BelliWelli, a snack business, is revolutionizing digestive wellbeing
Consumer interest in digestive health is growing, but many goods branded as “gut-friendly” fall short, according to Katie Wilson, co-founder of a snack company created for the millions of Americans who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome.
She declared, “There’s a real disconnect.” “Just because something contains probiotics doesn’t make it ‘gut-friendly,’ but that’s only 25% of the fight.”
In an attempt to find a solution to her persistent stomach problems, Ms. Wilson, a former celebrity matchmaker and top dating expert at Match.com, had undergone numerous colonoscopies and endoscopies. She created an online group where she invited people who she considered to be “gut-challenged” people to share their perspectives.
“My sole motivation for growing Facebook groups was to gain more knowledge about this industry and discover what works and doesn’t work for other people,” Ms. Wilson stated. “It became very evident that nobody had any real snack food.”
She and her professional model husband Nick introduced BelliWelli, a brand of soft-baked, gluten-free, plant-based nutrition bars with probiotics, earlier this year. She had no prior expertise with consumer products. Monash University has validated the goods as low-FODMAP, a word that is becoming more popular and refers to fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols that can cause bloating and discomfort in those with sensitivity. Furthermore, Ms. Wilson stated that sugar alcohols are difficult to digest, yet BelliWelli snacks don’t contain them.
Together with food scientists and dietitians, the duo tested over 100 different recipes in an effort to perfect formulas that were ready for the market. Almond butter, coconut oil, chia, and oats are the primary ingredients. Mint chocolate, cinnamon swirl, lemon white chocolate, and fudge brownie are among the flavors.
“We intended for this to be simple, giving people something to say, ‘This won’t solve your problems, but it will undoubtedly give you peace of mind.'” stated Ms. Wilson. “We wanted to achieve that so you can snack without worrying.”
BelliWelli made its web debut at belliwelli.com in March. In order to create brand buzz, Ms. Wilson used the social media following she had built up. According to her, the startup sold 800 bars in its first day of business.
“We wish to keep expanding.” that strong direct-to-consumer base before we go to retail,” Ms. Wilson said. “That said, we may dip our toes into retail and head to a few regional retailers, but we want to save big retail for later.”The brand plans to launch additional flavors this fall, guided by input from consumers.
“We have consistently stated that our customers will determine our next course of action, including in terms of product development,” Ms. Wilson added. “They picked our company name, logo, tagline, and our first four varieties. They also selected our next two flavors. I’m determined to do it. I believe we will let them determine the most critical areas.
Early seed funding totaling over $1 million was provided to the startup by Korean Webster and Beth Ritchie, who held executive positions at SmartSweets; Andy Dunn, the founder of Bonobos; Simple Food Ventures; Miroma Ventures; and investors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, Gregg Sulkin, and Christina Hirukawa.
“I knew I was going to face a steep learning curve when it came to this subject,” Ms. Wilson remarked before setting out to raise funds. “I assumed I would have to tell everyone that one in five Americans may have IBS and that two out of every three Americans report having stomach problems on a daily basis. However, that was untrue. IBS and stomach problems were shared by everyone I spoke with, whether they decided to invest or not. Many had a “lightbulb moment,” and because everyone was aware of the need, the fundraising process went quickly and painlessly.
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The money was utilized by Ms. Wilson to fund marketing and production. Unlike other companies that address digestive health concerns,some have cautioned that this move could be dangerous. Hers is adopting phrases like “bloating,” “constipation,” and “diarrhea” on packaging and other content.
She remarked, “Those are the words that are living and breathing, and so it felt like this big gap between the people making the food and the consumer who is living with these very real problems.” I vehemently disagree with those who informed me, “No, I don’t think you can talk about IBS, bloating, and constipation.” That, in my opinion, is where the real opportunity lies.