NEWROAD 30, a science-led gut health product founded in Oxford by Catherine Hurley Arbibe and Alain Arbibe, has grown from a personal health experiment into a science-backed wellness brand expanding across premium retail, collaborations and e-commerce.
Founder Catherine Hurley Arbibe explains, “Initially it wasn’t a business idea at all, it began as my own journey exploring how fruit and vegetables could support the gut microbiome.” NEWROAD 30 is a whole-food powder made from 30 different freeze-dried organic fruits, vegetables and pulses that can be added to water, yoghurt, kefir or porridge and is designed to help support a balanced and diverse gut microbiome. What began in the family kitchen has since developed into a growing e-commerce business, also stocked by outlets including Daylesford Organic, John Bell & Croyden, the historic London pharmacy and premium supplement online platform W-Wellness.
Science, experimentation and persistence
To develop from a personal experiment to a commercial product, Catherine collaborated with researchers from University of Oxford, INRAE in Paris and Queen’s University Belfast. She reflects that finding the right ingredients was one of the earliest challenges. Catherine states, “You can easily source organic apples or pears, but finding things like organic fennel or sweet potato at the right quality took much longer.”
There were also technical hurdles such as combining 30 different ingredients, each with different water content, fibre levels and flavour profiles, required extensive experimentation. Much of that early development happened through hands-on trial and error. “There were countless kitchen-table experiments,” she says. “We had to test whether ingredients should be balanced by wet weight, dry weight, or fibre content and of course we had to make sure the taste and colour worked too.”
A supportive space to innovate
Two years ago, Catherine and her husband Alain joined Grassroots Innovation Centre in Oxford, a workspace that supports start-ups and entrepreneurs, increasingly in the science and technology sector. For the founders, the community has proved as valuable as the physical workspace. “Being an entrepreneur can be a very lonely job,” says Alain Arbibe. “You spend a lot of time in your own head making decisions, and when you’re self-funding a business there is pressure. At Grassroots you can walk into the kitchen to make a coffee and there’s always someone who understands what you’re going through, which is incredibly helpful.”
The founders have also benefited from the guidance of the centre’s Innovation Directors, Wendy Tindsley and Rob Nicoll, who provide impartial advice to businesses based at the innovation hub. “Wendy and Rob have this ability to fill you with confidence,” says Catherine. “Their calm and pragmatic approach helped us articulate what we were trying to achieve and communicate it clearly.”
Wendy Tindsley describes her role as offering a strategic overview, stating, “It’s a privilege to work with companies like NEWROAD who are on such an exciting path. My job is to scan the horizon for opportunities and connect founders with the right expertise to help their businesses grow.”
Building a brand on authenticity
In a market increasingly crowded with wellness claims and imitation products, the founders believe authenticity is essential. NEWROAD’s strategy has always focused on developing the best possible product. Alain’s background includes running a luxury watches and jewellery retail company on the French Riviera, that ranked among the country’s top ten and carried more than 40 brands. Through that experience he worked with dozens of brands and recognises that the ones that last are authentic at their core. He says, “Catherine took the time to develop the product because quality and integrity are our priority.”
Co-founder Alain Arbibe explains, “Its naturally sweet berry taste has also prompted exploration into ways of incorporating it into everyday treats that remain indulgent whilst still offering the health benefits. This has led to collaborations including ‘Chocolate with Purpose’ with award-winning chocolatier William Curley, a matcha smoothie with café Avobar in Marylebone, and a forthcoming national partnership with Gail’s Bakery set to launch in September this year.”
Preparing for the next stage
The company has been self-funded to date and has grown steadily through organic demand. After being featured in the How to Spend It section of the Financial Times as one of the top supplements for brain health, interest came not only from the UK but also from the United States, Switzerland, the Middle East, and Asia.
Now the founders are preparing for their next phase of growth. “We’re looking for investors who understand the world of luxury and wellness to help us scale,” says Alain. “Funding will allow us to accelerate digital marketing, build our social presence and increase production and our team. We’re also exploring The Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) investment and EIS for early-stage backers.”
Rob Nicoll explains, “NEWROAD is in a strong position to raise money with this level of traction, it is clearly time to scale. With the right investment partner, combined with the expertise that the management team clearly have, an amazing product (and yes, I have tried it), should ensure NEWROAD’s premium wellness experience is brought to a global audience.”
As companies increasingly recognise that gut health supports brain performance, the team are also exploring opportunities within the corporate workplace following strong demand from professionals at leading hedge funds, law firms and financial institutions in the UK and abroad. Alain explains, “Offering our product to entire teams in their kitchens and breakout areas could be a very natural fit. These are environments where energy and focus matter enormously, it’s definitely an exciting time and we’re looking forward to reaching new audiences and sharing our passion for maximising gut-health.”
Find out more about NEWROAD 30
