"I Hate Unnecessarily Long Mealtimes"... The First Meal Replacement Created Through Personal Human Trials [Delicious Story]

Powdered Drinks, Jellies, and Snacks That Replace a Full Meal
Meal Replacement Products Developed by a Silicon Valley Engineer
"Meals Are Too Much of a Burden"... Even Lunch Is Seen as a Waste

Meal replacement products that can provide all the nutrients of a full meal in a single drink or a bag of snacks are flooding the market. These alternatives come in a variety of forms, such as powdered nutrition drinks similar to Misugaru, baked grain snacks, and jellies. The rise of meal replacements in the food and confectionery industries was sparked by a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who considered even mealtime a waste of time.

Meal Replacement Products That Compress Nutrients into Powdered Drinks

Soylent founder Rob Rhinehart became the center of attention for conducting a one-month test consuming only the powder he developed himself. Online community Reddit screenshot

The definition of a meal replacement product is "a food that substitutes for an entire meal." They are mainly produced in the form of powders, solid snacks, or jellies. However, for these foods to be recognized as meal replacements, they must provide all the essential nutrients required for a single meal. The main advantage of meal replacement products is convenience. By mixing the powder with water or milk, one can supplement 400 to 500 kilocalories (kcal) of energy, along with carbohydrates, protein, fat, and various minerals.

So, who first attempted meal replacement products? Surprisingly, it was not a conventional food company, but an American software engineer named Rob Rhinehart who led the development. His motivation for creating meal replacement products was to streamline what he considered unnecessarily long mealtimes and focus more on work. To pursue full-scale development, Rhinehart founded a startup called Soylent. His approach to product development was also far from typical recipe creation. Rhinehart first accessed the official website of the U.S. government, collected all information on essential nutrients required for human survival, and based on this, created a powdered food product.

The testing method was also highly unconventional. He personally consumed the prototype for 30 days, essentially conducting a human experiment. Rhinehart ran the food test for a month, making fine adjustments to the nutrient ratios during that period and finalizing the recipe "formula." The first product from Soylent, created through this process, gained fame via the American IT media outlet "Hacker News."

Powdered meal replacement product from Soylent. Facebook capture

Rhinehart cited "enhanced nutritional control and the cost-efficiency of reducing monthly food expenses from 400 dollars to around 150 dollars" as the strengths of Soylent powder. Attracted by these benefits, Silicon Valley engineers provided support, enabling him to raise 1.5 million dollars in startup funding. Thanks to this, meal replacement products were able to make their debut in the world.

"Meals Are a Burden" Born from Silicon Valley's Culture of Efficiency

Soylent quickly gained popularity by word of mouth in Silicon Valley. In 2017, the company secured 50 million dollars in investment to expand its product line, and in 2023, it was acquired by Starco Brands, a major U.S. processed food company. Interest in meal replacements also grew among software engineers outside the United States. In 2014, a copycat product called Joylent (now Jimmy Joy) emerged, and in 2015, the British meal replacement startup Huel was founded.

The key to the early growth of meal replacement products was Silicon Valley's unique culture of efficiency. In fact, some prominent figures in Silicon Valley view mealtime as something that should be minimized as much as possible. Soylent founder Rhinehart expressed his frustration in a 2014 interview with the American magazine "The New Yorker," saying, "Meals are too much of a burden." Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, also once shared his work routine, stating that he finishes lunch in under five minutes during meetings.

Today, meal replacement products are being developed in various forms beyond simple powders. The photo shows products from Paperbag, a domestic meal replacement product developer. Photo by Paperbag

For this reason, first-generation meal replacement products like Soylent were developed with a focus on efficient eating. As meal replacements have become more popular, recent products are being developed to enhance taste and texture as well. There was a time when only powdered products were produced for the sake of quick consumption, but now meal replacements are being developed in a variety of forms.

For example, Morinaga Confectionery in Japan has released products in the form of squeezable jellies. In South Korea, breaking the stereotype of only powders, solid products such as cookies and snacks containing all essential nutrients have also been launched. Even first-generation companies have begun to change their business strategies. Huel, for instance, introduced its "Hot and Savory" product line in 2020, which can be eaten like porridge by mixing it with hot water.