Soylent
An American meal-replacement and functional-nutrition brand offering powdered products, ready-to-drink beverages, and bars.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Soylent is an American meal-replacement and functional-nutrition brand founded in 2013 by software engineer Rob Rhinehart and headquartered in Los Angeles. It began as an experiment in simplifying food preparation through a powdered drink formulated to provide a broad range of macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, fats, and other ingredients in a convenient format. Rhinehart's writing about the experiment attracted attention in the technology community, particularly in Silicon Valley, where the idea appealed to consumers interested in efficiency, quantified self-tracking, startup culture, and alternative approaches to everyday nutrition. The business was incorporated as Soylent Nutrition, Inc. and was co-founded by Rhinehart with Matt Cauble, John Coogan, and David Renteln. Early development was supported by crowdfunding and venture investment. A 2013 preorder campaign on Tilt raised approximately $1.5 million, followed by a $20 million Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz in 2015. In 2017, the company raised a further $50 million led by GV, bringing reported total funding to approximately $74.5 million. Rhinehart later moved out of the chief executive role, with Bryan Crowley taking over as CEO while Rhinehart remained chairman. Soylent's original offering was a neutral-flavored powder intended to be mixed with water. The company subsequently expanded into ready-to-drink beverages and nutrition bars, making the brand more accessible to consumers who wanted a portable product without preparation. Its ready-to-drink line became particularly important in retail, where Soylent products reached convenience stores, supermarkets, mass retailers, and other outlets. Distribution began online and was initially limited to the United States, but expanded to Canada in 2015. Canadian shipments were suspended in 2017 because of regulatory issues concerning meal-replacement requirements and resumed in 2020. The brand's retail expansion accelerated after Soylent products entered selected 7-Eleven stores in the Los Angeles area in 2017. By 2018, products were reported to be available in more than 8,000 U.S. 7-Eleven locations as well as retailers including Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Meijer. By 2021, the company stated that its products were carried in more than 28,000 retail stores. This helped move Soylent beyond its technology-industry origins and positioned it as a mainstream convenience-nutrition product. Soylent has also faced product-safety and regulatory scrutiny. Some consumers reported gastrointestinal symptoms after consuming the company's bars and powders in 2016. The company halted bar sales, requested that customers discard remaining bars, issued refunds, and later initiated a recall. Powder sales were also suspended after similar complaints. Soylent initially considered soy or sucralose intolerance as possible explanations, then attributed the reported problems to algal flour and removed that ingredient in formulation 1.7. Separately, As You Sow announced a proposed California Proposition 65 lawsuit in 2015 concerning lead and cadmium labeling. Soylent maintained that the levels were not toxic and displayed the required California warning. The company announced that it had achieved profitability beginning in 2020. In 2023, Starco Brands acquired Soylent, adding the brand to its portfolio. Soylent therefore remains an active consumer nutrition brand under new ownership, with a business centered on meal replacements, convenient nutrition, and ready-to-drink products. Its name comes from the fictional food in Harry Harrison's 1966 novel Make Room! Make Room!, while also evoking the 1973 film Soylent Green; the provocative reference was selected to stimulate curiosity and discussion.
History
Soylent originated in 2013 when software engineer Rob Rhinehart began experimenting with a liquid food intended to reduce the time, cost, and complexity associated with ordinary meals. He purchased numerous chemical and nutritional ingredients and adjusted their proportions over several months, drawing on biochemistry texts and publicly available U.S. government nutrition information. Rhinehart described the experiment as a way to obtain essential nutrients while spending less time preparing food. His blog posts attracted substantial attention among programmers, startup founders, and technology enthusiasts. Later in 2013, Rhinehart joined Matt Cauble, John Coogan, and David Renteln to establish Soylent Nutrition, Inc. The company initially relied on direct sales and crowdfunding. A Tilt preorder campaign generated approximately $1.5 million, giving the young business capital and evidence of consumer interest. Early operations were conducted with limited equipment and a strong online-community orientation. The brand's provocative name was taken from the fictional food in Harry Harrison's 1966 novel Make Room! Make Room!, while also recalling Soylent Green, the 1973 film adaptation. Rhinehart said the unsettling association was intentional because it encouraged people to investigate the product and its concept. Soylent received a major institutional-financing boost in January 2015, when Andreessen Horowitz led a $20 million Series A round. The company expanded beyond its initial powder, developing ready-to-drink beverages and bars that offered greater convenience and improved the brand's suitability for retail distribution. It began shipping to Canada in June 2015, although Canadian shipments were later stopped in 2017 after regulators determined that the products did not meet applicable meal-replacement requirements. Shipments resumed in 2020. The company experienced controversy as well as growth. In 2015, advocacy organization As You Sow announced its intention to pursue a Proposition 65 lawsuit concerning lead and cadmium labeling. Soylent stated that the detected amounts were below federal food-safety limits and that the products remained safe, while also displaying the California warning required by the state's regulations. In 2016, customers reported gastrointestinal symptoms after consuming Soylent bars and powders. The company stopped selling the bars, issued refunds, requested that customers discard remaining units, and initiated a recall. Powder sales were subsequently halted as well. Soylent first considered soy or sucralose intolerance, then identified algal flour as the suspected cause and removed it from later powder and bar formulations. The revised powder formulation, version 1.7, was introduced in December 2016. Retail distribution became a major part of the brand's expansion. In July 2017, selected 7-Eleven stores in and around Los Angeles began selling Soylent, marking an important transition from online and technology-focused distribution into physical retail. By April 2018, the brand was available in thousands of 7-Eleven locations and in major retailers including Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Meijer. The company also raised $50 million in venture financing in 2017, led by GV. That year Rhinehart stepped down as CEO and Bryan Crowley became chief executive, with Rhinehart continuing as chairman. By 2021, Soylent reported distribution in more than 28,000 stores and announced that it had been profitable since 2020. In 2023, Starco Brands acquired Soylent. The transaction placed the established meal-replacement brand within Starco's consumer-products portfolio. Starco later reported that Soylent generated a $7.8 million profit in 2024. Soylent remains active, with its business focused on powdered meal replacements, ready-to-drink nutrition beverages, and related convenience-nutrition products.
- 2023
Acquired by Starco Brands
[1]Starco Brands acquired Soylent, making the meal-replacement company part of its branded consumer-products portfolio.
- 2021
Profitability and retail scale reported
[1]Soylent reported profitability beginning in 2020 and distribution in more than 28,000 retail stores.
- 2017
Retail launch and executive transition
[1]Soylent entered 7-Eleven stores and Bryan Crowley became CEO as Rhinehart moved out of the chief executive role.
- 2016
Bar recall and powder suspension
[1]The company recalled bars and halted powder sales following reports of gastrointestinal illness.
- 2015
Series A financing
[1]Andreessen Horowitz led a reported $20 million Series A financing round.
- 2015
Canadian shipping begins
[1]Soylent expanded fulfillment beyond the United States by beginning shipments to Canada.
- 2013
Soylent founded and crowdfunding begins
[1]Rob Rhinehart, Matt Cauble, John Coogan, and David Renteln founded Soylent Nutrition, Inc.; an early Tilt preorder campaign raised approximately $1.5 million.
Products and positioning
Convenient, science-oriented functional nutrition and meal replacement for busy consumers, with roots in technology culture and an emphasis on portability and nutritional completeness.
Meal-replacement powder · 2013
Soylent Powder
Soylent's original product format is a powdered meal replacement mixed with water. The formula was designed to provide a broad combination of macronutrients and micronutrients in a portable, preparation-light format. The powder went through several revisions affecting flavor, texture, sweeteners, and ingredients. Following gastrointestinal complaints in 2016, algal flour was removed from later formulations, including version 1.7.
Ready-to-drink meal replacement
Soylent Drink
Soylent Drink is a prepared beverage intended to provide meal-replacement nutrition without mixing or measuring. Ready-to-drink products helped the brand broaden its appeal beyond early technology and online communities and supported expansion into convenience stores, supermarkets, and mass retail. The prepared beverages use algal oil rather than the algal flour associated with the 2016 powder and bar formulation changes.
Caffeinated nutritional beverage
Soylent Caffeinated Drink
The caffeinated line combines Soylent's convenient nutritional-drink format with caffeine for consumers seeking a portable alternative to a conventional meal and coffee occasion. It represents the brand's expansion from a single neutral powdered formula into flavored, ready-to-consume products designed for everyday retail use.
Meal-replacement bar
Soylent Bar
Soylent bars were developed as a solid, portable counterpart to the brand's powders and beverages. In 2016, sales were halted after consumers reported gastrointestinal symptoms, customers were instructed to discard unused bars, and a recall followed. The company later removed algal flour from the subsequent formulation. Current availability of the original bar product is not established by the supplied sources.
Controversies
2016
Gastrointestinal illness reports and product recall
Consumers reported nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and related symptoms after consuming Soylent bars and powders. The company stopped sales, offered refunds, requested disposal of products, and recalled the bars. It later attributed the problem to algal flour and removed the ingredient from later formulations.
2015
Lead and cadmium Proposition 65 dispute
As You Sow announced a proposed legal action alleging that Soylent products required stronger California Proposition 65 labeling because of detected lead and cadmium. Soylent responded that the levels were below federal safety limits and maintained that the products were safe, while displaying the required California warning.
Marketing campaigns
- 20177-Eleven retail rollout
United States
The brand introduced its products into selected 7-Eleven stores in the Los Angeles area, using convenience retail to reach customers outside its original online and technology-community base.
Outcome. Distribution expanded to thousands of 7-Eleven stores and other major retailers.
- 2013Tilt preorder crowdfunding campaign
United States
Soylent used a crowdfunding and preorder campaign to validate demand for its unconventional meal-replacement concept and finance early production.
Outcome. Approximately $1.5 million in preorders were raised.
Brand decisions
2023
Acquisition by Starco BrandsM&ABackground
Soylent had developed a national retail presence and an established portfolio of powders and ready-to-drink nutrition products.
Action taken
Starco Brands acquired Soylent.
Aftermath
Soylent became part of Starco Brands' consumer-products portfolio. Starco later reported $7.8 million in Soylent profit for 2024.
Soylent profit. $7.8 million (2024)
2017
Change in chief executiveOtherBackground
Soylent was transitioning from a venture-backed online product into a broader consumer and retail brand.
Action taken
Rob Rhinehart stepped down as CEO and Bryan Crowley became chief executive; Rhinehart remained chairman.
Aftermath
The company continued product expansion and retail distribution under new operational leadership.
2016
Recall bars and suspend powdered productsOtherBackground
Consumers reported gastrointestinal symptoms associated with Soylent bars and, subsequently, some powdered products.
Action taken
Soylent halted bar sales, initiated a recall, offered refunds, asked customers to discard unused bars, and temporarily stopped selling powder.
Aftermath
The company identified algal flour as the suspected cause and removed it from the next powder and bar formulation, version 1.7. Ready-to-drink products continued because the company said they had not generated comparable complaints.
Recent events
- 2023
Starco Brands acquires Soylent[1]
M&A
Starco Brands acquired Soylent in the company's third acquisition announced over a six-month period.
- 2021
Soylent reports profitability beginning in 2020[1]
Other
The company announced that it had become profitable starting in 2020.
- 2021
Soylent reaches more than 28,000 retail stores[1]
Other
By 2021, Soylent products were reported to be available through more than 28,000 retail stores.
- 2020
Soylent resumes Canadian shipments[1]
Regulation
Shipments to Canada resumed after a previous suspension related to Canadian food regulations for meal replacements.
- 2018
Soylent products expand across major U.S. retailers[1]
Other
The brand was reported in more than 8,000 U.S. 7-Eleven stores and in retailers including Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Meijer.
- 2017
Soylent enters physical retail through 7-Eleven[1]
Campaign · Other
Los Angeles-area 7-Eleven stores became the first reported offline retail locations to sell Soylent.
- 2017
GV leads a $50 million Soylent financing round[1]
Other
GV led a funding round that brought reported cumulative financing to approximately $74.5 million.
- 2017
Bryan Crowley becomes chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Bryan Crowley replaced Rob Rhinehart as CEO, while Rhinehart remained chairman.
- 2015
Soylent raises a $20 million Series A round[1]
Other
Andreessen Horowitz led a Series A financing round as the brand developed its commercial operations.
- 2015
Soylent expands shipping to Canada[1]
Other
The company began shipping products to Canadian customers after initially limiting fulfillment to the United States.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Sources5 sources
- 1Soylent (meal replacement)en.wikipedia.org
- 2Official Soylent websitesoylent.com
- 3Soylent Expands Distribution Through Partnership with Walgreensbevnet.com
- 4Soylent Expands Retail Footprint Through Partnership With Publixprnewswire.com
- 5U.S. Soy Launches The Pilot Phase Of Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy Markscoop.co.nz
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