18. Bio&Me

Founders: Jon Walsh and Dr Megan Rossi
Year founded: 2019
Website: bioandme.co.uk

Few have ever come close to toppling the best-loved breakfast brands from their supermarket shelves. Few, that is, except Bio&Me. This is because creating a top-selling, disruptive cereal line takes guts – and this high-fibre granola brand has plenty.

Dr. Megan Rossi (aka the Gut Health Doctor) is an internationally renowned researcher on gut health, while co-founder Jon Walsh has worked in the food industry for over 25 years. Both noticed a tum trend emerging among consumers. But, each lacked the others’ skillset to do something about it.

Meeting by chance in 2019, Rossi and Walsh launched a mission to fight the major low-fibre, sugar-filled cereal players and tackle the nation’s bellyaches. Together, they founded Bio&Me, a range of plant-based breakfast products based on Dr. Megan’s own research.

Bio&Me is on a mission to fight the major low-fibre, sugar-filled cereal players and tackle the nation’s bellyaches

Bio&Me went down a storm when it arrived on the shelves in 2019. Packed with over 12 types of plant goodness, each box is filled with tantalising tastes that are scientifically proven to be good for your tummy, setting the standard for competitors to follow.

While it might have started with granola, the startup has since expanded into mueslis, porridges, and live yoghurts – all of which are prebiotic, contain no added sugars, and have zero emulsifiers.

In just over three years on the market, Bio&Me’s gut-loving granolas, porridges, and live yoghurts are stocked in major grocery stores across the country, including ASDA, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.

While many premium food brands saw a drop in sales during the cost of living crisis, Bio&Me doubled its sales in 2023

While many premium food brands saw a drop in sales during the cost of living crisis, Bio&Me doubled its sales in 2023; a testament to the business’ commitment to produce healthier breakfast alternatives that are still affordable for a weekly shop.

Last year, the cheerio challenger secured £1.6 million in an oversubscribed funding round, which it says it will use to become the top-selling granola brand in the UK. Appearing for the first time in the Startups 100, we have a gut feeling Bio&Me will reach that title soon.