Portland entrepreneurs Megan Barnett and Lee Carson want to talk about fiber.
It’s a topic not typically brought up in casual conversation but one the duo are enthusiastic about. Or, at least they are now.
The pair are founders of Florasophy, a manufacturer of a line of organic soluble fiber supplements. The brand started with Barnett, who is also a functional medicine nutritionist. In her clinical work she saw first-hand how people are not getting enough fiber in their diets.
Existing supplements weren’t cutting it for her, so she took to her kitchen to find blends that would work best. Florasophy’s powder blends include chia seeds, acacia gum, glucomannan, sunfiber and psyllium seeds.
Working with her patients, Barnett found the right blends. One of those early users was Carson, who also happens to be a business strategist. The two teamed up to start the company and get the product into the hands of more people.
They now sell about 300 bags a month of product. Each bag contains a month’s supply. The production has graduated from Barnett’s kitchen to a co-manufacturer in Mount Angel, that specializes in supplements.
“A lot of education is still happening around fiber. We think of it as something for our grandparents,” said Barnett, who argues that fiber is for everyone at every age. “We want to disrupt the conversation on how to optimize health. We should be thinking about this for our kids and earlier.”
Their vision is simple.
“Ultimately we want Florasophy to be a household name and the modern fiber choice,” said Carson.
The product: Organic soluble fiber supplement blends
How it makes money: Florasophy manufacturers and sells three unique formulas of organic supplemental soluble fiber. It sells direct-to-consumer on its website and offers monthly subscriptions. It also sells on Amazon and select specialty retail locations or health clinics. One bag contains a month's supply and costs $38.50.
Size of market: The dietary fiber market is expected to grow 9.1% from 2022 to 2023. People are realizing that daily digestive discomfort is not normal, according the founders. 44% of Americans took supplements over the last 12 months in hopes of improving gut health, and "digestive comfort" and "gut health" were the most requested topics for one-on-one coaching sessions with Natural Grocers’ Nutritional Health Coaches in 2022.
Competition: Traditional drug store brands.
Competitive advantage: Florasophy is clean, organic and free of common additives that can increase irritation. Knowing that it’s best to get fiber from diverse sources, Florasophy is made from at least four ingredients. Florasophy was developed by a clinician, Megan Barnett, because she was unable to find a suitable fiber supplement for her patients.
Managers and their background: Megan Barnett is a functional medicine nutritionist who uses lifestyle medicine therapeutically to offer individualized treatment tailored for unique needs. Her practice gives Florasophy a living laboratory, where we work hands-on with patients every day. She is also co-owner at Biolounge functional medicine clinic.
Lee Carson is a 20-year veteran of business strategy in the nonprofit and small business spaces. She’s also a health advocate, certified personal trainer and yoga instructor. She co-owns Hyatt Training personal training studio.
Advisers: Meriwether Group
Investors: self-funded
Ideal exit: future acquisition
Closer Look
Company name: Florasophy LLC
Headquarters: Washington County
Year founded: 2021
CEO: Lee Carson
Employees: 2
Web: ThinkFlorasophy.com
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