Absorption Company
After discovering the ill effects of an unregulated supplements industry firsthand, Hollywood husband-and-wife duo Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed set out on a mission to make supplements more safe and effective through The Absorption Company.
Ian joined us to discuss how personal roots in Eastern medicine and desire for trustworthy, effective natural solutions to enhance well-being led to a range of rigorously tested powdered supplements the body needs.
Tell us about The Absorption Company.
Ian Somerhalder: The Absorption Company is the first-of-its-kind powdered supplements brand with a proprietary delivery system proven to deliver up to 5x better absorption. We are on a mission to empower everybody to choose how they feel and operate at their best all day and night.
Traditional supplements have very low absorption rates due to their large particle size and harsh gut environment of their users, which means you’re peeing out 84% of all the supplements you take.
On top of that, the FDA deregulated supplement oversight in 1994, and since then, there has been little visibility into what is going into products, which means there is truly no way to know what you are taking or the quality of the ingredients in the products.
We leveraged proprietary Capsoil® technology to create the first-ever water-soluble delivery system for liposomal nutrients proven to increase bioavailability by up to 500%. Committed to trust, transparency, and efficacy, we also source only certified ingredients while testing and retesting every single batch.
Through The Absorption Company, Nikki and I are here to transform the supplement aisle for good and for the future.
What led you to pursue this opportunity?
IS: Since I was a kid, my life has revolved around health, wellness, and natural remedies. My mother, an advocate of Eastern medicine, ingrained in me the principle that great health output requires great input. Despite a hectic lifestyle with frequent flights and long film shoots, I have always sought natural solutions to stay at my best and feel my best.
The real “aha” moment came as Nikki and I were preparing to become parents. After extensive bloodwork revealed high levels of toxins in my body—including arsenic, lead, and folic acid—we realized that not only were the supplements we had been taking ineffective, but only 3.6% of them were third-party tested for safety and quality.
People are spending billions of dollars per year on supplements that are doing more harm than good. We wanted to change that narrative and lead by example.
How did you turn your idea into a company?
IS: Ideas become reality when necessity and a powerful vision merge, and this company is a direct reflection of that. Nikki and I both saw a desperate need for change in this space, so we spent years working with the best scientists, nutritionists, and pharmacists to develop the most absorbable solutions for when you need them most.
Our team’s passion and experience led to the creation of four blends—Restore, Energy, Calm, and Sleep—with the intent of creating something for everyone, for every need, with the best possible sourcing.
How big can this get?
IS: The supplement industry is ever-expanding and growing, but as we’ve seen, there is a lot of room for improvement.
With Americans spending $50B per year on supplements that are not getting the job done, imagine what it could be if the products on the market were as efficient and trustworthy as they should be?
How do you reach your core customer?
IS: We are our core customer. Whether you’re a busy working mom who holds a strong passion for holistic wellness like Nikki; a young entrepreneur with a strong commitment to treating your body well both inside and out like our co-founders Zeke Bronfman and Nate Medow; or someone who travels a lot to grow their businesses like me — there is something in our blends for everyone.
Our current customers are those we have engaged with even before the official launch of the brand. We knew creating a strong, like-minded community was key to future success, so we launched the brand’s Instagram account through mine and Nikki’s platforms a few months ago. Keeping the page private while connecting directly with our most passionate and committed followers, we had over 200K followers in the first 72 hours.
Alongside social media, we were able to solidify an engaged local base of customers in Los Angeles by launching the brand’s first retail footprint in Erewhon in early January.
We knew the Erewhon customer was also our customer, so being able to have The Absorption Company available there immediately gave it a stamp of approval for health-conscious locals.
What’s next on the roadmap?
IS: Our goal over the next half year and beyond is to make products that consumers need and deserve.
After the successful launch at Erewhon, we are eyeing additional retail expansion across the country, including unique partnership opportunities with premier wellness entities that can complement our offerings.
If you’re interested in having your company featured in our Q&A series, send an email to team@fitt.co.
