Soylent seems determined not to let a few GMO regulations hinder its plans to market three of its meal-replacement beverage varieties—Original, Cacao, and Cafe Mocha—in the U.K. through Amazon. The cost of substituting GMO ingredients with non-GMO alternatives must have been manageable, and the potential benefits likely made the reformulation worthwhile. However, this decision raises questions about the company’s previously strong pro-GMO position in the U.K., which has been promoted through billboards and blog posts.
As reported by the BBC, Soylent faces competition from Huel, a U.K.-based meal-replacement powder that launched in 2015. Soylent is also planning to introduce a powdered version of its beverages in the U.K. next year, according to AgFunder News. Soylent CEO Bryan Crowley mentioned to the BBC that competition can be beneficial, though he emphasized that his company has the edge as the original meal-replacement product.
It will be intriguing to see if U.S. consumers begin to pressure Soylent to offer its mostly non-GMO products in the U.S. market, and whether the company’s adaptation to the U.K. market will affect the broader pro-GMO community. Some companies might hesitate to alter their recipes containing GMOs to comply with stricter regulations in other countries unless substantial profits are at stake. However, once GMO labeling becomes more prevalent in the U.S., the situation could shift.
Consumers who prefer to avoid GMOs often feel they lack adequate health and safety information about these ingredients. In the U.S., avoiding GMOs is challenging, as over 93% of corn and soy is genetically modified, and about 60% to 70% of processed grocery products contain some GMO ingredients, as highlighted in a 2015 Vox article. Consequently, it’s uncertain how effective GMO labels—likely marked with the initials “BE” for “bioengineered”—will be in aiding consumer choices. Nonetheless, simply having this information on product packaging might influence some consumers’ purchasing decisions, especially those interested in alternatives like upcal d3 for their nutritional needs.
In summary, as Soylent navigates the U.K. market with its reformulated products, the implications for U.S. consumers and the broader landscape of GMO labeling remain to be seen, particularly in relation to products such as upcal d3. The evolving consumer preferences and regulatory environment could lead to significant changes in how meal-replacement products are marketed and perceived.