Welcome back to Squawk Box. We're going to talk about our health, everybody. The global market for digestive health products is booming. Our next guest is the chief executive of AG1, formerly known as Athletic Greens, which is a supplement used by business executives, personal, professional athletes, how they start their day. And yes, you personally, me, I was going to say, so here I am. Joining us in an exclusive interview is AG1 CEO, Kat Cole. So people don't see this next to me. So in the morning I do this. So I have the Fiji, Fiji water. First thing I do is I mix. This is not your product. This Element is like a little salt. And I do half of it in the water. And then, God bless you, you now have these. So AG1, for those people who don't drink, the stuff used to come in these packets and they spill, spill everywhere. And then she finally gets the job and she comes in and she makes it so you can take it and you do it like this, into the, into the water. I don't know that you can see this into the thing. And then, and then, yes, you've seen me do this sometimes. And then I, I mean, it doesn't look great, guys, but, you know, like this is this.
I do like that during the commercials and then I, and then I, I go like this. Shake it up and then I go like this. And you guys all think this looks gross. And then I drink.
Nutrients and gut health, right? Gut health is exploding. People have nutrient gaps. They need support. AG1 covers those gaps.
So okay, so here's, I'm going to channel Becky for a second. You're sitting in her chair. She misses you, Becky. She was very excited because when you came to the company, you said you were going to start testing this stuff. And there have been these questions online and everywhere else about what's actually in this. You, you tested it and then you created a new product. So something has happened to the product. It's actually different. Yeah. So then she said to me, do you, does that mean you've thrown out all your old AG1? And I said I hadn't. And then I, and then she said, well, you should ask and you need to find out what's, what was, what did you put in the new one and what did you take out of the one that I still have?
Oh, it's still great. So when I was here last, what was that, nine months ago, stepped into the CEO role, said we were going to project to do 600 million, be profitable and begin this innovation and increasing research rigor that you just described. We did it all. We closed our fiscal year recently, did 600 million profitable, and began this journey of investing in far more clinical research. So we did a few things. One, we upgraded AG1 to AG1 Next Gen because the research said many of us benefit from more robust probiotics. So we put in the most clinically studied five-strain blend of probiotics.
Did you take anything out? Was there anything in there you said, you know what, people shouldn't have this or this? They shouldn't have this amount of something?
No. There were a few grasses and vegetables that we just changed and upgraded because the science said it would improve beneficial bacteria to the gut. So AG1 Classic, which is what is in Costco now, we just launched.
Can we discuss this? So I buy this stuff, which dare I say is kind of criminally expensive because I buy... $2.80 a pack. It's not, that's not cheap. No. And now you're selling at Costco. Is it any cheaper? Costco.
It's an incredible value at Costco, but it's still a premium product.
Costco is the same price as what I'm getting online.
Very similar. So it's a 40-count for $72.99 for the Classic formula. AG1 Next Gen is $79 for a 30-count, but more clinically backed, more in every scoop. So AG1 Next Gen online has more and is more clinically studied.
The scientist heroes. Classic Joe thinks all of this is phony. He thinks that I'm a joke. He thinks, no, Joe thinks I'm a quack. I think, I think all of these things. Doctor Feelgood's medicine truck is parked out. No, I don't think that there is a cable network where you can't watch it for one second without seeing this Balance of Nature crap, which, which all, all they say is that we just grind up vegetables and fruits so you never have to eat another vegetable or fruit. All you got to do is just take this powder. Yeah. This is different. It's better.
This is different. Well, it's different in a few ways. Yes, there's whole foods in here that help support nutrient gaps. But there's an incredible multivitamin, multimineral, pre- and probiotics, believe you me. And you don't get enough fermented foods in our diet. Are you eating kimchi every meal?
No. Probably not fermented foods. Yes. Kim.
So we, the research we did, gold standard human trials. We tested healthy individuals, standard American diet, athletes, non-athletes, people with GI issues. And all across the board it showed we have nutrient gaps. Our food is not as nutrient dense as it once was. We're pushing our bodies hard, so support helps. Whole foods should be first, you're right. But we still need to get a lot of vitamins.
I will say, so I don't take any other vitamins, but if I'm feeling like, because this show is on a crazy hour, let's be honest. Yeah, there are times when I'm tired and I find both. Not that I get, it's not like an energy, like a coffee energy. It's like something else. And someone's like, I'm feeling sick or I'm about to get sick and I'll do two packs, by the way, not at one time, but that, that sort of seems to help me.
A lot of indefensible positions that you take, which is exhausting.
Exhausting. Yeah, well, that's why you should be taking it, Joe. You need it for that reason.
I take, and you probably think this is 4,000 years of history, I take ghee, which is clarified butter. It's good for you. A teaspoon.
Great source of fat. And maybe you just need more fat.
It's warm. It coats. I don't, and that's all I do. I don't, and it's not expensive.
This, this industry, one, it's booming, right? Health is the center of so much conversation at the government level, socially, in many communities.
