If you’re a loved and loyal Edible Health customer from over the years, then you may have noticed some BIG changes happening recently in the Edible Health world.
As we approached our fourth birthday, we realised that what had started as our little baby had grown into something much bigger and that, as our baby was growing up, some things needed to grow up with it too.
So, we embarked on quite the adventure, and I’d love to share with you the reasons why…
It all started as a passion project
Once upon a time, believe it or not, Edible Health wasn’t really a business.
Instead, it was a passion project dear to my and Simon’s hearts. After struggling with our own health challenges, we came across collagen amidst our research and decided to dive deeper into it. Then, in the weird way the Universe works, an old friend got in touch with us about a business idea - imagine our surprise when he mentioned collagen. As a believer in synchronicity, I knew this was no coincidence. So, Simon and I embarked on a project with our friend to research this miracle molecule and find a way to bring it to the market and help others with their health. We scoured the globe looking for the very best manufacturer to produce 100% pure hydrolysed collagen to my exacting standards. I learned everything and anything I could about collagen protein and its amino acid profile. We then set up an Amazon seller account, took a big breath and pressed go.
We almost fell at the first hurdle
Not long after launching and watching our sales increase rapidly day on day, we started to get hit with some negative reviews.
As sticklers for customer service and satisfaction (I’m ex BUPA and Simon’s ex Mercedes so we have it running through our veins!), we immediately investigated. To cut a long story short, it transpired that our packaging company had made a huge mistake with our induction heat seals (the plastic seal that is stuck to the top of your tub under the lid when you first open it). It turned out that the sealing process requires a very precise temperature to ensure (a) it’s not under-heated so the seals don’t stick and (b) it’s not overheated so the seals get burned. Unfortunately, our problem was the latter. And that meant a total recall of all our stock.
Never one to give up, I made sure all our customers were taken care of and then researched everything I could about the packaging process. I found another contract manufacturer and we worked night and day to take care of the stock that we had to recall and destroy. Our garage and living room turned into a collagen den! But pretty soon, we were back up and running, all the wiser for the experience.
Our customers returned and sales began to climb.
When your passion becomes your business
After about six months it became apparent that the collagen word was spreading and spreading fast!
What had started as a little part-time interest became a full-time role dealing with the supply chain, admin, accounting and customers. Our friend was also seeing success in his other online business so we needed to adapt. Simon got more involved taking care of the numbers and I picked up everything else. After about 18 months, during a walk along a beach in Bali where we live for some of the year (the joys of being a digital nomad!), I said to Simon we were at a crossroads and that something had to give. I was loving helping so many people with the benefits of collagen but I was working pretty much 24/7 and the company was out-growing me. As we had never planned to build a business I said to Simon that we could either leave things where they were and let it tick over, knowing the competition would come along and start snapping at our heels. Alternatively, we could give this our everything. However, if we did, then I needed a team.
Together we decided to give it our all and, over the course of the next eight months, we turned into a team of eight. I have never managed a team and never planned to do so either. However, the flow of people who came to us and the story of how it all came about was clearly part of some other, divine intelligence way above my pay grade!
Now here we are, almost five years in and our little baby project has grown up into a full-blown business!
So, what’s different?
Back in the day, we sold only bovine collagen. Now we have marine plus two specialised blends focussed on anti-ageing and gut health. We have been the top seller on Amazon for several years in a row, and two years ago, our website was born.
Along with our growth has come the growth of the market and many competitors to boot. Being one of the first to market means that everyone generally copies you. We even had someone whose labels were an exact copy of our tub! But they say imitation is the best form of flattery, right?!
But it wasn’t just how the competitors looked that became an issue. It was what they were saying. As a buyer long before I was a seller, it started to infuriate me that they use misleading marketing, tell lies and dish out the BS, all in the name of making money.
On top of that, the Amazon marketplace started to expand rapidly around the globe. First into Europe, then Australia, then Turkey, then Asia.
So, during another one of our now famously revelational walks along our Bali beach, I said to Simon we had reached another crossroads. With Brexit looming and a loss of our European customers, we had to decide whether to just stick with the UK market or to invest in the business and take things global.
Never one to dream small, we went big!
But with big ideas come big changes, and we knew our whole business, from back to front, needed to up its game. What had started as our baby with its sleepless nights toddler phase and then with its stroppy teenager growing pains phase was turning into an adult that wanted to get out and explore the big wide world.
So, it’s time for a change.
What did we need to do?
To be a player in the global market, you need a business that is built on strong foundations. You need to look the part, sound the part and be the part. You have to walk your talk otherwise you’ll become a passing fad washed away in a lack of credibility, lack of resources or both. We had to solidify our accounting platforms and ensure the cashflow was watertight, and numbers were managed with a fine-tooth comb; we needed a new website to be able to accommodate an international customer base; we needed a team structure that is focussed and organised and we needed our product to be worthy of standing on the world stage whilst respecting the need for higher eco credentials to protect our world.
What our new look means
With Edible Health, you are now entering a BS free zone.
We believe collagen has stopped being about wellness. It’s become a category of gimmicks, egos and not-so-white lies. Health is not a game of ‘likes and filters’. Getting the benefits of collagen shouldn’t come with compromise to values, conscience or convenience. We believe in being naturally no nonsense: an uncompromising commitment to purity, simplicity and common sense. And so we’re sticking our stake in the collagen ground by unapologetically setting new standards in collagen with our unique Collagen Code - a 4-point promise to not only demonstrate our commitment to customers but to also take a stand against the ‘Collagen Cowboys’ that we feel are giving collagen a bad name with their misleading marketing and questionable sales tactics. Collagen, and all business, needs to be about Truth, Transparency, Traceability and Trust.
Your health - and the health of our planet - isn’t built on toxic shortcuts, and neither are we.
The Collagen Code is a big part of the new-look Edible Health, and I’d love you to read why we’ve felt so compelled to pave that path not only for us but for our industry.
With five years under our belt an amazing team and a loyal customer following, our mission is to now become the global number 1, no nonsense collagen experts with the vision of empowering the world through natural health.
We are wellbeing warriors, deeply passionate about health, and you’ll find no false marketing, lies or BS - in our products or our PR. We only deal in the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. We’re not about business, we’re about humans, and that applies not only to our customers but also our team.
Our new look is bold, sassy, vibrant; it says so much about our go-getting, no nonsense nature. We don’t do beige. We stand out from the pack in our beliefs, values, uncompromising commitment, and now in our labels and look.
And, in an age of marketing and media that’s rife with images and videos that are filtered and fudged - real is rare. When it comes to our content you’ll see that we embrace real life and all its natural messiness. No filters, no silly set-ups, no BS beauty, no perfect prep or people and no faux fitness.
We’re not afraid to say things how they are or do things how they should be done.
With our new look comes new challenges and bold new horizons. We’re looking forward to helping customers beyond the UK. We can’t wait to say hello to new international friends and we can’t wait to see our product on more e-tail and in more retail platforms than ever before. You’ll be seeing more of us in many ways, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise; I am under strict instructions from my team to stay mum! I promise you’ll hear everything in good time.
Oh - but some things remain the same…
Before I go, it’s important to be clear that a few things haven’t changed, despite our new look. First, the collagen powder you buy from Edible Health remains the exact same powder you’ve come to know and trust. We have always had unwavering confidence in our manufacturer, our ingredients and the hydrolysation process that promises you the very best collagen available. Second, the essence of who we are and what we stand for - empowering the world through natural health - won’t ever change. On that, we have and always will be rock solid.
Thank YOU
So here’s to the same passion, attitude, values, plus a fresh, bold look and feel to rocket us on our journey.
And, finally, here’s to you - our wonderful customers. It sounds like such a cliche, but all the desire to do good in the world stands for nothing without your belief in our product and your loyalty to our brand. So, on behalf of Simon, myself and our whole team, I’d like to thank you for empowering us to realise our passion and goals.
Welcome to naturally no nonsense collagen for the wellness wise.
Welcome to the new Edible Health.
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The information we have provided herewith, and all linked materials are not intended nor should they be construed as medical advice. Moreover, the information herewith should not be used as a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions and consult your General Practitioner for advice specific for you.
