gobites

I've been thinking a lot about performance nutrition lately, and especially its ties to productivity and mental performance. I recently had the opportunity to try a free sample pack of GoBites (more on that in a future post) and interview Jim Gutt, the company's CEO and founder, about how his snack delivery service helps time-starved workers stay on track.

1. How can GoBites' snack delivery service help managers improve employee productivity?

Eating nutritionally-balanced snacks can help prevent the energy lulls we experience throughout the day. Processed foods with lots of added sugar and other additives release energy very quickly. After that initial burst of energy, you are left feeling tired and hungry. Whole foods that are high in healthy fats, protein and fiber release energy gradually into your body. By consuming these foods, you are able to maintain stable energy throughout the day. Avoiding these energy highs and lows will certainly contribute positively to employee productivity.

2. What correlations have you observed between nutritious snacks and mental performance?

There are many studies out there linking healthy eating with mental performance. We recently read a study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, that confirmed this information. The study found that a diet rich in highly processed refined foods is linked to a wide range of mental health disorders. Conversely, healthy diets rich in vitamins and nutrients lead to enhanced mental acuity. The study found that people with healthy diets performed better on a variety mental acuity tests compared to their counterparts on poor diets. The brain, like the rest of the body, responds well when provided with the proper fuel.

3. What has customer feedback been like? Are clients reporting productivity gains; if so, what are they?

Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive so far. People love the convenience and variety and really like having a ready supply of natural and organic products on hand when the urge to snack hits. Snacking can be very impulsive and having that box of GoBites in your desk can help satisfy your cravings before you make any rash snacking decisions.

We have had a couple of people tell us that GoBites were a life-saver when they were facing a tight deadline at work. One customer at a bank in New York, wrote us to let us know he subsisted on nothing but GoBites during a grueling 3 day stretch at work. He didn't have time to grab lunch, and was eating about 4 GoBites a day. He wrote us to say thank you, and to let us know he needed us to send him another box.

4. GoBites clearly serves a market need. What was the "aha" moment that sparked GoBites?

I had the opportunity to travel the world for about a year. When my trip ended and I returned home, I immediately started gaining weight. It didn't seem to me that I had drastically changed my diet or calorie intake, so I did not understand what was happening. I started reading about processed foods versus whole and organic food, and became convinced this was the difference. I started changing my eating habits, and was able to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Some time later, I was chatting with a friend of mine about how tempting the vending machines are at work, especially when working late. He asked if there was a better alternative, and the idea for GoBites was born that night.

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