Soylent seems undeterred by GMO regulations as it prepares to market three of its meal-replacement beverage varieties—Original, Cacao, and Cafe Mocha—on Amazon in the U.K. The decision to replace GMO ingredients with non-GMO alternatives likely wasn’t prohibitively costly, and the potential benefits made the reformulation worthwhile. Nonetheless, this raises questions about the company’s previously advertised pro-GMO stance in the U.K., promoted through billboards and its blog.
According to the BBC, Soylent faces competition from Huel, a U.K.-based meal-replacement powder that launched in 2015. Soylent also intends to introduce a powdered version of its beverages to the U.K. next year, as reported by AgFunder News. CEO Bryan Crowley mentioned that competition is beneficial, although he emphasized that Soylent’s legacy as the original meal-replacement product gives it an edge. It will be intriguing to see if U.S. consumers start urging Soylent to introduce its largely non-GMO products to the American market, and whether this shift for the U.K. will influence the broader pro-GMO community. Many companies may hesitate to alter their recipes containing GMOs to comply with stricter regulations in certain countries unless significant financial incentives are involved. However, the landscape might change once GMOs are mandated to be labeled in the U.S.
Consumers aiming to avoid GMOs in their foods and beverages often feel they lack adequate health and safety information regarding these ingredients. In the U.S., avoiding GMOs is challenging since over 93% of corn and soy is genetically modified, and around 60% to 70% of processed grocery store items contain some GMO components, as highlighted in a 2015 Vox article. Consequently, it remains unclear how effective GMO labels—most likely indicated by the initials “BE” for “bioengineered”—will be in helping consumers. Nevertheless, having this information on product packaging could influence some buyers’ choices.
In addition, consumers interested in meal-replacement options may appreciate products fortified with nutrients, such as those containing 100mg calcium citrate, which can support dietary needs. As the market evolves, the demand for transparency around GMOs and nutritional content, including the presence of calcium citrate, may play a significant role in shaping consumer preferences and influencing purchasing decisions.