A biodesigner and engineer fascinated by how we can live more symbiotically through interspecies and intercultural collaboration.
When we started Yanaa we found in a survey of 592 athletes:
- 78% of athletes believe existing sports nutrition is not healthy.
- 77% of athletes say existing sports nutrition is disgusting to eat.
- 75% of athletes want savoury food.
So we stepped away from the sugar-based approach and, with the help of engineers, scientists, athletes, and nutritionists, have created a range of savoury recipes. Gastronomic fuel, even. Here’s an example of our flavours to get your mouth-watering: Beetroot & balsamic, Pea & mint, Goat’s cheese & walnut.
In recent years, we’ve seen a growing movement among professional athletes called “Food First” - which means ditching ultra-processed nutrition in favor of real food. Real foods provide sustained energy and balanced nutrients, but also include essential micronutrients vitamins and anti-oxidants. They also help an athlete maintain a healthy gut microbiome for short-term performance and long-term health.
Not everyone has time to prepare real food for their workouts, and while many professional athletes have private chefs, with Yanaa, we want to make this approach accessible to everyone. Our savoury purees are 100% organic, natural, and cooked by chefs in the south of France; they are also validated scientifically.
p.s. Yanaa stands for You Are Not An Astronaut, because we believe that as athletes:
- You don’t have to eat space food.
- You shouldn’t take yourself too seriously.
- You’ve got to look after THIS planet.
Website: https://yanaa.food/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youarenotanastronaut/
Almost all of our ingredients come from the South of France. Not the Madras spices of course - they’re from India where Anouck grew up. Everything’s cooked in Provence, then sealed fresh, ready for your next adventure.
Our recipes have been tested (and tasted) by scientists & pros. Chris swapped engineering electric cars & running shoes to start Yanaa, and is cooking up ways in the lab to make each pouch more nutritious, and less wasteful. (We don’t like plastic either.)