It can be easy, when you’ve used a product for years, to cease to question it. Not for Millo.

They chose to question why the public put up with the noise, the hassle, the lack of transportability, of the common household blender. And they wanted change. Really, it’s genius, and we wish we’d thought about it. We spoke to Ruslanas Trakšelis, CEO & Founder of Millo, to get his take on why the industry needs to be shaken up.

Hi Ruslanas! So where did the idea originally come from?

The company all started back in 2016. I was doing triathlons, which meant I wanted protein smoothies a lot, but with a newborn baby at home, the idea of using a blender became impossible. It occurred to me that there was no such thing as a silent blender. So I began questioning why we as the consumer had become so content with imperfection. And so, the seed for Millo was planted.

What makes your blender so different?

It may look obvious to point to the fact that we’ve created a silent blender. But in reality, that’s just one of the many USPs we’re proud of here at Millo. The product has a totally unique user experience. It’s a truly convenient device that will streamline how people prepare food on a daily basis. It’s more convenient than a normal blender, and there’s almost no extra cleaning involved. That’s because you use the same container you made the smoothie in to drink it! It is portable…and above all, it’s quiet. Once you’ve used a Millo blender, it’s impossible to go back.

What’s the goal for Millo?

Of course, our main goal is to have our blender used by everyone — but we’ve made sure to say that we measure our success per smoothies, not by sales. I want to make sure this is a functional, practical tool for the everyday consumer, which they’ll actually use. I truly believe that our technology will change how people conduct their personal diet, and change the habits of millions of people. It looks simple, but with all the features and solutions, it’s not just a device, but a game-changer.

What are your thoughts on the use of Tech in the food industry?

In every industry, innovations that help to improve experience are being implemented, and what I think a lot of people don’t appreciate is that the future of food is in the present. We’re living through a technological re-shuffle, and it’s so exciting to be a part of that with the Millo blender. I hope that people will see our innovation as a new experience to change people’s diets. Our blender takes just the same amount of time as fast-food alternates, but with all of the health benefits.

What top tips would you give to other start-ups looking to make waves in the industry?

Get the right people to work with — take time and consider who you let in, it’s all about the people and it’s all about the team. The atmosphere can be really different based off of one person, and so it’s crucial to get that right from the start.

If we’re talking about hardware start-ups, my biggest piece of advice would be to understand the process, and how long it takes to make a product. When I first started working on the project, I couldn’t believe it when they said we’d have to wait three years to have something ready, and I questioned why it took so long. Now, I totally understand that a smart device is just that — smart — and though it looks simple on the outside, it’s immensely complex internally.

You’ve had some big players talk about your company — Forbes, Huffpost, Mashable…how have you caught the eye of these industry giants?

We’re always trying to approach big players, whether than be at trade shows, or online, as we know that it’s one of the keys to success to be talked about. We’re immensely lucky to have had the top 5 giants discuss us, and it’s a fact I’m really proud of. Food Tech, in terms of devices, is still a new industry, and there aren’t too many people crowding the market currently. So we’ve seen big players be surprised that such a small company has such huge potential. There’s a massive interest in technology currently, so it really does feel like you’re always in the limelight.

What can we expect to look forward to with Millo?

We’re dependent on twenty different suppliers, but we plan to have production at the end of the year. Stay tuned!

Bringing together tech, food and health makes Millo a key business driving the future of food and FoodTech. At Forward Fooding, we are passionate in supporting start-ups who are changing the way we view eating for the future. If you’d like to join Millo and be part of a community which powers the FoodTech revolution and strives for a future of sustainability, come and sign up to our global database of Food Tech startups. You can also check out Millo’s website here.

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This article has been written by Mathilde Redshaw