Rhythm in blue: Blue spirulina firm to enter South East Asia, introduce new blends
According to founder Kashmiira Nayar, 28, the brand is undergoing research and development (R&D) to create new formulations. The formulations would serve numerous functions like maintaining gut, hair and skin health, managing stress and anxiety, and providing hangover relief.
Currently, the firm has five single-source powders – the blue spirulina, maca root, matcha, moringa leaf and camu camu berry. They retail domestically at prices ranging from SG$9.90 to SG$29.50 (US$7 to US$21) in 50g units through the brand’s e-commerce site.
Besides regional expansion and new formulation, the brand plans to produce different packaging sizes and bundle deals with different powders, said Nayar.
“The blends are formulated based on Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) principles, which are also backed by science. By Q3 2022, or around September, we hope to introduce our first blend called ‘After Hours’ for hangover relief and liver support. The formulation hopes to help the liver eliminate toxins and aid the detox process.
“At the moment, we do not ship overseas, but we are looking to enter the South East Asian market, like Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, in 2023. I encourage people from the region to email and request the products from us,” said Nayar, who holds a degree in biological sciences from the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Established on 20 April 2022, Soul +Fix aims to elevate diets with essential micronutrients found in premium powders that claim to be organic and sustainably sourced from the Peruvian Andes and plantations in India and Japan. Each serving size is one teaspoon or 2g per day. The products target health, fitness and wellness enthusiasts among men and women aged 18 to 50.
The rhythm of the ‘blue’
Soul +Fix is believed to be the pioneer in introducing blue spirulina powder to the Singapore market. The commonly-sold spirulina products are usually green and can have a fishy taste profile. Despite being manufactured from the same algae, blue spirulina contains a concentrated amount of phycocyanin, which gives the product its signature blue colour. It also has a milder to no-flavour profile, making it versatile as an ingredient.
According to Nayar, the blue spirulina contains antioxidants, B-group vitamins and minerals. However, it is heat-sensitive; hence, the powder is best consumed when mixed raw to maintain the bioavailability of the nutrients. For example, consumers could mix blue spirulina powder into water, milk, smoothies and desserts like no-bake cheesecakes, chia seed pudding and panna cotta. It could be made into food colouring too. The different methods are highlighted in the brand’s second touchpoint, Instagram.
“You can be as creative as you like. It’s a fun way to add more nutrition to your diet. Personally, the vibrant blue colour sets the tone for my day,” she said.
Looking forward, Nayar hopes that people will start to appreciate the nutritional value of blue spirulina and algae as a source of nutrition as the world discovers more sources of food and lifestyles evolve.
“Today, we want to focus on increasing awareness and educating consumers on ways to use blue spirulina daily. We want people to know what’s available so they can choose and elevate nutrition in their diets. The green spirulina is marketed as high protein, but blue spirulina is touted for its antioxidant, iron, phycocyanin, B vitamins and mineral content,” she said.
Healthy ageing, proteins and probiotics are major focus areas of our upcoming Growth Asia Summit in Singapore from 11 to 13 October. Check out big-name brands, international experts and pioneering start-ups slated to present here.
