54: Powdered Food – Interview with Huel

Today with interview the people behind Huel who manufacture powdered food.

huel

What kind of business do you run? When did you start it and where is it based?

Huel is a nutritionally complete powdered food startup. The idea for Huel was first thought of in 2012, but but sold our first batch of Huel in June 2015. We’re currently based in Aylesbury.

How did you come up with the name Huel?

Huel, is created from a combination of the words Human and Fuel.

What inspired you to start this business?

The idea came from when the co-founder, Julian Hearn, was on a diet plan for a former business of his. He had to stick to a strict diet to make sure he was getting all the nutrients his body needed, but found that making sure you got them all, and having all the time to prepare them, was a “nightmare”. That’s why he created Huel. It takes two minutes to prepare, and has 100% of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive. People can gain or lose weight, eat healthier and save time all in the knowledge what they’re eating is sustainable and healthy.

The formula was created by our nutritionist, James Collier BSc (Hons) RNutr, who has 25 years working in nutrition, includes working in the NHS as a clinical dietitian for over 7 years covering an array of clinical areas, where he worked with people with a wide range of ailments and is co-owner of one of the world’s most popular bodybuilding forums, www.MuscleTalk.co.uk. He carefully created it to make sure Huel was a nutritionally complete powdered food, containing all the protein, carbs, fats, vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Indeed, Huel provides at least 100% of the UK Government’s ‘Reference Nutrient Intakes’ and the European Union’s ‘Daily Recommended Amount’.

Are there any blogs, podcasts or Facebook Groups about entrepreneurship you follow closely?

There are too many podcasts to list, but one that we are particularly fond of is Shopify Masters, which the founder Julian Hearn was recently asked to be on.

Which resources to run your business do you use most?

We use the eCommerce platform Shopify, so that is what we use the most. However sites such as basecamp which help create and track tasks people are doing are also invaluable for keeping on top of things. Outside of these, gmail, Skype, and our forum hosting service Discourse are also things we spend a lot of time on.

How many people are involved in your business?

There are currently 7 people directly hired by Huel. However, we outsource a lot of Huel to fulfillment our house, freelancers and the facility that makes Huel, so the number is much higher than that. At least 30 people, probably a lot more.

How was your company funded?

Julian Hearn has previously sold a successful former business of his, so he was able to fund Huel entirely from this. As he has already made his money, this means Huel is much more a project of love than something to make money.

To learn more please visit Huel.com.

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