'We don't have anything against chewing': Soylent's CEO says the company is considering another 'chewable' product after the Soylent Bar was discontinued for reportedly making customers vomit
- Soylent is considering going back to a "chewable" platform, CEO Bryan Crowley told Business Insider.
- "We don't have anything against chewing," Crowley said. "That's an important part of any eating experience."
- Soylent's last venture into more traditional "food" products ended abruptly, with the company discontinuing the Soylent Bar after customers reported it made them sick.
Soylent's game plan to win over mainstream America could mean more products that look like what the average American thinks of simply as "food."
"I think we're working on what we'd call our chewable platform," Soylent CEO Bryan Crowley told Business Insider in a recent interview.
"We don't have anything against chewing," Crowley continued. "That's an important part of any eating experience."
Soylent's last venture into chewable products ended poorly. The startup discontinued its Soylent Bar in October 2016 after some customers reported the bars made them vomit or had given them diarrhea.
Recently, Soylent has been on an innovation tear.
Since the debut of Soylent Coffiest in August 2016, the chain has added flavors including Cacao, Nectar, Cafe Vanilla, Strawberry, and Cafe Chai.
Soylent has also expanded its distribution, announcing in April that products will be available in 450 Walmart locations across the United States. Last year, Soylent debuted in more than 2,500 7-Eleven locations. Before the 2017 7-Eleven deal, Soylent was solely available online, on Amazon, and on the brand's website.
From its founding in 2013, Soylent has emphasized that making nutrition more accessible is part of its core mission. However, the company's tech startup roots and intense cult of fans in Silicon Valley alienated many potential customers.
Crowley is now tasked with the mission of convincing the average Walmart shopper to give Soylent a try. And, the solution may be the Soylent Bar 2.0.
"At the core of it, you have to create a product or a series of products that people like and they really want to drink," said Crowley, who drank a bottle of Soylent throughout the interview.
He continued: "Anyone can make a really functional product that doesn't take good."