Episode Details

Damian Soong, co-founder and CEO of Form Nutrition joins us to talk about Form and building a B-Corp brand that serves a wide audience.

The New DIY

• DIY used to have a connotation of poor quality or poor craftsmanship but today, it’s more indicative of participation.
• Online marketplaces are booming with consumers and creators having more meaningful connections with items that could otherwise be more easily purchased.
• Partnering with Gladly, we’ve created a new report: The New DIY: Creators, Crafts and Commerce.

What is Form Nutrition and who is Damian Soong?

• Form is a plant-based B corporation, built around the belief that you can be the best version of yourself while being mindful of others. They are the first UK protein brand to achieve B-Corp status.
• Damian studied engineering and worked six years as an investment banker and analyst before getting his MBA, getting involved in startups, and running a contract manufacturing company. Damian was athletic while growing up so he was always interested in nutrition and eating well. This combined with his interest in the plant-based movement, Form Nutrition was born.
• “... the important thing about Form as a brand is that we recognized early on that nutrition and wellness, by definition, [is] about the self. So we just thought, let’s turn that on its head and make it about others.” - Damian Soong

Form Nutrition’s Focus

• Form created a protein that wasn’t only plant-based, but was branded around the idea that protein is more than just a subculture of performance gains; it’s not just a protein shake after the gym. It’s how you nourish your whole self.
• “I think when you start to broaden the definition of nutrition to be more than just what you’re eating, but rather how you’re nourishing your whole self, it gives a brand a license to talk about a lot of other things like mindfulness, nutrition, education.” - Damian Soong
• Form creates content to fit with their brand and their brand’s message of having a performance mindset in all areas of your life.
• inForm is their email newsletter that caters towards those that perform not only in the gym, but in work, raising a family, etc. These newsletters empower individuals in being ethical, taking care of the planet, and doing everything to the best of their ability.
• Form focused on building a community with their brand - in their articles promoting healthy, performance lifestyles and in their customer service habits.
• Form started as a pure DTC brand. They were only eCommerce starting out but quickly had retailers wanting to stock them - starting with Planet Organic, one of the best retailers in London.
• They wanted to keep control over how their product is priced and displayed, so they’ve chosen their retailers carefully: “[We chose] places that fit with our brand where we can add value to them, and they can add value to us.” - Damian Soong

Form Nutrition as a B-Corp

• Damian describes B-Corps as businesses that use business as a force for good, focusing on people and the planet.
• To become a B-Corp, the business has to go through an audit that inspects all aspects of your business - from supply chain impact to how you treat employees to what you do with your waste. B-Corps are re-audited every 2-3 years.
• Everything from documents and employment contracts to employee handbooks have to address their goal in protecting people and the planet as a requirement for B-Corp status.

More on Form Nutrition’s Product and Plans

• Form went with stand up pouches versus plastic tubs because they wanted sustainability and they wanted to create something different than their competition - again, focusing less on the “gym bro” customer and more towards a lifestyle consumer.