# Meet the Bone Broth Protein Bar with 20g Protein & No Protein Powder

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2026-08-21
- Length: 27m
- Episode: 354
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-08-21-meet-the-bone-broth-protein-bar-with-20g-protein-no-protein-powder
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/fffa5215

## Summary

Mackenzie Muth and Nolan Spencer, co-founders of HOL Health Club, explain how the public backlash to the Siete Foods sale to PepsiCo inspired them to leave Wall Street and build a transparent, better-for-you brand. They detail their R&D process, which rejected protein powders in favor of bone broth to achieve 20g of protein without artificial ingredients, and describe their unique strategy of living nomadically in an RV to personally conduct retail demos. This boots-on-the-ground approach drove their rapid growth from zero to over 200 retail doors, including placements in Central Market and Sprouts, while they focus on building trust in the natural channel before considering larger conventional retailers.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Mackenzie Muth and Nolan Spencer of HOL Health Club
2. The Siete/PepsiCo Sale and the Gap in Better-for-You Brands
3. R&D: Choosing Bone Broth Over Protein Powders
4. Formulation Challenges: From 'Complete Sandpaper' to Real Food
5. Nomadic Operations: Running HOL Health Club from an RV
6. Retail Strategy: 0 to 200 Doors and Natural Channel Focus
7. Future Roadmap: Hiring, Marketing, and Product Expansion

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- HOL Health Club (product)
- Siete Foods (company)
- PepsiCo (company)
- Lazard (company)
- Central Market (company)
- Sprouts (company)
- Nugget Market (company)
- Raley's (company)
- Fresh Time (company)
- Foxtrot (company)
- Amazon (company)

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- [Magic Spoon & Exo: Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-12-magic-spoon-exo-gabi-lewis-and-greg-sewitz) (How I Built This)
- [354 - Beyond the dieline with the incomparable Jake Karls from Mid-Day Squares](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-07-22-354-beyond-the-dieline-with-the-incomparable-jake-karls-from-mid-day-squares) (People of Packaging)
- [Health-Ade Kombucha: Daina Trout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-28-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout) (How I Built This)
- [Perfect Snacks: Bill and Leigh Keith](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-06-09-perfect-snacks-bill-and-leigh-keith) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-08-21-meet-the-bone-broth-protein-bar-with-20g-protein-no-protein-powder. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Startup CPG Podcast.