enzyme Removal Improves Satiety

Soylent 1.1 included enzymes that were hypothesized to help with digestion. While a small group of users reported that these enzymes improved digestion, a larger group indicated Soylent 1.1 was thinner in consistency, giving a less filling experience. These enzymes have been removed in Soylent 1.2 to improve the blend’s thickness and satiation.  

For customers that felt Soylent 1.1 helped with their digestion compared to 1.0, please see the Release Notes in your shipment of Soylent 1.2 for information about over-the-counter enzymatic blends that best emulate the experience of 1.1.

We are currently testing new enzyme blends (among other options) to further address user digestive issues. We have identified potential adjustments to the formula that we are excited to bring to customers once testing is complete. This aspect of Soylent’s development remains a top priority for our product team as we continue to iterate on the product.

More Information

Thank you to all of our customers that have tried Soylent 1.0, 1.1, and will soon receive Soylent 1.2! We are excited that our product development has been progressing rapidly and look forward to hearing feedback from our customers who will be receiving Soylent 1.2 in the coming weeks. For more information on Soylent 1.2 and to discuss with our community, please visit the Soylent Discourse.

2014-10-06

Thank you, Soylent crowdfunding backers!

Last week, the final crowdfunding orders left our facilities. After 6 months of shipping Soylent, we are excited to share this important milestone in our progress towards real time fulfillment.

We still have a significant backlog of new orders (those placed after May 5, 2014) and our efforts have now shifted to shipping these orders as quickly as possible in the order they were received.

Another exciting note: Soylent 1.0 has been replaced by Soylent 1.1, our first update to the Soylent formula and packaging.  If you haven’t already received a shipment notification email, we will be shipping you Soylent 1.1! You can read more about Soylent 1.1 here.

Thank you again for your support — we know we have said this many times in the past, but it comes from the heart and we truly mean it. Rosa Labs would not be a company and Soylent would not be a real product without all of you. We look forward to continuing the journey towards fulfilling our backlog of orders and appreciate your continued patience as we navigate the intricacies of this brand new way of eating.  

2014-10-02

Introducing Soylent 1.1

When we began shipping Soylent 1.0, we were confident it was a food that people would love. The largely positive feedback we received from our early adopters confirmed this hope, but also provided valuable guidance on how to improve Soylent 1.0.

Today, we are extremely happy to announce Soylent 1.1, our first revision to the original Soylent formula. Starting today, all orders will be fulfilled with Soylent 1.1. We have made two changes to the 1.0 formula, resulting in a food with greater neutrality and digestibility (as indicated by preliminary tests). Sucralose has been reduced from 60mg to 30mg per pouch and a blend of digestive enzymes (Alpha-galactosidase and proteases) have been added to the forumula.

Sucralose Levels

We have tried at all times to maintain Soylent’s position as a perfect staple food. As such, we want the sensory experience to be a blank canvas which allows users to mold Soylent into a food that fits seamlessly into their life.

In the case of the sweetness of the product, we realized that it is always easier to add sweetness than to take it away. Feedback from Soylent 1.0 consumers indicated that many people have been choosing to customize the flavor profile of their individual days of Soylent, and we decided that reducing the baseline level of sweetness would provide greater freedom in choosing flavoring options.

Digestive Enzymes

Feedback from Soylent 1.0 strongly indicated that due to the differences in individual people’s digestive capabilities, action needed to be taken to ensure that the product is easily digested by everyone, without compromising the other benefits that Soylent provides.

The enzyme blend that we added is a mixture of a few different enzymes, which break down proteins and carbohydrates into smaller, more easily digestible fragments. Preliminary tests have indicated that they may reduce the digestive issues reported by some Soylent consumers.

Of course, there are myriad factors which affect a food’s digestive characteristics, and it will take several iterations to optimize fully for this category. We think Soylent 1.1 is a solid first step, and will be relying on feedback from our customers to evaluate the full effectiveness of the enzyme blend.

Packaging Update

We have also made a few changes to the packaging for Soylent 1.1:

Shipping boxes have been reduced over 50% in size. 

Oil bottles have updated design and improved seals.

Pouches include improved powder-resistant zippers.

More Information

Our sincere thanks to everyone who tried Soylent 1.0 for their feedback! We look forward to continuously improving the product and can’t wait to share future iterations of Soylent with you as we become ever-more efficient and complete. For more information on the 1.1 formula changes, please visit the Soylent Discourse.

2014-09-03

Current Production and Fulfillment Status

Our efforts to meet the overwhelming demand for Soylent 1.0 have been paying off: last month, we increased our shipping rate over 500%, and have now shipped over 200,000 pouches of Soylent 1.0!

Ramping up our shipping has been a long process and we couldn’t have done it without the patience and understanding of our backers. Thanks to all of you — we are grateful for the opportunity to provide balanced, easy nutrition to so many excellent individuals.

We want to give a more detailed update on where we currently stand in terms of both fulfillment and production:

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Fulfillment:

- Virtually all crowdfunding orders for ≥1 month of Soylent 1.0 have been shipped, and we have started shipping 2 and 3 week crowdfunding orders.

- Given our current Soylent 1.0 stock and shipping rate, we are confident that we will finish all domestic crowdfunding orders in the next 4-5 weeks. We are confident of maintaining (or increasing) our shipping rate over the next month, but this is an estimate.

- To ensure that we send Soylent orders to the right place, we have begun to send address confirmation emails to some customers a few weeks before their Soylent 1.0 order ships. These have proven highly effective, and our rate of misaddressed shipments has dropped significantly.

- Once we have completed shipping all crowdfunding orders, we will begin shipping ecommerce orders and subscriptions (placed 5/6/14 and later) in the order they were received.

Production:

- Our manufacturer is currently finishing up the second major batch production of Soylent. The next production run is currently being coordinated and moving along according to plan.

- We are in the final stages of a Soylent 1.0 shipping box redesign. Look for a more size-efficient box shipping soon!

- We’ve made an update to the resealable pouches used for Soylent 1.0. The new pouches will have improved powder-resistant zippers and will begin shipping inside the new boxes.

- Feedback from customers has been incredibly useful, and we are working continuously to incorporate your experiences into future Soylent product updates. Thank you to those that have tried the product and told us about their experiences!

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The best part of getting Soylent 1.0 into more hands (and stomachs) has been seeing all the different ways that people incorporate it into their lives. Our #SoylentPioneers are discovering new purposes, preparation methods, and places to drink Soylent every day! Check them out here.

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As always, we welcome your questions and comments regarding this update. Please click here to give your feedback!

We will contact customers directly via email if any updates are needed to ensure their order ships normally. If you have a crowdfunding order for 1 month of Soylent and have not received a shipping notification email, please email info@soylent.me.

2014-08-08

Soylent Shipping Update + 100k Milestone

We’ve been working hard on shipping orders, and are pleased to share that over 100,000 pouches of Soylent 1.0 have been delivered to our backers!

That’s 200,000,000 kcal (enough to feed a 150 lb. male for over 250 years!), and means that we are getting close to finishing the shipment of backer orders of one month and greater.

We have identified some orders that may require updated shipping information, and over the next several weeks we will be emailing these customers asking to confirm their address.  Please keep an eye out for an address confirmation email — but if you do not receive one, rest assured your order will ship normally.

Soylent t-shirts will ship today and Monday and hoodies will be sent in the next few weeks. To be notified when this merchandise is available for purchase on our site, please sign up here.

Thank you again for your patience and we are excited to hear more of your stories as we ship Soylent 1.0. We look forward to sharing another update on our crowdfunding campaign fulfillment progress in the next few weeks.

2014-07-18

Soylent 1.0 Update

tl;dr

- We recently put a brief hold on shipping, which has since resumed

- Early recipients of Soylent 1.0 indicated they were quite happy with the taste, texture, and ease of Soylent, but some experienced side effects including flatulence and headaches

- We took some time to work closely with customers to better define the circumstances under which these side effects were occurring and found the potential for issues can be significantly reduced by introducing Soylent 1.0 slowly into the diet and adhering to some basic consumption principles (listed below)

- We have updated the instructions for using Soylent 1.0 and are working to ensure Soylent mitigates these concerns in our next formulation

- We are shipping Soylent 1.0 as fast as possible and would like to thank our backers for their feedback and partnership in pioneering new food

Shipping Delay

In the beginning of July, we briefly stopped shipping while we evaluated reports from the community of physical side effects, mostly in the form of flatulence. We elected not to inform our backers until we had more information on the scope of the problem. It was painful for us to withhold the reasons why we stopped shipping, but we needed to ensure we had a plan in place rather than resorting to speculation.

We spent the past few weeks listening to our customers in order to better define the circumstances under which an issue might occur, in conjunction with obtaining a more nuanced understanding of the physiological mechanisms involved. We would like to thank the backers that have already received Soylent 1.0 for their feedback via the discourse community, social media, surveys, and direct outreach. With your help we have been able to quickly ensure that the Soylent 1.0 experience is improved for everyone going forward.

Currently backer orders (placed before 5/6/14) for 1 month of Soylent are shipping.

Optimizing the Soylent Experience

Our research found that switching immediately to a predominantly Soylent-based diet was the most common source of customer issues. The flatulence issue seems to most drastically impact backers going from never having Soylent to immediately using Soylent for > 60% of their diet. Dehydration and lower-than-usual sodium have also impacted some backers that are physically active or had a sodium-rich diet prior to switching to a Soylent-focused diet. 

Based on these findings, we are confident that the potential for physical issues when using Soylent can be greatly reduced by introducing Soylent 1.0 more slowly into the diet and adhering to some basic consumption principles.

To mitigate potential digestive concerns:

1. Do not consume Soylent as your predominant source of food without easing into it slowly to allow your body and gut bacteria time to adjust. This should take at least 3-5 days and in some cases longer.

2. If you experience digestive issues, try drinking Soylent more slowly and over a longer period of time during each meal.

3. Over-the-counter digestive enzymes (Beano®) and simethicone (Gas-X®) can help reduce these issues.

Concerning possible hyponatremia (low sodium) or dehydration:

1. Soylent provides slightly less sodium per day than necessary. If you experience headaches or tiredness we recommend adding ¼ teaspoon table salt per pouch of Soylent.

2. The IOM recommends 2.7-3.7L+ of water per day depending on build and activity level. Soylent provides 1.6L meaning you must consume a significant amount of water in addition to Soylent.

Immediate Steps

All shipments of Soylent 1.0 leaving our facilities after July 30 will contain an updated instructions booklet with more guidance on how to best incorporate Soylent into your diet.

In the interim, here is a link to a digital version of the new instructions.

For those that have already received Soylent 1.0, please use the link above in place of any box inserts.

Future Steps

Soylent is continuously evolving within the emerging nutritionally complete foods space. We are rapidly iterating on the product and working quickly to incorporate additional features into our next release to proactively mitigate digestive concerns.  

We continue to ship Soylent 1.0 as fast as possible and will provide updates as we reach key milestones within our shipping queue.

Thank You and Contact Information

We are, and always have been, truly grateful to you, our backers, for enabling us to make Soylent 1.0 a reality. Thank you for being a Soylent Pioneer - without you this product, community, and developing category of foods would not exist.

If you have any questions about your specific order or would like a refund, please email us at info@soylent.me with your order details. As a reminder, we are not able to answer individual requests for the date a particular order will ship or the overall status of our shipping queue. We will continue to update regarding status of and changes to our shipping process via email and blog.

2014-06-20

Shipping update 6/20

Follow @soylent on twitter and instagram for news and updates!

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Orders placed before 5/6: Currently shipping orders for 1 month of Soylent.

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Orders placed after 5/6: Shipping in 10-12 weeks from order date.

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The shipping queue for orders is determined by order size and order date. We are managing our reorder rate by shipping larger orders first, since they will last longer — this gives us more time to ship out orders before having to also ship reorders.  After we finish shipping 1 month orders, smaller orders (3, 2, 1 weeks) will begin shipping (again, based on order size).

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If you ordered a total of more than 1 months of Soylent prior to 4/25, and have not received a shipment confirmation email, please email info@soylent.me using the subject line My 1+ month order.

2014-06-03

Shipping update 6/3

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Orders placed before 5/6: Currently shipping orders for 2 months of Soylent.

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Orders placed after 5/6: Shipping in 10-12 weeks from order date.

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If you ordered a total of more than 2 months of Soylent prior to 4/25, and have not received a shipment confirmation email, please email info@soylent.me using the subject line My 2+ month order.