Wellness Wonders delves into the stories and innovations driving Britain’s thriving health, wellbeing, fitness and nutrition.participate City AM We hear about the visionary minds and passionate entrepreneurs behind leading brands and the impact they’re having on the pursuit of health.
In this feature, we talk to the figure skater turned entrepreneur. Natasha Bowesfounded Biotiful Gut Health in 2012 to introduce kefir to the UK and realize the dream of improving the country’s gut health.
HDoes Biotiful contribute to health?
Awareness of the importance of gut health is becoming increasingly central to the wellness world. People are now learning more about how gut health can impact both physical and mental health, and how they should prioritize gut health in their diet, exercise, and life in general. I understand it more deeply. Naturally, fermented foods made with live cultures, such as kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut, can provide your body with live microorganisms essential for healthy digestion. These bacteria are thought to help with many health problems, especially digestive health. A healthy gut improves digestion, immune function, and metabolic health, reduces bloating, and boosts mood. That’s why we’ve created products that make gut health an easy daily dose.
Why is Biotiful a wellness staple?
Living and working in London, I realize how our busy lives leave us with so little time to focus on ourselves, what we need, and what’s good for us. That’s why our gut-friendly product range is carefully crafted to meet the demands of even the busiest professionals. Biotiful products are available as meal boosters that can be sprinkled into drinks, yogurt, protein pots, and more recently, breakfasts, smoothies, and more. Biotiful is available at all major supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide, so you can purchase the product as part of your weekly shopping or pick it up right away on your morning commute or lunch break.
How can Biotiful support your overall health?
Kefir is a delicious naturally fermented milk drink packed with billions of live cultures and tons of protein. Originating in the Caucasus Mountains, kefir has been a reliable staple food in many countries for over 2,000 years. The word literally means “feeling good,” but Biotiful’s kefir contains over 40 live cultures, and we can see why. Fermented foods like kefir are probiotics. This means it provides live microorganisms to support healthy digestion and improve gut health. In addition, kefir is a source of calcium, which contributes to the normal functioning of digestive enzymes, and vitamin B12, which supports the immune system.
How did the brand develop a following?
We’re proud to be the UK’s pioneering and leading kefir brand, filling the baskets of over 6 million customers last year, delivering products people enjoy and trust. We believe that this success in this highly competitive field is due to the quality of our products. All of our products not only provide natural health benefits, but they also taste great. It’s one thing to be nutritious, as Biotiful is, but if it doesn’t stack up with credibility in terms of taste, people won’t buy it again. Thanks to our product development team, we have products that are bursting with health benefits and delicious to enjoy anytime, anywhere.
Do you have the funding to drive product innovation?
I appeared on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den early in the business. Here I successfully elicited a funding offer from the Dragons, which I declined as I believed they had underestimated the potential of the business. We believe this was definitely the right decision and it has resulted in business growth. Since then, the business has grown almost organically.
What are your growth rates and expansion plans?
Since we established the kefir category in the UK, the category has grown at an incredible rate, from zero in 2018 to almost £100m today. The category continues to grow strongly, increasing by 22% year over year. Biotiful Gut Health has really driven this growth as the pioneer and number one UK kefir brand. The London market has been central to our success, as evidenced by our decision to test our new poster advertising campaign there last September. The campaign was so successful, increasing sales and brand awareness that it was rolled out nationally in January of this year.
How does Biotiful stay ahead of its competitors?
Over the past decade, the way people view gut health has changed significantly. Today, most people are aware that gut health plays an important role in overall health and well-being. This increased understanding has a direct impact on sales of gut health products, and we see this growth across all aspects of the business year after year. We always listen to our customers’ wishes and reflect this in the way we create Biotiful products and the ranges we develop. We stock Biotiful Kefir Protein Pots, which have more living cultures and more protein than any traditional yogurt. – Perfect for replenishing energy during a busy day. The company recently launched a dedicated range of products for kids, a long-term goal of the company to help support gut health for the whole family.
What about sustainable and ethical practices?
At Biotiful, sustainability and ethics are at the heart of what we do, and we only work with partners who share our values. For example, our largest dairy supplier is leading the way in sustainable production processes, with solar panel roofs, on-site biodiversity areas, and anaerobic digesters to reduce carbon emissions. I am. What’s more, all the milk we use comes from British cows from our own production sites and is Red Tractor certified. We believe that healthy, happy cows yield the highest quality, flavorful and nutritious milk, and that’s what we use in our products.
