Lesson: People don’t buy ingredients, they buy identity.

There was a time when “being healthy” meant eating your vegetables, cooking at home, and getting sunlight. Now, it might also mean mixing a $100 green powder into your morning routine, preferably in a reusable frosted bottle, filmed in 4K, shared on Instagram, and celebrated like a ritual.

Powdered greens aren’t new. But something changed when companies like AG1 and others made it feel less like nutrition and more like a lifestyle. A scoop became a signal: I’m someone who invests in myself. It wasn’t sold as vegetables in another form; it was sold as identity in a subscription. And it worked, not because the ingredient list was revolutionary, but because the story was.

Most people already know that real vegetables exist, usually for far less than $100 a month. But whole foods require friction, shopping, prepping, blending, cleaning. Powdered wellness removes all of that and replaces it with a promise: Do this one thing, and you’re covered. Convenience isn’t just a feature. It’s a feeling.

A few forces collided at the right moment:

• The rise of self-optimization: Health became a performance metric.

• Biohacker language going mainstream: “Adaptogens” used to be niche. Now they’re in the grocery aisle.

• Subscription as commitment: If you pay monthly, you must be serious about your well-being.

• Price as proof: Expensive often signals premium and effective, even when we don’t fully understand the science behind it.

None of this makes premium wellness good or bad; it just makes it human. We’re not only purchasing nutrients; we’re purchasing narrative. We’re purchasing the feeling of being a better version of who we were yesterday. You see it across categories: matcha, collagen, cold-pressed juices, red light panels, sauna studios. Wellness has become designed. And because it’s designed, it’s branded. And because it’s branded, it’s priced.

As founders, there’s a lesson here, especially for those of us building products where meaning matters just as much as functionality. People rarely buy the “best” option. They buy the one that aligns with how they see themselves or who they want to become. That’s why the most enduring brands don’t compete on ingredients. They compete on identity. Quietly, consistently, intentionally.

Jivati has taught me that, too. It’s not about convincing anyone to drink anything; it’s about building something that feels like theirs, not just mine. A brand people carry with them, not just consume. No health claims. No shortcuts. Just meaning.

Closing Thought

In a world full of products that promise to make us better, the real differentiator might be simpler: help people feel more like themselves. If the product is honest, people will write the story with you.

Stick around. I’m just warming up.

Subscribe here for more → The Weekly D-Briefs (or forward this to someone building something meaningful)

_{DISCLAIMER - All content by Devraj Patel, including The Weekly D-Brief, is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute business, legal, or personalized advice. No client relationship is created unless agreed upon in writing. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. You are solely responsible for your decisions—always consult appropriate professionals before acting on this content.}