The latest food and beverage industry news and trend analysis

Function, the health platform co-founded by Dr. Mark Hyman, has announced a strategic partnership with luxury grocer Erewhon to launch a new functional beverage concept: "The World's Healthiest Smoothie?".

Available immediately across all Erewhon locations through February 2027, the year-long collaboration marks a notable shift in the retailer's high-profile smoothie program. Unlike previous viral iterations driven by celebrity endorsements (e.g., Hailey Bieber), this launch leverages clinical data and biological rigour to target the "food as medicine" demographic.

The Smoothie as a User Acquisition Channel

For Function, the partnership serves as a tangible customer acquisition vehicle. Each glass bottle features a QR hang tag offering a $25 discount on a Function membership.

This "product-as-portal" strategy aims to bridge the gap between retail consumption and digital health services. By placing the product in Erewhon—a retailer with high overlap in target demographics—Function gains physical shelf presence to drive subscriptions for its core service: access to 160+ advanced lab tests and longitudinal health insights.

Jonathan Swerdlin, co-founder and CEO of Function, commented: "This isn't about one more product on a shelf... Erewhon was the perfect partner. Their uncompromising standards mirror how Function treats understanding your health."

Data-Led Formulation

The smoothie's ingredient deck was not determined by flavour trends alone but by aggregated health data from Function’s member base.

Dr. Mark Hyman, Chief Medical Officer, utilised specific biomarkers to guide the formulation:

• Metabolic Health: Addressing the 65% of members who fall outside the optimal range for fasting insulin.

• Cardiovascular Health: Targeting the 54% of members showing elevated Apolipoprotein B (ApoB).

'Complete Meal' Functionality

The product is engineered to function as a complete meal replacement, featuring 20 purpose-driven ingredients selected to support microbiome health, inflammation balance, and blood sugar stability.

Key Components:

• Protein: Single-ingredient plant protein derived from chocho beans (sourced from the Andes) and creatine.

• Fats: MCT oil, blended omega oils, walnuts, flaxseed, and chia.

• Produce: Green banana, wild blueberries, pomegranate, cranberry, arugula, cold-pressed beet juice.

• Functional Additives: BCAAs, ginger, Ceylon cinnamon.

The formulation notably excludes "aesthetic-only superfoods" and fillers, reinforcing the "science-first" positioning of the collaboration.