QULA: The Story Behind This “Cool-ah” Product [INTERVIEW]

Gut health is a term that continues to “trend” and the market is filled with products such as drinks, yogurts and other foods that contain probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms promoted with claims that they provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut flora.

Recently, I was introduced to Rebecca Cass, founder (and former New Zealand nurse) of one of the hottest probiotic drinks on the market, QULA. She was kind enough to speak with me about how she started this business and the benefits of the product. 

Personally, I have had limited exposure to probiotic drinks. My mother and sister have been using a competitive powdered probiotic drink and they enjoy it. My hesitation in using that product and others, has been the fragrance and coloring. I am deathly allergic to dyes and fragrances and can tell immediately, just by smelling a product, if it will be an issue. I am happy to say that I did test the QULA product (Electric Berryland flavor) and it was wonderful! Not only did it smell great, the taste was amazing! This is a product I will continue to use and highly recommend. 

Without further ado…I introduce Rebecca Cass…let’s get on with the interview…

Who is Rebecca Cass?

I was a pediatric nurse with a massive passion for food and the nourishment it can bring to overall well being. After working for a few years, I left the hospital wards to start my first company delivering food to new parents ‘baby angel’. This little food delivery service grew rapidly and led me to become one of the early innovators globally in the DTC food delivery category.  

More recently with the broader idea of developing a product that is both good for the body and environment, I started working on a new innovation with my business partners, developing a line of concentrates that people can add to their water as an alternative to single-use bottled drinks (70% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration so helping alleviate that health crisis while reducing bottle waste was a health care initiative that made a difference to both people and the planet).  

Our first innovation was focused on probiotic drinks, where we developed a world-first Kombucha tab, which garnered cult status with fans like Kourtney Kardashian. With gut health becoming more commonly recognized as a critical element to overall wellness we have continued to focus on its function when combined with the overall benefits of hydration and have recently launched our first real fruit line in a new SKU of Pre+Probiotic crystals.  

QULA is unique in that it is created to not only bring exceptional functional/health benefits but is also an inclusive creative lifestyle brand, in a category that has been traditionally viewed as medicinal (i.e., liquid IV or emergen-c).  

The benefits of using a concentrate vs single-use bottle drink are profound and we have estimated that the carbon savings per drink experience is 92% more efficient vs a traditional bottled ready-to-drink beverage, and all people have to do is make their water cooler AKA ‘qula’.  

“The global probiotics market was estimated to be valued at USD 61.1 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 91.1 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 8.3% during the forecast period. The global demand for probiotics is increasing significantly due to health benefits associated with probiotic-fortified foods, multifunctionality of probiotics, and the increasing use of probiotics in foods due to the rising consumer awareness related to healthy diets. The demand for probiotics in fortified foods is projected to remain high due to the increasing awareness about their benefits, and willingness of consumers to purchase premium products incorporated with probiotics.” – marketsandmarkets.com

QULA is a prebiotic and a probiotic…what are the benefits of both?

A doctor I used to work with back in my nursing days called your gut flora (the microorganism activity in your gut) the forgotten organ – maybe that is part of why I have been so aware/passionate about gut health over the years!  

Our body has naturally occurring microorganisms in the gut that feed and nourish our body. They are highly sensitive to the foods we consume and the medications we take. 

Probiotics – are living microorganisms that give your body a boost of ‘healthy’ bacteria to help feed and nourish gut flora. 

Prebiotics is a type of fiber (often found naturally occurring in fruits) that feeds the microorganisms in your gut.  

When paired together they are a powerhouse for improving your gut health!  

Did you have a light-bulb moment for QULA or did it develop over time? 

It was a little bit of both actually. I started my professional career as a nurse and as such I’ve always been acutely aware of the importance of gut health and how it manifests itself in everything from healthy weight management to mental health to immunity and so many other aspects of our health. So I’ve always been a huge proponent of probiotics and apple cider vinegar and in recent years probiotics as well. Full spectrum gut health has always seemed like such a no brainer to me but there was never a single product  to go to for that which was also affordable. I’m also a serial entrepreneur with my main focus on fresh and delicious food which for me is an aspect of food and healing that I can never get enough of.   

The world I think has finally begun  to catch up to my gut heath obsession and so I thought I would put my Entrepreneur’s brain to use in this regard and Qula is the end result of that. 

Were you using other probiotic or other “healthy drink” powders before creating QULA?

Yes absolutely, as I said , before going into business I was a nurse and had been aware that a healthy gut was a fundamental building block for everyday health, so I have been a religious user of probiotics.  

I’m also, being a Kiwi, quite sentimental and love a practical solution. As  such, drink powders have always had a lovely nostalgic presence in my life and are always kept in the pantry of my summer house (drinking them reminded me of my childhood summer holidays). One morning at my summer house, whilst take a half a dozen quite expensive probiotic and prebiotic pills and then a shot of apple cider vinegar and then chasing the taste away with a lovely New Zealand powdered orange drink,(which is in truth terribly sugary ) the light bulb went on incredibly bright and flashing.

Why not a delicious powdered drink, that one actually drinks for pleasure that also contains Probiotics and prebiotics and real fruit and apple cider vinegar as well. In short a full spectrum foundational gut health drink that feels neither medicinal  nor punitive but joyous instead. And I wanted to do it with less than a gram of sugar, so children could enjoy it as well in lieu of soda.   Then I had to go out and find a way to create it…. 

Where did the product name come from?

My partner Nathaniel came up with the name, as we developed the product it was often said how this was so much cooler than anything on the market, so it was a bit of a play on that combined with the Sanskrit word Kula which translates roughly to community and inclusion and belonging and people coming together to cultivate that. So, it’s quite heartfelt but with a little wink to it as well.  

What goes into developing a product like this?

It literally started on my kitchen bench in New Zealand, with a dehydrator, juice extractor, baskets of fresh organic fruit, and a truckload of homemade kombucha and native botanicals. 

Once we had the base formula developed we moved into developing a scalable product working with groundbreaking R&D teams in food nutritional science areas, first in New Zealand and then in Berkeley, California and Boulder Colorado and St George Utah with stops along the way in Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles, and Soho in NYC. We’ve logged many air miles and hotels in this journey  which also helped in giving us real world testing in regard to the viability of Qula as the ultimate “on-the go” health product. I have to honestly report it gets all gold stars in that respect and it actually works wonderfully for me in helping with jet lag and I’ve been told as a hangover helper, it’s quite sublime if someone has perhaps over enjoyed the champagne one festive evening.  

How does QULA compare to other on-the-go probiotic products?

Well, we are the best of course. If you really want something that is truly delicious and low in sugar and hydrating in addition to being full spectrum, as far as gut health is concerned, we really are alone in our own realm. We encourage anyone who uses any powdered functional beverage to give this the “Pepsi” or or shall we say “Qula” Challenge both in taste and function and I’m quite confident we will have a new convert as a result. In fact the question I get asked the most by quite some distance is “Becs, I’m drinking four or five of these a day, is that ok?” And I always reassure them that their body is thank them for it in a myriad of ways. 

What is behind the product design? It is amazing; There are many online reviews raving about it!

Yes, it’s great right! It’s unique and unconventional. My partner Nathaniel is the art side of the equation and it’s all inspired by music and fine art with the idea of both sparking and celebrating creativity amongst our community. We really wanted to engage all the senses in a celebratory way every time you used it. We’ve always thought that things can be both extremely healthy and quite beautiful and creative simultaneously. 

QULA was founded by myself and three other highly creative people (who don’t have a background in CPG like I do), and it was through the collaboration of minds that weren’t restricted by industry norms that we created a very unique experience and pushed the boundaries on what was ‘expected’. There was a magic in the creative collaboration, and we decided to continue with this in our branding, by collaborating with artists from around the world, giving each package its own life and personality.  

Where did you come up with the flavor combinations?

They’ve all been informed by travel and various tastes and combinations that have made an impression upon us. For instance “Little Wish” which is a delightful summery citrus combination was inspired by a friend of Nathaniel’s who had this idyllic little beach shack in Tulum nearly twenty years ago. He agreed to let us use his recipe but we can never completely divulge the specifics of the recipe or the location of his beach shack. Every flavor really has a lovely story behind like that. So we then try and find an artist who can really bring that to life on the packaging. It’s like creating a book of memories in a way. 

The product started out in tablet form and it is now available as a powder. How have your customers reacted to this change? 

People love it! We initially launched with the Kombucha tabs which people love to drop into sparkling water as its more like  a store bought kombucha but we were restricted by a maximum weight of 4 grams in the tab form, which meant we had to use strong sweeteners like organic stevia and natural flavors, with the powder form we have been able to double our weight and use real fruit powders to give a truly delicious world-class drink experience and also add a prebiotic and real fruit.  We’re fond of the kombucha tabs but the pre+ probiotic drink powders are truly next level in every respect. 

I have read through all of the Amazon product reviews and there are two items that reviewers seem to have called out…it does not taste like Kombucha (as they are used to experiencing it) and the high price point. Can you address both of these concerns? 

To your first point flavor – even in the tab stage of Qula we wanted to reach beyond the average Kombucha drinker and provide people with a more palatable experience.  

Now that we’ve moved beyond Kombucha and into a full spectrum powder, obviously we don’t have any need to try and reconcile ourselves with replicating a kombucha taste and it’s become its own taste experience. 

As far as pricing is concerned, simply put, we don’t cut any corners and as such quality ingredients cost, particularly when you are running small batches.  

How important is sustainability for your business?

Very  Very  Very. When we first started out disrupting kombucha one of  our points of emphasis was taking all this store bought kombucha bottles out of circulation. The real damage though comes with shipping beverages across the country in huge refrigerated trucks and that is  luckily not something we ever have to inflict on the environment with our form factors. Our COO/ Sustainability officer did a small study and found we were roughly 97% more environmentally friendly as compared to a typical bottled beverage company. We  don’t  make a big deal  out of it but it does help us sleep just a bit more peacefully at night. 

What does a typical workday look like for you?

I’m a morning person, so I wake early, usually around 4.30am.

(I’m young enough and maybe naïve lol to believe that every new day still brings some form of  adventure, excitement, and unknown, and whilst the days are not always perfect, they are opportunities for me to be stretched, learn, discover, create, or resolve). 

I am a coffee lover, so a quality coffee machine and fresh beans are essentials in my morning routine. 

During the early morning, I will take an hour for exercise/meditation, an hour for reading, an hour for emails and focused work.  

From 8 am-1 pm I am usually booked with meetings and I leave the 1-3pm timeframe for more creative work and dealing with unexpected items.  

4- 6pm is a review of the days activities and summation and prep for the next day. 

After that, time to relax, exercise, cook, spend time with family, and dream of traveling to inspire the next phase of Qula. 

Who is your ideal customer?

Our ideal customer is nearly anyone as our appeal has proved to be quite diverse from very young to seniors who swear by it, lots of yogis and athletes and outdoorsy folks, rock climbers and long distance runners, quite a few folks in the fashion industry as well  and then a large group from the entertainment industry as we have found they quite appreciate the weight maintenance support which can be quite profound. I would say the common denominator is someone who is conscious on many levels. 

Which is your favorite flavor?

Shapeshifter – we’ve called the flavor ‘Summer Citrus’ which is a perfectly refreshing blend of Meyer lemon, grapefruit, and lime with a hint of apple cider for tang but not balanced with the mellow subtle undertones of tea.   

What is next for QULA?

We’re launching two new flavors at the end of April and they are amazing!  

What is your favorite travel destination?

Oh gosh everywhere really, but being from New Zealand I especially adore Fiji – the people are amazing and being of indigenous descent myself, they really speak to my soul. 

What book are you reading now?

A Gentleman in Moscow. Though I do admit to a longstanding desire to get my courage and discipline up to undertake Proust. My partner keeps encouraging me to read him and also Virginia Woolf but not quite yet. 

Savory or sweet?

Sweet!  

How do you define luxury?

Being in a state of complete peace and happiness surrounded by the people I love. 

Of course, I love beautiful things (my great grandfather was a legendary art/antique dealer), but being able to enjoy and appreciate luxury in its purest form comes when you are peaceful and happy. 

Rebecca…thank you so much for making the time for this interview! To learn more about Qula visit qula.co/discount/LUXEBEAT and get 10% off your order or use the QR code! 

 

Photos Copyright © 2022 Sherrie Wilkolaski, Product flyer images courtesy of QULA