Joanna Bacchus discussing supplement dosage accuracy on the Nourify & Beautify Podcast/YouTube
When it comes to supplements, trust has often been treated as optional. For too long, consumers have bought into bright labels and bold promises—only to discover they were investing in empty claims. Joanna Bacchus saw it firsthand. And she decided that wasn’t good enough.
In the latest episode of the Nourify and Beautify Podcast, hosted by Nour Abochama and Linda Yates, Bacchus shared the eye-opening journey that led her from wealth advising to wellness innovation.
Her mission? To bring real science, real transparency, and real results back into an industry that has thrived for decades on a dangerous lack of accountability.
“I realized at that moment that I was throwing money literally away and I felt like not only myself but consumers deserve better,” Bacchus said.
The Moment the Curtain Lifted
Joanna’s journey into supplements didn’t start with ambition; it started with anger. During her years as a successful wealth advisor, she stumbled upon an investigative exposé that would change everything.
“They found out that 86% of them did not have the ingredients that were on the labeling and some of them had no active ingredients at all,” she explained.
The discovery hit hard. Like so many health-conscious consumers, Joanna had invested in her well-being through supplements—only to find that many of the brands she trusted weren’t even independently tested. The betrayal was personal. And it demanded action.
Facing the Ugly Side of the Supplement Industry
What Joanna found as she dug deeper was unsettling. Pills that were too large and difficult to swallow, sugar-loaded gummies that masked inferior ingredients, and a manufacturing culture that embraced fillers over efficacy.
“I wanted something that I could travel with… I’m not going to sit there and it’s not going to stick together… I could travel with my kids,” she recalled.
Ease of use, sugar-free formulations, and real ingredient transparency became her non-negotiables. Where others saw inconveniences, Bacchus saw opportunities to do better.
The Science That Changes Everything: Microencapsulation
While many brands continued with outdated delivery methods, Joanna turned to a technology typically reserved for pharmaceuticals: microencapsulation.
“It protects the ingredients, allows for absolute precise dosing… and keeps it shelf stable and active,” she explained.
The concept is simple yet revolutionary. By shrinking and encapsulating active ingredients, BioStrips ensures supplements not only maintain their potency but deliver exactly what the body needs—nothing more, nothing less. It’s a stark contrast to the inconsistencies that plague traditional capsules, tablets, and powders.
Why the Future Is Thin (and Tastes Better)
BioStrips are a glimpse into the future of supplementation. Thin, dissolvable, and individually wrapped, they fit into the pace of modern life.
“Not all oral strip manufacturers are made equal… a lot of them are using synthetics,” Joanna said candidly.
In her search for manufacturing partners, Joanna rejected shortcuts. Only plant-based binders made the cut. And because quality ingredients often come with challenging flavor profiles, she hired her own flavorist to make the strips actually enjoyable.
“It is a dance of trying to figure out… will alulose work better or will monk fruit work better or will stevia work better?” she shared.
The result? Strips that deliver clinical doses without the gag-inducing bitterness or cloying artificial sweetness common in other formats.
Standing Alone on the Side of Transparency
“I was one of the few customers that wanted to get a certificate of independent analysis done,” Joanna shared. “This is important to me.”
In an industry notorious for hiding behind proprietary blends and vague claims, BioStrips lays everything bare. Every consumer has the right to see exactly what’s in each strip—and exactly what’s not.
As Amazon and major retailers tighten their standards for supplement brands, Bacchus’s insistence on third-party testing has positioned BioStrips ahead of the curve.
Education First, Products Second
Where most wellness brands bombard consumers with product pushes, Joanna took a quieter, more thoughtful approach.
“We’ve earned the right. We’ve educated them… and then we’re teaching them how it’s part of an overall healthy diet,” she said.
Through free guides, checklists, and weekly education campaigns, BioStrips introduces its products only after empowering consumers with real knowledge. It’s a slow, intentional strategy—and it’s already creating loyal, informed customers who understand exactly what they’re buying.
Tested by Family, Built for Everyone
Joanna’s commitment to accessibility is deeply personal. She tested every BioStrip flavor and texture on her daughter, who has a sensitive gag reflex, to ensure the strips would work for children—and adults facing swallowing challenges like dysphagia.
“If it works for her, it’ll work for every child in the world,” Joanna said with a laugh.
Her focus on real-world use cases—busy parents, traveling professionals, aging adults—has made BioStrips not just another supplement brand, but a practical, trustworthy solution for everyday wellness.
How to Choose Better Supplements: Joanna’s Three Rules
For those still navigating the crowded, confusing world of supplements, Joanna offers clear advice:
- Demand third-party testing:
“If they don’t have that certificate of analysis you have to question why they don’t have it.” - Get your levels tested before supplementing:
“Go get your levels checked. You should be getting your levels checked once a year.” - Commit to consistency:
“There is no such thing as a quick fix… If a supplement company is saying it’s a quick fix, they’re lying.”
Supplementation isn’t about miracles but about smart, steady support for the body—and that requires both patience and precision.
A New Standard, Built from the Ground Up
By refusing to compromise on science, transparency, and integrity, Joanna Bacchus is quietly building a better path forward for wellness consumers.
In a world where trust has become a rare commodity, BioStrips is proof that doing the right thing isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business. As Bacchus put it, “Consumers deserve to have transparency and they deserve to know exactly what’s going on with their supplements.”
The supplement industry might never be the same. And that’s a good thing.
For brands that share this vision, Qalitex offers supplement testing rooted in the same values. Partner with them to raise the bar.