More than meal kits: MixMasters ventures into personalised meals, bars, shakes and more

The startup, which launched in 2019, is also investigating the incorporation of supplements into their ‘FoodiYou’ meal kit service, to enable customers to effectively achieve their health goals in an increasingly convenience-driven environment.

The FoodiYou concept, currently in trial stage, is set to be introduced at the beginning of next year.

Tom Geleijnse, CEO of Mixmasters​, tells NutraIngredients: “Consumers fill out an online questionnaire which takes anthropometric measurements as well as gender, age, physical activity, and diet, and body measurements which can be done in 10 minutes. Then they get a food plan with a food box. 

“The box contains everything you need, fresh meals, bars, meal replacement shakes and potentially food supplements in order to complete the profile. That’s the concept we are currently working on,” he explains.

With MixMasters currently specialising in the development and production of custom-made health food and supplements for private label brands, the new venture will utilise and adapt their existing product range.

Geleijnse spotlights key products in their existing range, such as powdered proteins sourced from whey, pea, and rice, offering a complete amino acid profile.

“We have a composition of vitamin and minerals which we can adjust according to end consumer need,” he adds.

He believes this is the first-time a personalised nutrition service has provided fresh and powdered foods. He emphasises: “I believe this can be a huge benefit for people that are, not only struggling with weight, but struggling with knowing the right foods to eat.”

The MixMasters business also includes the recently launched 'Bar Factory', which utilises the same concept of a questionnaire and personalised products.

Regarding both ventures, Geleijnse explains: “We have everything in house. We have our own innovation team, product developers, quality managers, and the production, and we work with design agencies for our own label packaging design. We do everything from A-Z for starting companies, but also for being a partner for bigger companies.”

Genotype to phenotype​

Geleijnse emphasises that the most important features of at-home testing must be ease of use, convenience, and cost; something the company began to realise did not align with DNA testing.

“TNO advised us to look at phenotyping and see what we can do for people if they fill in a questionnaire and do some physical measurements, as well as filling in life goals and physical activity level. And based on that test, we developed products; meal replacement shakes and bars to fit these profiles.”

He explains that TNO -  an independent research organisation in the Netherlands that offers consulting services and software - provided the phenotype tests and the expertise in how to personalise the Mixmasters offering.

Discussing the integration of fresh meals to the service, he adds: “The products that we make are good, but if you want to bring it to market it needs to be bigger. You can’t advise someone to just eat bars and meal replacement shakes all day. So, that’s the phase where we are at right now and we are setting up a collaboration with a big player in the Netherlands that offers fresh meals that can fit into a diet that we base on the phenotyping of the customer,” he adds.

Next, Geleijnse says the company plans to conduct consumer panels to assess the accuracy of the tests and the adherence to the diet plans.

In addition, he says that there may be potential for the implementation of an app for convenient box ordering and nutrition coaching.