Rumble co-founder Paul Underhill has a pretty amazing story. Born with Cystic Fibrosis, an illness that required him to drink sugary meal replacements for additional nutrition, Underhill eventually developed his own homemade formula that was tastier, healthier (lactose free, gluten free, and high in protein and Omega-3s) than anything he could find on the market. After being airlifted from Vancouver to Toronto for a double lung transplant in 2011, Underhill recuperated from his surgery while drinking his very own nutritional concoction.
Fast-forward to 2014 and Underhill, along with his business partners Kim McQueen, James McQueen, and Steve Hughes, has one of the hottest new smoothie-meets-energy drink brands on the market based on his original recipes. If you’re looking for a delicious way to feel healthier, Rumble is rich with ingredients like kale, agave nectar, pomegranate, walnut oil and is available at Whole Foods across Canada as well as at 500 independent Canadian grocers. With an appearance on Dragon’s Den already under his belt and plans to expand into the US this spring, Underhill is certainly on fire. We guess it’s the Rumble…? We caught up with the Rumble co-founder to find out more about the incredible story behind the drink and how he came up with it in the first place…
Tell us a bit about you. What should people know?
I’m an avid cyclist. I love extensive road riding, mountainbiking, racing cyclocross, and seasonal kiteboarding!
Rumble has a pretty incredible backstory. Can you tell our readers a little bit about what originally inspired you to create Rumble?
I was born with Cystic Fibrosis – a debilitating and normally fatal lung disease, which severely affected my health. Seeking out every possible health and nutrition advantage was critical for me; I needed a drink loaded with nourishing ingredients, but also tasty and ready-to-drink. When I was unable to purchase anything close, I fired up my blender and made my own!
At what moment whilst experimenting with ingredients in your blender did you know you had something amazing on your hands?
When I landed on a great taste and talked to friends about my quest for a natural balanced drink I began to see that they had a need and want for such a drink too.
What makes Rumble special in terms of most taste and ingredients?
Rumble is a 100 per cent all-natural formula, free of any artificial ingredients or preservatives. It is naturally sweetened and maintains a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs and a 2:1 ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6, which is the ideal ratio for optimal health. All this, of course, without compromising taste. After more than four years of research, development, and taste testing, we launched Rumble in Vanilla Maple and Dutch Cocoa flavours.
When do you reach for a Rumble most and why?
As an avid biker with an active lifestyle, I drink at least one Rumble each day. Usually, I like to have it before or after a ride, but more often these days I use it instead of breakfast when I want to start the day with healthy protein but don’t feel like having a big meal.
You’ve been on Dragon’s Den with Rumble. What was that experience like?
Very nerve-wracking! Being back stage preparing to go on was probably the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life. The film crew was very supportive and helpful. We earnestly believed that we had a great product, and the challenge was to make people aware of it. We felt so grateful for the chance to pitch to the Dragons and increase this awareness. I’ll always remember that feeling of incredulity post-pitch, realizing that we had received five offers!
What are three important health tips you follow every day that would actually benefit every Canadian to follow?
1. I am active each day. Whether I am riding my bike or going for a hike, I make sure I am moving my body.
2. I read and make sure I am knowledgeable about nutrition and the foods I am eating – including avoiding genetically modified food and reducing pesticide exposure.
3. I drink a Rumble each day! The Rumble Supershake nourishes me and has been a big part of keeping me going.
Rumble helps fight hunger internationally and is environmentally conscious. Tell us a little bit about that.
Rumble is committed to donating 1% of all sales to charities that fight hunger. We know that hunger takes many forms, and 1% for hunger lets us be a part of something greater than ourselves. Because we respect the world around us, our bottles are resealable, recyclable, and repurpose-friendly too.
How do we stay up to date with you and Rumble?
You can visit us at drinkrumble.com, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter or Instagram.