Primal Fuel Updates for Inquiring Minds
There was quite a response to the Primal Fuel release on Monday. Numerous early adopters were quick to order a canister or two of Primal Fuel. Others were vocal about what they thought was wrong with the product (for some it appeared that the sky was falling!), most notably that it was out of their price range. I’d like to respond to some of the feedback and make a few announcements you might be interested in learning.
First of all, I did in fact design this in response to the hundreds of people who have been requesting a convenient, delicious Primal-approved drink. While many consider me to be the “guardian” of the Primal lifestyle, I am and have always been intent on finding ways to honor our Primal genes in the context of a realistic, comfortable, pleasurable 21st century lifestyle. This is simply another tool to use as part of a Primal lifestyle for those who want one. Not everyone needs or wants such a tool, but I did, so I designed it with me, my family and my friends in mind.
The $99 price point certainly ruffled a few feathers. I note that people have been commenting, “Well, it’s just whey and coconut milk. You can make your own for much less.” Sure you can. I did it for years, but I could never get the flavor exactly the way I wanted or the soluble prebiotic fibers to provide the right mouth-feel and/or not cause gas. And I always had to be near a blender; otherwise I couldn’t get the ingredients to mix well. This isn’t like some protein powder you choke down or have to mix with milk or juice. Primal Fuel tastes exceptionally good when shaken and mixed with plain water. And for some people (Atkins or other non-Primal low-carb dieters), this might be the healthiest thing they consume all day. It is also intended to be convenient, so anyone on the run or on the go can put a few scoops of dry Primal Fuel in a blender bottle and take it with them for later use (and just add water).
But yes, it’s not cheap. Of course, neither are the bulk ingredients (more than just whey and coconut, BTW!), the lab testing of every batch, the labor, packaging, the cost of shipping and doing business and everything else involved in bringing a top-shelf meal replacement to market. At the end of the day, Primal Fuel needs to be priced competitively, so what gives?
While this is somewhat unorthodox, I think it’s important that the facts are made clear and you understand how I originally arrived at the $99 price point.
The product is made in an ISO 9001 GMP-certified manufacturing facility. Raw materials are required to have a certificate of assay when delivered and are still tested for microbial or heavy metals before they are released to manufacturing. The product is tested again before I can sell it. The ingredients are all the best of the best. The flavoring and sweetening systems were intended to assist people in weaning themselves off the typical cravings for sweet drinks and represent a unique combination of some very expensive ingredients – no cheap, artificial sweeteners in sight. Ultimately, the retail price has to be based on the cost-to-manufacture, which I do with all my products. This costs a lot to make.
The price point also compares favorably to other products I have seen in the marketplace, most notably Shakeology® which sells for $119 for 30 servings and offers 17 grams of protein per serving. Primal Fuel offers 20 grams of protein, healthy fats and far fewer carbs. I think it tastes better, too.
I came to the final price point of $99 based on a few other factors:
- It was designed to be an autoship-based product; hence the larger tub size and 30-servings designed to last a month. I could have introduced a smaller container and fewer servings for under $50, but shipping is expensive and I pay for shipping on all my autoship products. For this product (which weighs over 3 lbs when shipped) the cost of USPS Priority shipping averages around $12.
- I believe maintaining gut health is critical for good health, so I designed Primal Fuel to work synergistically with Primal Flora. The prebiotics in the Fuel coupled with the probiotic blend in the Flora can help support a healthy digestive tract. A full bottle of Primal Flora (retail value – $26.95) shipped each month was built into the $99 autoship price tag. The early feedback I have received suggests that you guys are more interested in a reduced price on Primal Fuel than receiving a discount on Primal Flora when purchasing the product. It appears the value of the Primal Flora is not fully appreciated. This doesn’t fall on deaf ears. See what I have in mind below.
- Autoship customers also get a free Blender Bottle (retail value – $8.95).
That’s nearly $40-50 in value built into the total price of Primal Fuel when purchased on autoship.
I believe firmly that Primal Fuel is the best meal replacement on the market and that many people are going to benefit from using it – myself included. But I have heard your thoughts loud and clear, so here is what I’m going to do going forward.
- As I said, the autoship price of $99 was set to cover the cost of the Primal Fuel, Primal Flora (retail value – $26.95), the cost of shipping and handling, and the cost of the Blender Bottle. Primal Flora and Primal Fuel are a match made in heaven, but I understand that you would prefer a price cut to getting the Primal Flora and Blender Bottle included in the total, so I will be removing both from the original offer and pricing Primal Fuel accordingly, at $79/canister if you go on autoship. And I’ll still pay the S&H. A single canister order will remain at the $99 price point (but see #5 below).
- Since I strongly believe that many can benefit from taking Primal Fuel and Flora together, if you purchase Primal Fuel you can still add Primal Flora to your order for only $13.50. The shopping cart will take care of the special pricing if you want to take advantage of that.
- Many have expressed an interest in being able to try Primal Fuel on for size before committing to purchasing a full canister. I offer a 100% no-risk, 30-day, money-back guarantee on the Primal Fuel, but if you’d prefer to receive a single-serving sample of each flavor in the mail I will ship them to you at less than cost, just $5.95. This offer is only available to domestic orders. Call 888-774-6259 and my team will get a sample of each flavor in the mail to you. This offer probably won’t last indefinitely.
- Also, many have expressed an interest in Primal Fuel being available in a smaller size. In the next 90 days I hope to have a 15-serving version of Primal Fuel available at half the cost of the 30-serving size version.
- Because this product was created for you, because I believe that it will do many of you good and that you’ll love it, and because I’m sensitive to some of your concerns over the price, I’ll be sending every newsletter subscriber a $20 coupon code that can be used on the purchase of a single canister of Primal Fuel. (This coupon code isn’t valid for Primal Fuel autoship orders.) Keep your eyes peeled.
- This was a small initial production run. In the event I can get the cost of manufacturing down further. I will pass the savings along to you.
Everyone that has already purchased Primal Fuel on autoship will get Primal Fuel at the new price in addition to receiving the Primal Flora, the Blender Bottle and the free shipping and handling they were promised at checkout. Everyone that purchased a single canister will be billed as if they had used the $20 coupon.
This is my attempt to respond to your feedback and make Primal Fuel available to a broader audience. I hope you’ll give it a try and see what you think.
Learn more about Primal Fuel here.
Posted By: Mark Sisson
Hi Mark,
So awesome – thanks much for listening to your community and responding (favorably) to our concerns. Not only was this move great for us to try the Fuel, but it goes to show us that you’re truly a good person at heart. Props to you and your team. I’m order my samples now.
SteveO
Thanks for being open to everyone’s concerns, Mark.
For me, it’s real simple. This sounds like a FANTASTIC product for those who would use such a thing…but it just won’t fit in my current budget. If costs come down later and my need for something like this increases (as well as my income lol) I may reconsider.
Good luck!
Agreed. It’s too pricey for me but it sounds like a great product!
This is also true for me. I would love to support Mark by purchasing some of his products, but they’re mostly outside of my budget.
It’s good to see that he responds to the concerns of his customers.
You might be the fairest business owner I’ve dealt with. Thank you for listening (and responding to) your customers. It is rare, and greatly appreciated.
That was a pretty good reply. I’d imagine many people either wanted to try a sample or a single canister without autoship, both of which will be cheaper now.
Mark Sisson, you’re a cool dude.
Mark,
Whilst I was disappointed in the original price point of Primal Fuel, one of the things I’ve always liked about this blog is you allow everyone to have a voice (even if it might be negative) and you address people’s concerns instead of ignoring them. Hopefully I’ll be able to pick up a 15 serving size of PF when it’s out.
Well that’s it, I’m sold. Me and that $20 coupon have a date with some Primal Fuel.
I just have to take a moment to thank you for being open to criticism and honest in your response. I am always 100% impressed.
I will certainly be taking you up on some of your new offers that you have listed today, and am looking forward to your smaller size tub, which I’ll definitely be odering on autoship.
Thanks for being such a class act!
Easily the most responsive and well-though-out way to deal with the complaints. Well done – I’m sold!
Mark – This is what makes you different from everyone else. You have built a vibrant primal community that people love from the very beginning when they dive in. You have shown to listen to your readers in the past and you just came through big time after countless complaints.
You are one cool dude whom I will always respect.
I was one of the taste testers and the product is fantastic. It is still out of my price range but I hope to purchase it someday down the road.
Grok on!
Yes, you are a class act, Mark.
You rock, Grok!
When I first went through the comments on the announcement page for Primal Fuel I was shocked at how ridiculous people where being about the price or ingredients. That crap belongs on YouTube or something, not here. Anyways, despite how ridiculous people where being you still listened rather than ignore their comments. Just shows how awesome you are. Grok on Mark!
Well this has been entertaining. I was wondering if you expected the response you got? I’ll note this was the first time I’ve noticed a hard promote of one of your products in the blog area (I remember the post about supplementation, but there was an appropriate amount of tip-toeing as to not push product) besides the books/free programs. It’s almost as if you broke the “separation of church and state” this time:)
As someone else said, props to you for addressing “this community” instead of ignoring it. You and the community both have the right to do as each pleases, but courtesy does go a long way.
Maybe you should put together a post arguing that beneficial foods can be processed/ground up (hello spices) and/or assembled in a factory under certain conditions.
I must live in some alternate, bizarro world universe where gum/fiber thickeners are undesirable, and coconut milk, water, whey protein isolate, and various flavorings mix up just fine with nothing more than a plastic shaker bottle.
I must live in an even more bizarre world where when I’m in a rush in the mornings an apple, a few handfuls of almonds or a piece of leftover chicken (easily eaten in the car) suffices until lunch. I’ve never used a protein shake in my life, I don’t understand why people are so excited by them they can’t really be more convenient than real food? I don’t want to sound ungrateful because I do love this site but I am a bit disappointed. Primal to me is about eating food, not formulas
Sounds good to me. And I’ll just repeat what I said in the other comment thread — it really is delicious! I have never before found a whey shake that I was able to choke down… I was rather shocked to find that this is an actual, enjoyable treat!
Woo hoo! I can now seriously consider getting a bottle or 10 of this!
Thanks Mark ! You Rock
Mark, as others have said, thank you for listening! The main concern I had with autoship is that I wouldn’t use a product like this every day. So, with autoship I would end up with a backlog of primal fuel in my cupboard. Now I can try it and have it on hand when I need a quick on the go meal. Can’t wait to receive the coupon!
Thanks!
I offer an autoship plan that ships every 60 days instead of every 30. You can get set up on this and still get the lower price. My team can help you at 888-774-6259. It’s not available on the website.
Oooh. Thanks for doing all that you can, Mark.
Was the Atkins slam really necessary? I’m a former Atkins patient and a low carber, and I assure you that I eat healthy food all day long. I guess you were feeling a bit defensive.
I am interested in buying this product, but for some reason I couldn’t find a complete list of ingredients last time I looked. Is that somewhere I didn’t see? I already buy most of your products, so will probably buy this one too.
But not if the Atkins insults/misiniformation continue. Please reconsider.
Thanks!
Hello, Kim,
It wasn’t meant as a slam so much as an acknowledgment. I wouldn’t touch many of the Atkins products with a ten foot pole. If you eat healthy food all day long great job. The Atkins reference wasn’t addressing you personally.
You can view the nutrition facts by clicking the “Nutrition Facts” tab on the product page:
http://primalblueprint.com/products/Primal-Fuel.html
Thanks! That’s what I was looking for. Previously, I only saw the nutrition label.
FYI, the products sold at Atkins Nutritionals are not what most people who follow Atkins eat (at least not most of the time). Personally, I don’t think Dr. Atkins would have either.
I think the price of this product is definitely worth it for the quality ingredients and CONVENIENCE! I miss having smoothies, but rarely have the time to assemble all the quality ingredients I would want in one. If you have done all that for me, then it is well worth the money.
So, you’re not actually slamming Dr. Atkins or his diet, but you are slamming Atkins Nutritionals, the company that took over Atkins died? That’s fitting. They have wandered pretty far from the Master.
Granted, Atkins-the-man also sold some ‘stuff’ such as protein bars and the like. He was trying to create — as you now have — a reasonably healthy alternative to the crap in the stores. Please keep the man and his diet separate from the corporation that has taken over… Thanks.
The original 1972 Atkins is the ONLY real Atkins. Mostly meat based, and not afraid of fat. No frankenfood products. This is what happens when you start turning a whole foods primal movement into an industry that needs “supplements.” Gut flora? Fuel? How about healing with real foods? I don’t consider anything after the 1972 Atkins book to be Atkins and many of us don’t.
Oh great, you’re one of THOSE people who takes offense at everything. Please, do yourself a favor and grow some thicker skin if you plan on using the Internet for much longer!
She made a valid point. There is no reason to slam the Atkins lifestyle or diet, when it is just the Atkins Nutritional products he is really bashing. (And I agree with him, however, the Atkins Diet, especially in maintenance, is Paleo in every way.)
Uhh, no, Atkins is not paleo at all! Atkins and South Beach tell people to avoid natural foods such as carrots, due to their carb count. Paleo says all veggies are fine.
I can honestly say I’ve learned something from the way you handled this, Mark. It’s not easy to respond to customer concerns like this without getting defensive, and I think it shows how strongly you believe in your own product.
I really don’t think $3 a day is a lot for something like this; an “extra value meal” at a fast food place costs $6 nowadays. As a college student I would have said I couldn’t afford this, all while eating fast food five times a week and spending more than $99 a month on beer.
But beyond all of that, if somebody honestly thinks they create a similar product for lower cost, please let me know because I’d love to go into business with you. I really don’t think it’s possible.
You put a little bit more into perspective here: thanks!! I’m sure in my pre-primal days I spent more than $99/mo on non-nutritional food items. Heck, I can spend more than $3 on chocolate even now
So, for the same (or less) cost of a premium chocolate bar, I can get a chocolate protein power slurpee!
Mark did not need to do this. He did because people (enough of them) requested it. Then, in response to some negativity (and some of it perhaps a little harsher than neccesary) he made some adjustments to his initial offering. I agree with the others who have stated this: Mark, you just demonstrated again that you really do care for us poor schlubs on the other end of the wires & you really & truly want us to be healthy.
So this isn’t a product for everybody. That’s ok! We have the freedom to choose this or something else.
Well said!
Not needed, but well played sir. You are a class act.
I think Mark was taking a shot at the Atkins labeled products, not the man and the diet, who has done more to advance low carb in the public’s mind than almost anyone else.
I think a comparable product would be All Pro Science’s Grass-fed Whey. I feel like this is a good source of whey that is high quality and its low in sugar, but its not sugar free, it’s not really meant as a standalone drink, and it doesn’t have fat or prebiotics. Its $60 for 20 servings, so roughly the same price per serving.
Thank you again for making this available. I ordered the samples and am looking forward to a taste.
Question: What is sodium caseinate and what is its function in Primal Fuel?
Sodium caseinate is used to keep the fats from separating after you add water.
Wilderness Family Naturals includes both maltodextrin and sodium caseinate in their coconut milk powder.
All coconut powder has minute amounts of maltodextrin (glucose polymers from cassava in this case) and sodium caseinate to ensure the stability of the powder and to keep it from clumping (it is, after all, mostly fat). The only reason either appears on the ingredient panel is because of its presence in the coconut milk powder.
Mark
You have went above and beyond the call of duty. This is why you have so many people that flock to your blog each and every day. Most companies do not provide half the transparency that you just did, nor do they take into consideration the myriads of requests that they receive. I was happy with my initial purchase, this is just icing on my coconut flour cake.
Mark, would you be willing to publish the results of the tests for heavy metals? Consumer reports did an article showing the incidence of heavy metals in many of the popular formulations. I’d be interested in seeing how Primal Fuel stacked up.
I’m glad to see people seem to be happy with the changes. I was a bit sad for Mark to see the negative comments when the product was initially announced. It’s always hard to receive negative criticisms.
I’m very impressed at the quick response and the respect you’ve shown this community.
I’ll be tempted to pick up a 15-serving size when it’s available to give it a try….I’m down to about 1 smoothie a week and intend to stay that way, but this could be great for those rare occasions when I don’t have time to make the real thing.
You have class, Mark. Thanks for proving right all those who stood up in your defense. Grok on!
Thanks for all the kind words, everyone. I’ve got to say, that Monday launch was tough. I’ve really just tried to give the Primal community one of the best shakes around; with a great macronutrient profile and top-shelf ingredients, that offers everyone a convenient tool they can use to get healthy (and lose weight if that’s what they’re after), and that is undeniably delicious to boot. I think I’ve done that. I understand that the price is a barrier for some people. I hope these changes can help. Thanks for all of your feedback and Grok on!
Mark, I must say you’ve made a very impressive mark on my thoughts towards this site, this community, and towards you as a person! Most business associates that I know of would say “Deal with it”. But you listened to the community, the good and the bad, and made a business decision that would change the way people look at your site, and your company. I love the idea of a trial packet, as well as the smaller version for those who do not solely rely on a meal replacement. This has been an intriguing event, that I am glad to be a part of. You can count me in for future purchases of your products!
Thank you so much Mark! I applaud you for caring so much about your readers that you have found a way to compromise that everyone can digest
.
There is no one else I can think of that stays in such close proximity with their readers and tries to address every request. You definitely are the guardian of the primal lifestyle and
I know I will continue on my primal journey thanks to you.
Cheers
ps: Any possibility the protein powder will ever be offered in plain form for us weirdos that do not require sweetener?
Thx! & Grok ON!
Why don’t you come up with a completely unsweetened version? Real paleo eaters don’t need sweet or want sweet at all-in fact, it makes us sick.
Newsflash: This is not a “real paleo” site.
Thank God! “Real paleoists” are insufferable.
Mark, glad you responded. I’ve tried to eliminate all the naysayers in my personal life… I guess it’s much more difficult in the online world.
I’m definitely picking some up.
Thanks for listening, Mark. Some of the responses were pretty brutal but I think most of those people don’t understand how a product like this can be used. Being able to carry a shake’s worth of powder & a blender bottle with me in case I get stuck on the road or in a meeting is a HUGE convenience. I’m very impressed with the ingredients too. Thanks again.
I think they were brutal exactly because a lot of people here do understand how a product like this can be used – and how much products like this one normally cost.
But props to Mark for responding to the criticism.
Ooh. Seriously. This is the perfect item to bring to those professional conferences that feature sandwiches, chips, and cookies for lunch every day.