Soylent DIYers Sell Their Own Versions Of The Powdered Food
When Rob Rhinehart first created Soylent –– a powdered, synthetic food product made of industrial nutrients and oils –– he was a San Francisco techie trying sustain himself cheaply without the inconveniences of grocery shopping, cooking or even eating.
His initial blog posts attracted the attention of Hacker News and members of the "lifehacking" community, who rallied around his DIY approach to concocting a nutritious food powder to live on. Rhinehart posted his recipe online and invited others to tinker with it. Some 2,400 customized versions, like "Chocolate Silk" and "Bachelorette Chow," tailored to various tastes and dietary needs, now exist.
While some nutrition scientists were skeptical of Rhinehart's claims that Soylent could be healthful alternative to real food for everyone, his vibrant online following helped him raise an initial $750,000 through crowdfunding to take it to market. Silicon Valley venture capitalists were also soon convinced that there was money to be made in Soylent and ponied up $1.5 million in funding.
Production began in late 2013, and the company began shipping orders to crowdfunders early this year. A week's supply of Soylent (21 meals) is $85 for a one-time purchase, and $70 for a monthly subscription. The company says new orders are rolling in to the tune of $10,000 a day.
But even as the company's early success suggests this synthetic food is here to stay, tension is building between the company and the enthusiasts online — now numbering 18,000 users from around the world — who helped get it off the ground.
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