Have you heard of Ample?
It’s a new Paleo soylent, just wrapping up its first crowdfunding campaign. And I just bought a lifetime supply. That’s right, I just pre-ordered a lifetime supply of a competing product. Why?
A year and a half ago, when I was running Custom Body Fuel, my dream was to make the ultimate Paleo (and vegan, and hypoallergenic) soylent that would follow all the latest science and make everybody happy – vegans and Paleo people alike. But I never succeeded in making this happen (though I did try, as some of you may remember). The thing is, I was just too busy trying to figure things out at Custom (and then Super) Body Fuel, focusing on what you all actually wanted, which was not necessarily the Paleo pipe dream so much as affordable, pretty decent-tasting, easily customizable meals for all different diet plans, from ketogenic to athletic.
But I still hadn’t let go of that Paleo soylent dream. And when I first heard about Ample earlier in May, I was pretty jealous! Here was someone doing exactly what I had wanted to do, and they were doing it really well, too, making none of the (many) costly mistakes that I made in the past two years, following exactly the advice that I would give someone trying to start something like this today. And they reached their funding goal in less than two days.
So I had to somehow come to terms with this. I realized that what I was doing at Super Body Fuel was different than Ample, and that it was still unique and valuable, along with my plans for where to take this in the future (more on that later). But I also came to realize that I was no longer the best person to bring this Paleo soylent into the world. Last Friday, I met Connor, Ample’s founder, and I honestly believe now that he is the right person to make this happen.
There’s only so much time we each have in this world, and only so many things we can pour our energy into accomplishing. It is a rare treat to find someone whose vision aligns so closely with your own that you can trust them to make the same decisions that you would have, except faster and more easily because they have focused their entire life into honing those particular skills. I have experienced this in creative collaborations with artists and designers on game projects, and I look forward to experiencing it here, too.
So I bought a lifetime supply of Ample. It’s a token of my belief in Connor to make the product that I’ve been looking for, and bequeathing this dream of mine into his hands. It’s an investment into a promising startup, but really, there are so many times when I’ve wished that I had a bottle of powder in my backpack, ready to fill with water and shake at a moment’s notice when I need a quick (but healthy) meal, that practically speaking, it’s any easy choice. I know as well as anyone that it’s not always easy to keep a pitcher of Schmoylent in the fridge at all times, and even when you do it’s not always nearby when you need it. And I’m allergic to Soylent 2.0. :p I’m looking forward to solving that problem with Ample.
So, if you’ve been looking for a Paleo soylent too, I think you’ll want to get in on this. You have less than two days to pre-order before the campaign ends, on Wednesday, whether you want a lifetime supply or a sample pack, at Ample Meal: Optimal Nutrition in 1 Minute. Even if you’re not Paleo, the nutrition is top-notch and the taste is surprisingly good. There’s also a vegan, hypoallergenic version available, Ample X (that’s the one I’m getting). Worth trying if you can get it. And you can.
And if you’re in Australia, check out PrimalKind. They’re also working on their own Paleo soylent, with a vegan version available as well. And I’ve been talking with both, doing my best to help them out (use monkfruit instead of stevia, to start with!) so that they can make a better product for all of us.
Thanks everyone.
Just don’t stop doing what your doing. Being allergic to peanuts I couldn’t even drink ample! I love the light fuel and hope it stays around. Keeping my fingers crossed to for bulk discounts to come back one day to so I can afford to drink it more often :)
Thanks Nicholas! I’m allergic to peanuts, too, so fortunately Ample doesn’t have any. :) I’ll keep you posted on any Light Fuel discounts… ;)
Ample seems excessively priced. Perhaps if they came pre-mixed like soylent they could justify a slightly higher premium, but I’m not sure why their cost per serving is so high compared to what you offer or even soylent themselves. Obviously they have nice packaging, and perhaps they have an excellent product, but my suspicion is that ordinary person won’t be able to afford their price point. It’s far cheaper to eat “real food”, and one of the main selling points of a nutritionally complete liquid based diet is that you can meet your nutritional needs without paying through the roof for them. Do us all a favor and hold off on selling the metaphorical farm.
Do you know what in Soylent 2.0 specifically you are allergic to?
Yes, it has to be the soy protein. A true allergy is a reaction to protein, of which soy is the only significant source in Soylent 2.0, and I had a true allergic reaction with mouth and throat swelling upon contact. Soy is also in the same family as peanuts, and I’ve been allergic to soy in the past.
I’ve pre-orderd Ample X. It would be very convenient for work, but I will probably continue to drink Light Fuel at home, for variety. Two great products, why not both?
Really nice post, Alex! Love hearing about this journey for you and I think my parents will be ordering from you soon.
Thanks Rachel! :) How did you hear about what I’m doing?
Have you considered supplementing or at least recommending using Avocado Oil in the mix? Another add is Grapeseed oil because of it’s high Vitamin E content.
Hi Michael, we don’t include any oil in our products. I’ve been looking into an MCT oil powder with a custom acacia gum carrier, but it’s very expensive – it would be much cheaper for our customers to buy the MCT oil themselves in liquid form.
Avocado oil is very similar to olive oil in terms of lipid profile, but more expensive and harder to find than olive oil, which is the oil we recommend. It’s a decent substitute if you’re not worried about the cost, however. Grapeseed oil is not something I’d recommend, because it is so high in omega-6 fats (something that we tend to get way too much of in the Western diet). Vitamin E is great but we already include it in our vitamin mix. Olive oil and avocado oil are good options, and so is coconut oil, especially if you’re looking to minimize your omega-6 intake as much as possible.