News

Habit reveals personalised nutrition plans

31 Oct 2016

Habit, a new company whose only investor is Campbell Soup and that says it is at the intersection of nutrition, technology and food delivery, has unveiled plans to launch a complete personalised nutrition solution.

Habit reveals personalised nutrition plans

Habit, a new company whose only investor is Campbell Soup and that says it is at the intersection of nutrition, technology and food delivery, has unveiled plans to launch a complete personalised nutrition solution for people who want to harness the transformative power of food to improve their lives.

Unlike generic, one-size-fits-all eating fads, which may work for one person but not another, Habit says it develops nutrition recommendations based on an individual’s unique biology, metabolism and personal goals, claiming to take the guesswork and confusion out of what to eat by creating a personal nutrition blueprint for each individual. Then it says it helps people reach their health goals by delivering fresh, personalised meals to their doorstep and supporting them through one-on-one wellness and nutrition coaching.

The Habit team is comprised of nutrition scientists, health advisors, researchers, technologists, registered dietitians, chefs, food scientists, and business leaders.

“I founded Habit after my own health and wellness wake-up call. Two years ago, my doctor looked me in the eyes and told me - a former Ironman triathlete - that I was on the road to some serious health issues. I realized that for the sake of my own health and that of my family, I had to make a change,” said Neil Grimmer, founder and CEO of Habit. “After undergoing a complex and costly path of DNA and blood tests to understand my body’s fundamental nutrition needs, I realized there had to be a simpler, more accessible way for others to learn what foods and nutrients their bodies crave to be the healthiest they can be.”

An at-home test kit measures over 60 different biomarkers, which include nutrition-related blood markers, how these markers change in response to a proprietary metabolic challenge beverage, and genetic variations within your DNA. The individual also provides several body metrics including body weight, height, waist circumference as well as health goals. Habit’s proprietary and patent pending approach, including the Nutrition Intelligence Engine, then synthesises the data to determine the foods and nutrients that are best. Certified coaches will be on hand to help an individual meet his/her goals through tailored plans, while a team of chefs prepare the food their body craves, Habit says,delivered straight to the door.

“We’re at the beginning of a new era in nutrition - personalized nutrition, based on science, enabled by big data and computational mathematics that will change the way we eat forever,” said Leroy Hood, co-founder of The Institute for Systems Biology and Habit science advisor. “Habit is combining decades of research on systems biology into the most complete view possible of your body’s specific nutritional needs and tolerances.”

Prior to founding Habit, Grimmer co-founded and led Plum Organics, an organic baby food brand in the U.S. Now with Habit, Grimmer says he aims to bring the same passion for better food and nutrition to all generations. Plum was acquired by Campbell Soup Company in 2013. Based on what is said to be its belief in the growth potential of the personalised nutrition space, Campbell is Habit’s sole investor.

“The entire food industry is being transformed by the fusion of food, well-being and technology,” said Denise Morrison, Campbell’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Habit is well positioned in this wired for well-being space and poised to lead the personalized nutrition category. Campbell’s investment is part of our broader efforts to define the future of food, which requires fresh thinking, new models of innovation, smart external development and venture investing to create an ecosystem of innovative partners.”

Habit will be available in early 2017.