In 2022, British epidemiologist Dr. Tim Spector, known for his pioneering work in gut microbiome research and the TwinsUK study, co-founded ZOE. His mission, alongside a team of scientists, technologists, and medical experts, was ambitious yet simple:

To move away from one-size-fits-all diets — and use cutting-edge science to build nutrition that truly works for your body.

Fast forward to today, ZOE is one of the most talked-about companies in the personalized health space. It offers deep insights into how your body responds to food and delivers custom nutrition recommendations, powered by machine learning, gut microbiome science, and real-world glucose tracking.

Global Availability and Headquarters

ZOE is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, and primarily serves customers in the UK, United States, and several European countries. The company plans to expand its service availability globally as it scales its testing and digital nutrition platform. While some products like the Daily30+ granola are currently sold mainly in the UK, ZOE’s digital app and personalized nutrition services are accessible via the app store in multiple regions, supporting several languages. This growing international presence positions ZOE as a key player in the personalized nutrition market worldwide.

Two Core Services: Test + Membership

ZOE operates through two core services:

1. Personalized Test Kit

A one-time, at-home test that collects:

• Blood sugar response data (via CGM)
• Blood fat response (via special muffins)
• Gut microbiome profile (via stool sample)
  
  

This data reveals how your unique body processes carbs, fats, and fiber — and how your microbiome influences your metabolism.

2. Membership App

Once your test results are in, you get access to ZOE’s app — a nutrition coaching platform that scores meals, helps you balance your diet, and makes real-time recommendations based on your biology.

The Science in Action: How Does It Work?

Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)

As part of the test, you wear a small glucose sensor (CGM) on your arm for 14 days. It painlessly measures your blood sugar every few minutes. ZOE uses this to analyze:

• How high your blood sugar spikes after eating
• How quickly it returns to baseline
• Whether you experience "glucose crashes" that trigger fatigue or hunger
  
  

This helps determine which foods stabilize your energy — and which derail it.

The Special ZOE Muffins 

The kit includes two specially-formulated test muffins — often misread as cookies or drinks, but they are solid, precisely engineered snacks.

Each muffin contains a calibrated amount of fat, carbs, and fiber. You eat them at specific times, and ZOE tracks your biological response via the CGM and blood sample to understand how your metabolism works.

 ZOE Score: Real-Time Food Ratings

ZOE’s app assigns a personalized score (0–100) to every food or meal based on:

• Your blood sugar and fat responses
• Your gut microbiome diversity
• The fiber, protein, and fat balance in the meal
  
  

Example:

• Oats might score 75/100 for you but only 40/100 for someone else.
• A salad with avocado could score higher if your body responds well to fats.
  
  

This score helps you build meals that match your biology — not random diet trends.

Your Gut Microbiome — Tested and Translated

One of ZOE’s most distinctive features is its focus on your gut microbiome — the trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes living in your digestive tract.

How the Test Works:

As part of your at-home test kit, ZOE asks you to send a small stool sample. This is then analyzed using advanced metagenomic sequencing — a technique that identifies not only which microbes are present, but also what they’re doing.

ZOE doesn’t just count bacteria; it maps out your microbial diversity, identifies specific “good” and “bad” bugs, and links them to known health outcomes using a vast dataset from the largest nutrition study of its kind in the world.

What You Learn:
Your results include:

• A Microbiome Health Score (from 0 to 100)
• Lists of “good bugs” that support metabolic and gut health
• Lists of “bad bugs” associated with inflammation, weight gain, or poor blood sugar control
• Personalized food suggestions that feed your good microbes and suppress the bad ones
  
  

Why It Matters

Your gut microbiome has a huge impact on how your body reacts to food — from how you absorb nutrients to how you regulate blood sugar and inflammation. That’s why two people can eat the same meal but have very different blood sugar responses.

ZOE uses your microbiome profile alongside your glucose and fat responses to tailor your “ZOE Score” for foods. This score guides you toward meals that:

• Fuel your beneficial microbes
• Stabilize energy and reduce cravings
• Support long-term metabolic health

Why People Trust ZOE: The Science & Tech Behind It

ZOE stands out because it’s not just another health app — it's based on large-scale clinical studies and powered by:

• Machine learning algorithms trained on data from over 100,000 participants
• Collaborations with Harvard, King’s College London, and MIT
• Peer-reviewed publications in Nature Medicine and other top journals
  
  

Its gut microbiome research alone is one of the largest in the world.

Two New Additions to ZOE’s Ecosystem

In recent months, ZOE has expanded beyond testing and digital nutrition advice by launching two new initiatives that deepen its connection with users and extend its brand presence in innovative ways.

1. ZOE Science & Nutrition Podcast

To build stronger engagement and reinforce its credibility as a science-first company, ZOE launched the ZOE Science & Nutrition podcast. Hosted by ZOE co-founder Prof. Tim Spector and a team of experts, the show explores evidence-based answers to questions like:

• "Is breakfast really the most important meal?"
• "How do ultra-processed foods affect your body?"
• "What’s the science behind intermittent fasting?"
  
  

The podcast serves several purposes:

• Strengthening brand trust through educational content
• Offering listeners actionable health advice backed by research
• Creating a consistent touchpoint to keep ZOE top-of-mind
• Helping position ZOE not just as a service, but as a thought leader in personalized health
  
  

https://podcasts.apple.com/si/podcast/zoe-science-nutrition/id1611216298

2.Daily30+: A New Food Product Based on Real Data

One of ZOE’s latest launches is Daily30+, a granola-style product created using insights from over 100,000 test users. It contains:

• 30+ plants (fruits, seeds, spices, legumes)
  
  
• Designed to feed your gut microbiome
  
  
• Supports fiber intake, microbial diversity, and regular digestion
  
  

Available online in the UK (soon expanding).
Price: Starts around £12.99 per pack
Usage: Add to yogurt, smoothies, or eat as a snack

ZOE Menoscale: For Midlife Women’s Health

ZOE also created the Menoscale, a unique tool designed for women entering perimenopause or menopause. It helps users understand:

• What stage of hormonal change they're in
• How those changes affect metabolism, sleep, and appetite
• What foods can help ease symptoms
  
  

Example:

A Menoscale score of 2 out of 5 might indicate you're early in the perimenopause transition, even if you have no major symptoms yet.

Final Thoughts

ZOE is building a new kind of nutrition system — one that starts with your biology, not outdated food pyramids or calorie charts. It’s not just about what’s healthy — it’s about what’s healthy for you.

Whether you’re curious about blood sugar, gut health, menopause, or just want to feel better after meals, ZOE is leading the way in data-driven wellness.