The Protein Pioneer
There’s far more to be gained from your gym shake than extra muscle. Damian Soong wants to upgrade your body, mind – oh, and the entire supps industry
As a serial entrepreneur across sectors ranging from product design to clean water, Damian Soong – who trained as an engineer – had all the ingredients to shake up the world of protein supplements. “I studied a business book called Blue Ocean Strategy,” he says. “It argues you shouldn’t compete in the same space as everyone else: look for the clear water.” Although the protein market was more crowded than the bench on a Monday, the most popular brands were, in essence, repeating the same exercise. “They were all superficial,” says Soong. “Take a shake, get big muscles.”
His brand, Form, has a broader scope: muscle growth, yes, but also cognitive enhancement, recovery and everyday energy, with powdered greens, digestive enzymes and probiotics mixed into its blends. Soong established the company last year – alongside co-founders Pete O’donoghue, a business consultant, and Natalia Bojanic, a former PR director and yoga teacher – with the aim of catering to people who wanted to reach their peak in more places than just their biceps. Since then, the small but perfectly formulated brand has scooped great taste awards in publications from the Telegraph to Tatler.
Another problem with wellness culture is that it is inherently privileged. “Let’s face it – it’s a huge luxury to worry about consuming an extra 30g of protein when a billion people don’t have enough food for a healthy life,” says Soong. “So, what if you make it about others?” For every product purchased, Form donates a meal to the family feeding fund at Bansang Hospital in the Gambia.
Form’s tag line – “Plantbased nutrition for body and mind” – reflects its mission to expand the definition of nutrition from nourishing yourself to attending to “your whole self”. This manifests in natural nootropics such as Edge, which contains herbs and B vitamins, as well as in Form’s online courses run by the University of Surrey’s Dr Adam Collins, who educates on subjects such as body composition and intermittent fasting. Food for thought – and something for the bro scientists to chew on.
“Let’s face it – wellness culture is privileged. So, what if you make it about others?”