Checkout Chats: Ali Wing, CEO of Oobli

In an industry where true innovation is increasingly rare, Oobli stands out by bringing something genuinely novel to the table: sweet proteins.

As the first company to commercialize products using these unique compounds, Oobli is reimagining the future of sweetness, not as a CPG brand, but as a biotech innovator tackling one of the food industry's biggest and sweetest challenges.

But What Are Sweet Proteins?

Sweet proteins are nature's peculiar innovation - proteins found in equatorial fruits that are up to 5,000x sweeter than sugar! Primarily found in West Africa, these proteins deliver sugar-like sweetness but digest like protein in your body. "Every sugar or sugar alternative you know today is what we would call a small molecule," Wing explains. Sweet proteins are different - they're large molecules that bind temporarily to taste receptors without triggering the metabolic responses that make sugar problematic.

Why do these plants produce such intensely sweet proteins? As Wing describes it, it's an evolutionary success story. Plants along the equator needed to attract seed-dispersing primates but couldn't afford the caloric expense of producing sugary fruits. Instead, they evolved proteins that could trick primate taste receptors into perceiving sweetness! A remarkably efficient solution that required far less energy than producing actual sugar.

The result? A family of proteins that can deliver sweetness without impacting blood sugar, insulin levels, or gut health. And because they're so potent - just 1g of brazzein equals 2,000g of sugar - a little goes a very long way.

Learn more about the fascinating science of sweet proteins here.

Innovating in the Food Industry

"We're a technology company"

Unlike most companies in the food and beverage space, Oobli isn't trying to build the next great consumer brand. Instead, they're taking a different approach to innovation - positioning themselves as a technology partner and ingredient supplier to help transform the broader food industry.

"I don't really have to convince consumers proteins are good for them," Wing notes. Rather than competing with existing brands or sweetener companies, Oobli is focused on building partnerships and alliances. They work with companies ranging from $100-200 million brands to global leaders like Grupo Bimbo, helping them "rehabilitate" their products without sacrificing taste. This partnership approach allows Oobli to have a wider impact.

"Every board meeting they would say, 'so are you now raising?' I'm like, you don't understand. We're not gonna raise. We're good," Wing explains.

Their goal isn't rapid retail expansion but rather becoming an integral part of the food industry's sweetener systems through strategic collaborations.

Consumer Awareness and Education

Despite not having ambitions to be a consumer product company, Oobli has launched their own line of chocolates and beverages to showcase the viability of their technology.

Making revolutionary technology accessible to consumers requires careful messaging. Rather than diving into complex biochemistry, Oobli keeps it simple: "What I want you to know is it's plant-based protein that can sweeten, and you can trust it," Wing explains.

This straightforward approach builds on consumers' existing understanding of protein as a beneficial nutrient. But, instead of positioning themselves against other sweeteners, Oobli focuses on making the unfamiliar familiar through product demonstrations and strategic partnerships.

Partnerships and Product Applications

Oobli has secured collaborations with about a dozen companies, ranging from $100-200 million brands to global leaders like Grupo Bimbo. These partnerships span multiple categories:

Beverages

• The "800-pound gorilla" of sugar consumption (most people drink their sugar)

• Working in both carbonated and non-carbonated applications

Dairy Products

• Particularly well-suited for sweet proteins

• "They love the fat and acidity of dairy"

• Can achieve zero added sugar while maintaining taste

Baked Goods

• Initially thought impossible due to protein processing concerns

• Successfully launching with Grupo Bimbo

• Demonstrates broad applicability of the technology

Sauces and Condiments

• Major source of hidden sugars

• Significant impact on daily sugar intake

• Key focus for future development

Addressing the Sugar Problem

While consumers often focus on obvious sources of sugar, Oobli sees a bigger challenge in hidden sugars. Some surprising examples:

• Children's vitamins containing 10-12 grams of sugar before the first meal

• Yogurt containing ~4x more sugar than a decade ago

• Common condiments and sauces

• Everyday bread products

"The issue's actually not our decision to have dessert," Wing emphasizes. "The big problem is that there's just this general load" of sugar in everyday products.

Vision for the Future

Oobli isn't trying to eliminate sugar or compete with established brands. Their vision is about reducing overall sugar consumption by becoming an integral part of sweetening systems across the food industry.

"I'm not really trying to make an appeal for the 40-year-old in the US that already loves Coke. I'm actually trying to take the 10-year-old to the 20-year-old, to have their craveable choice that has a different taste profile that becomes the thing we don't ever change."

This approach represents a fundamental shift in addressing global sugar consumption and more broadly in the better for you space. Rather than asking consumers to sacrifice taste or switch to unfamiliar alternatives, Oobli is working within existing systems to make products better through technological innovation.

By combining scientific advancement with strategic partnerships, they're positioning themselves to make a meaningful impact on global health challenges while preserving the joy of sweetness in food - a strategy that could prove more effective than traditional attempts to reshape consumer behavior.