49ers Arik Armstead Joins Oobli's Advisory Board as Athlete Ambassador

DAVIS, Calif. — Arik Armstead, defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers, has joined Oobli, a global sweet protein manufacturer known for its healthy sugar alternatives, as an advisory board member and brand's first athlete ambassador. Sweet proteins don't affect blood sugar or the gut microbiome unlike other sugar alternatives. In this role, Armstead will advise on future product innovation and educating consumers about the game-changing potential of sweet proteins.

Armstead has experienced how too much sugar can impact his performance on the field, as well as his general wellbeing. The devastating effects of America's sugar addiction also hits home for Armstead as several of his family members were recently diagnosed with diabetes. Fed up with unhealthy sugar alternatives that negatively impact our gut microbiome, Armstead discovered the world-changing potential of sweet proteins and wanted to support Oobli's quest for revolutionizing the future of sweet foods. 

Oobli's sweet proteins are derived from small, rare fruits and berries that grow near the equator that are unsustainable to grow at scale. Leveraging precision fermentation, Oobli's sweet proteins are brewed (similar to beer or cheese) rather than grown, making them a sustainable sugar solution. Sugarcane accounts for more than 65 million acres globally, causing both negative environmental and health impacts. Fermentation enables Oobli to replicate nature's candy but without the adverse environmental impact.

Oobli was founded in 2013 by Dr. Jason Ryder, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley and one of the world's leading experts on fermentation. Since then, the company has been perfecting the fermentation process to replicate and produce these sweet proteins.

Earlier this year, the company introduced the world's first commercialized beverage using sweet proteins: Oobli Sweet Iced Tea.

"As a father of two young children and a professional athlete, I am passionate about eating healthy and reducing our sugar intake," said Arik Armstead, San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman and founder of the Armstead Academic Project. "Until I discovered Oobli, I had been frustrated with other sugar alternatives on the market. I believe sweet proteins have the potential to disrupt our global sugar habit."

"Our goal is to reduce the sugar in a variety of heavily sweetened foods and beverages within the next several years," said Ali Wing, CEO, Oobli. "As a Sacramento native, Arik was a natural addition to our Bay Area-based Oobli team. Leveraging his expertise on and off the field will help us not only spread awareness about sweet proteins to a mass audience, but also help accelerate the endless possibilities for how sweet proteins can be incorporated into food and beverages, especially for athletes." 

Oobli's Advisory Board is dedicated to the research and development of sweet proteins. The board brings together a blend of experts from gut health to food safety to product development. In addition to Armstead, Oobli's Advisory Board includes:

• Chris Damman, M.D, board certified gastroenterologist at the Digestive Health Center at UW Medical Center, a UW associate professor of Gastroenterology and Medicine, and the former food and microbiome lead at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Francine Kaufman, M.D., pediatric endocrinologist and prior director of the Comprehensive Childhood Diabetes Center, and head of the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
• Chef Calvin Harris, professional chef and co-creator of The Biggest Loser and SELF Healthy Kitchen. Chef Calvin has 30 years experience developing recipes and products with an emphasis on flavor and taste including his own line of healthy spice blends.