Alvin Andrew: Is Our Food Killing Us!? | EP005

Alvin Andrew is not your typical food entrepreneur. He’s a food scientist with a Master’s from the U.S., the founder of Fubizo, and the man behind over 400 food innovations sold in more than 70 countries. But in this conversation, he takes off the lab coat and speaks from the heart.

In one of the most eye-opening conversations we’ve had, Alvin reveals what really goes into your food, the myths behind “healthy” marketing, why most consumer packaged goods (CPG) in Malaysia fail, and what it actually takes to build a product that wins globally.

We go deep into:
The dark side of sugar, MSG, and artificial sweeteners.
Why most food brands are lazy and how consumers are paying the price.
The 3 ingredients of a winning product.
How brands manipulate perception with packaging and false claims.
Why innovation in food must start with empathy for the consumer.

If you’ve ever picked up a snack and wondered, “Is this actually good for me?”, this episode will forever change how you see the food industry.

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Timestamp
0:00 Intro: The truth about what you're eating
2:09 Meet Alvin Andrew: Food scientist & founder of Fubizo
3:41 Why Alvin chose food science over computer science
5:00 From US food tech to founding a business in Malaysia
6:48 The food industry in Malaysia is LAZY?!
9:04 Taste is not innovation—it’s the bare minimum
12:02 The real problem with OEM products in Malaysia
15:09 Why premium packaging doesn’t mean premium quality
18:01 How Fubizo creates real product innovation
21:06 What makes a winning product: The 3 core ingredients
26:10 Why 90% of food brands fail within 12 months
29:00 The oversaturated CPG market—and why that’s OK
33:20 The problem with plant-based meat and fake innovation
38:10 What is "real" food innovation? A simple definition
44:00 The invisible dangers of processed foods
49:30 Why preservatives are a necessary evil
52:00 The truth about MSG and sugar in Malaysia
58:00 The addiction formula behind snacks and sodas
1:02:30 White sugar vs natural sweeteners (monk fruit, stevia)
1:07:20 Why “sugar-free” products might be worse
1:13:10 Sucralose, economics & how brands manipulate consumers
1:16:00 The problem with Malaysian food industry culture
1:20:00 Why our new product is focused entirely on YOU
1:23:10 What’s one food Alvin never eats? (You won’t believe this)
1:27:00 The problem with Milo, Nestum, and childhood nostalgia

About Us
We're Gene and Steven, you co-hosts for TEJ Podcast based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We are passionate to interview Malaysian Entrepreneurs and Storytellers uncovering the real, unfiltered journey of business leaders, creatives, and innovators. With years of experience across animation, filmmaking, gaming, technology and entrepreneurship, we’ve built and scaled businesses while navigating the highs and lows of the creative and business world.

#food #health #healthyfood #entrepreneur #foodandbeverage #foodbusiness