The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

It’s easy to get caught up in the news and activities of the industry’s global giants, but what about the smaller firms pushing boundaries with bold ideas? In this instalment of start-up of the month – which celebrates lesser-known companies and their innovations – we speak to Mike Rudling, founder, CEO and CTO of Radix, about how he’s blending elite sports experience with advanced nutrition science and proprietary software to create functional foods designed for both performance and everyday health.

You founded Radix in 2013 after a career as an elite athlete – what was the moment that sparked your frustration with the food industry, and how did that translate into the idea for Radix?

I have always been drawn to systems-thinking, with a fascination for simple solutions to complex problems that get to the root cause of an issue. In sports, an understanding of an athlete’s technique and a focus on mastering the fundamentals are the essential building blocks for reaching one’s potential.

I was fortunate to be a competitive athlete from an early age, with a deep appreciation for both strong fundamentals and technique. This mindset carried through my sporting career and into Radix. I realised that if we looked at nutrition like an engineering problem, using the vast knowledge already available in the global scientific community, we could redesign it from the ground up. With Radix, we aim to make advanced nutritional science accessible to everyday consumers.

Radix’s mission is rooted in bridging the gap between nutritional science and real-world food products. Why do you think that gap has persisted for so long, and what does it take to bridge it?

This is a great question and one I’ve thought about a lot since starting Radix. There’s already incredible knowledge, work and effort within the global food industry and supply chain – but much of it hasn’t been applied to consumer products until now.

We’re at a turning point, as consumers’ growing appreciation for health and its connection to nutrition force the industry to react. This is the most powerful driver in bringing about effective change.

Right now, trends like protein are gaining traction, but the focus is often on quantity. The next evolution will be about efficacy – how nutrients actually work in the body – driven by science and measurable results. Consumers are increasingly interested in technical elements such as bioavailability and which products will really benefit their health or performance. Tools such as wearable health trackers are fuelling this curiosity, for example CGMs, and I see these adjacent health industries as key drivers of the food industry’s next evolution.

You’ve developed proprietary software to analyse over 700 nutrients across global dietary standards. Can you share how this tech-driven approach transforms traditional food formulation?

We’ve developed a computational nutrition design platform that brings together leading global datasets and integrates them into an increasingly automated formulation process. By aligning cutting-edge health science with regulatory standards, we can create products with category-leading nutritional profiles made from natural ingredients.

Our software contains over 37 million nutritional values from more than 4 million food and ingredient items worldwide. This gives us insight into around 2,500 dietary compounds found in natural foods, which form the foundation of our design process. From there, we build nutritional targets using more than 500 recommended dietary intakes from across the globe, covering different age and gender groups. On top of this, we layer in wider scientific guidance on areas such as protein bioavailability, phytonutrients and other beneficial compounds found in natural foods. We then optimise formulations for nutritional value, cost, manufacturability, regulatory requirements and consumer enjoyment. Where traditional product design might focus on a handful of nutrients and a few iterations, our platform can target hundreds at once and run several hundred thousand design iterations in seconds.

Finally, products go through sensory testing and consumer feedback analysis, which we use to refine and improve them both before and after launch. This process has given our team a major advantage, enabling us to create products we believe are world-leading in their nutritional value.

How does your formulation process differ from more conventional food product development models? Do you think we’ll see larger manufacturers moving towards similar frameworks?

Our approach allows us to move closer to the scientific forefront of human health than most companies, with a design process that is both faster and more precise while still using natural ingredients. We couldn’t do this without leveraging advanced techniques, and we believe this is unquestionably the direction the food and nutrition industry is heading.

Your products are designed for a wide range of consumers – from elite athletes to health-conscious everyday eaters. How do you approach creating functional meals that meet such diverse needs without compromising on nutritional precision?

For us, it’s about striking the balance between nutritional quality and flavour. We know that for products to become part of someone’s daily routine, they need to deliver both health benefits and enjoyment. We are working to improve this balance but we have done a great job so far.

The functional food and sports nutrition markets are crowded and competitive. What differentiates Radix’s offering, and how do you ensure that science remains at the core of your brand as you scale?

We’re bringing state-of-the-art nutrition design into the largest convenience-food categories,

because that’s where we can make the most significant impact on people’s health. Our core range is

designed for well-informed consumers who share the same goal of better health.

As we grow, we’re committed to publishing the research behind our products and being

transparent about who we are, how we design and the science guiding us. Our unique design

process not only lets us keep improving nutritional quality, but also reduces formulation and

manufacturing costs – savings we intend to reinvest into improving our products and driving

further growth.

Radix has spent several years in R&D – something that can be challenging in a fast-moving category. What advice would you give to other food-tech founders about patience, persistence and timing in product development?

Be clear on your purpose, rapidly iterate and keep an open mind. The compounding effect of this

approach is powerful.

Looking back, were there any pivotal moments or lessons you learned early on that fundamentally shaped how Radix operates today?

One of the most important lessons has been the value of clearly defining the core problem we’re

solving for consumers – and making sure that vision is shared across the company. That means an

open-minded and driven team internally, supported by exceptional suppliers and technical partners

externally. Gaining a deeper understanding of how these weave together has been a fundamental

lesson I continue to appreciate deeply.

You’ve built a brand with strong roots in both data science and nutrition. What advice would you offer to start-ups trying to balance technical innovation with clear brand storytelling?

Treat external communication with the same importance as internal communication. The signals you create externally are vital for shaping resonant messaging and purpose. This needs to be done collectively, with every team member given a seat at the table to see how their work contributes to consumers and creates real value.

What excites you about the next 12 months for Radix – whether that’s new product innovation, market expansion or something else entirely?

We’re excited to show the world what we have created at Radix and demonstrate what science, technology and passion can achieve at the forefront of nutritional science.

As nutritional guidelines and consumer needs continue to evolve globally, how do you see your software and product formulation model adapting to future demands?

Looking ahead, our goal is to bring consumers with us into personalised nutrition. The first

chapter of Radix has been about building a product ecosystem that can support healthy

metabolism holistically.

The next chapter is about being alongside our customers in their daily lives, guiding them with a personalised nutrition platform that helps them reach their individual health goals.