Unlocking the Next Chapter at AG1: Why Simplicity, Science, and Scale Still Win

Kat Cole on 15 years of one-product discipline—and what comes next when your customer expects more.

At Shoptalk 2025, Kat Cole, CEO of AG1, shared the inside story of a business that has defied the rules of modern wellness: building a $600M company with just one product. No line extensions. No fads. No short-term hype. Just a single, green daily health drink—and relentless focus.

Formerly known as Athletic Greens, AG1’s product combines vitamins, probiotics, and phytonutrients into a subscription-based formula taken by Olympians, professionals, and parents alike. Over 90% of AG1’s revenue comes from recurring customers. For Cole, that stat doesn’t just signal loyalty—it reflects the strength of a product that became a daily habit, not a convenience.

Staying Narrow to Win Big

AG1 is now 15 years old, and Cole was clear: its growth wasn’t driven by influencers or campaigns—it was built on referrals from people who believe in the product. At its core, AG1 didn’t chase distribution or categories. It chased consistency.

Even as wellness evolved into a catchall for sleep, supplements, diet culture, and GLP-1-era nutrition gaps, AG1 stayed in its lane: nutrients and gut health. Customers asked for more—protein, additional SKUs—but the brand resisted. Why? Because AG1’s formula is already “incredibly difficult to make,” Cole noted. Anything new must meet that same bar.

Complexity Is a Moat

The product may look simple, but behind the scenes is a supply chain built for precision: dairy-free live culture probiotics, whole food ingredients, no preservatives, no artificial flavors—tested for over 500 toxins and heavy metals. All of it certified, documented, and updated through clinical trials and customer feedback.

Cole called out a quiet shift: AG1 has invested heavily in human clinical trials on the full formula, not just its ingredients. This reflects a shift in consumer behavior, she said—toward more skepticism, more sophistication, and a demand for proof, not promise.

And in an era shaped by GLP-1s and reduced nutrient intake, AG1 is seeing growth from customers using the drink to fill the nutrition gaps left by appetite-reducing medications. “This is where staying focused helps,” Cole added. “We can be a partner product without pretending to be everything.”

Trust Over Time

Asked how AG1 retains long-term subscribers, Cole pointed to a simple framework:

• Some users feel the benefits—improved digestion, more energy, fewer crashes

• Others believe in the science—rooted in clinical trials and ingredient transparency

• And many discover the impact only when they stop using it

This layered trust model, she said, is the real engine of AG1’s growth. It explains why customers recommend the product to their parents or stick with it for years. “Marketing might get someone to try it,” she noted. “But the product is what keeps them.”

Beyond Podcasts: Building New Channels

Though AG1 was early to the creator economy—with names like Tim Ferriss and Joe Rogan among its earliest users—Cole was quick to downplay that role. “Even at our peak, podcast traffic was a minority,” she said.

Today, AG1’s media mix is expanding:

• TV, out-of-home, and traditional campaigns

• Community-focused partnerships with US Sailing and Ironman

• Strategic creator partnerships—but only with existing AG1 users

The shift reflects a more diverse customer base, too. AG1’s audience is now evenly split by gender, with one of the fastest-growing segments being 60+ consumers seeking long-term healthspan—not just performance.

What’s Next: Retail, and a Second Product—Carefully

After 15 years as a DTC-only business, AG1 is preparing to enter retail. The motivation? Meeting customers who want to “touch and try” the product before committing. Cole sees it as a natural evolution—not a pivot.

A second product is also on the horizon. But Cole was clear: it won’t be a bundle of vitamins or a discount-driven add-on. “We only want to do things that are hard and complicated,” she said—hinting that the next product will be built on the same principles of formulation complexity, quality assurance, and long-term value.

What AG1 Is Teaching the Wellness Industry

🥄 Simplicity can be a strategy—but only when built on complexity
🔁 Long-term subscriptions need product trust, not just good onboarding
🧪 Science-led validation beats trend-led positioning
🌱 “Clean” labels matter—but customers now demand proof over buzzwords
🏪 DTC is powerful, but physical retail is still where conversion happens

AG1’s next phase will bring expansion—but not dilution. In an industry where more often means less, Cole’s keynote was a sharp reminder: sometimes the hardest thing to do is focus—and stick with it.

Disclaimer: The above podcast episode was generated using AI based on an interview transcript. While the content remains true to the original conversation, the voices, tone, and delivery were synthesized and do not represent actual recordings of the speakers. This AI-generated format is intended to enhance accessibility and provide an alternative way to engage with the discussion.

Independently Created. Not affiliated with Shoptalk.

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