Nouri Founder Caroline Beckman is a wellness industry rising star
When you hear that 26-year old Nouri Founder Caroline Beckman is taking on the $59 billion gut health industry—where top competitors include behemoths such as Clorox, Procter & Gamble and Nestle—it’s tempting to fixate on her youth. She was only 18 when she joined the company that built Suja Juice, where she ultimately served as V.P. of special projects. After battling her own health struggles, she connected with a team of top scientists and investors to develop a probiotic encapsulated in plant-based omega oils with the goal of a more reliable delivery and results.
Beckman spent 2018 laying the foundation for the brand (named for an Arabic word for “light”), moved to Buckhead in 2019, and this year, Nouri’s three formulas— Digestive Health, Women’s Health, Weight Health ($40 for a 30-day supply)—became available in Whole Foods nationwide. Regardless of her age, the energetic entrepreneur is making waves. Here, we learn more about what drives her.
Were you always interested in business?
I grew up curious, so it’s not surprising I’d be an entrepreneur. While I was generally interested in business, I went to college confused about what to do. The first couple of weeks at the University of San Diego, I joined with the founding employees of Suja, a cold pressed juice company. Helping start that business back in 2011 and 2012 was the first thing I did professionally. It was a good time in the healthy beverage market, and we grew the business quickly. [The company sold a 30% stake to Coca-Cola for $90 million in 2015.] I learned that I loved business and advancing consumer health.
How did you decide to pursue developing probiotics?
I had some immune battles myself. I lost a ton of energy and was getting sick far too often. I realized that 70%—some say 80%—of your immune system is located in your gut. Gut health is the cornerstone on which the rest of your day-to-day health is built. I looked at how we could create better solutions for a new generation within this category.
What makes Nouri different from the many other products?
Our biggest differentiator is the delivery, [so consumers] see results sooner and have more effective, reliable results. Most probiotics don’t survive the trip through your stomach to make it to the intestines where they do their best work. We found a way to encapsulate probiotics within omega oils, so it’s a two-in-one capsule. It delivers double as much bacteria [versus most others on the market] where it needs to go. The second big differentiator is the clean label. We stand firmly on traceability and the clarity of what’s in the product. The label shows you where the bacteria came from, so you can make [an informed] decision.
What’s your personal wellness routine when you’re home in Buckhead?
I try to focus on spiritual, mental and physical wellness. I’m involved at Passion City Church, a great, diverse group of people. I’m a morning person, and I take [at least an] hour of quiet time every day, reading and writing. From a physical standpoint, I love boxing. I live across from Panthéon, an awesome local gym, and I train [with CEO Ben Duvall] most days.
NOURI
Available at Whole Foods:
Buckhead
77 West Paces Ferry Road N.W.
Atlanta 30305
404.324.4100
Chamblee
5001 Peachtree Blvd.
Atlanta 30341
470.552.0750
Sandy Springs
5930 Roswell Road
Atlanta 30328
404.236.0810
wholefoodsmarket.com
