Out Of Office: Ryan Foo, Founder Of Performance Nutrition Brand Foulplay

WHO: Ryan Foo, 31, founder of performance nutrition brand, Foulplay. 

If that doesn’t ring a bell, you might know him better as the co-founder of the buzzy hangover pill brand, DrinkAid. It quickly became a certified party essential after its launch in 2020, and continues to be stocked in major retailers across Singapore today.

WHAT HE DOES: Foulplay launched in November 2025 with just one key product: Hi-Creatine Bites.

What’s creatine, you might ask? It’s a naturally-occurring compound that provides energy to your muscles and brain. Creatine supplements like the Hi-Creatine Bites allow your muscles to store more creatine – basically, get a better, longer workout in. Supposedly, it helps support cognitive function too.

With 1.8g of creatine monohydrate per bite that actually tastes good (reportedly, it’s an industry first on both fronts), Foulplay’s Hi-Creatine Bites are designed to boost strength, recovery and long-term muscle health, whether you’re training seriously or just trying to stay active. 

Visually, Foulplay stands apart too. Where most supplements lean clinical or aggressively masculine, the brand embraces a moodier and more sophisticated identity. Scroll through their Instagram and it’s clear: supplements can be sexy and cool.

WHY KNOW HIM: As young people today increasingly embrace a party-smart approach to wellness, health and fitness are no longer about extremes. It’s all about making lifestyle choices that are measured and thoughtful. 

Enter Foo. A former lawyer-in-training who left it all behind when DrinkAid unexpectedly took off, he’s now firmly positioned as a leader in Singapore’s growing wellness space. His philosophy is simple: optimisation isn’t just for elite athletes or self-proclaimed gym bros – it’s for everyone.

Hey Ryan! First things first: where did this obsession with health and wellness come from?

Ryan Foo (RF): “It started as a vanity project when I was younger – wanting to look bigger and perform better. University was also very competitive, and I wanted an edge when it came to being alert and productive. 

That’s where my interest in bio-hacking (using data-backed lifestyle changes to improve daily function) began.”

You were initially pursuing a completely different career, having studied law at the Singapore Management University. What inspired you to choose your current path?

RF: “Honestly, I wasn’t very studious in law school. I passed the bar but didn’t get called because I couldn’t dedicate six months to a practice training contract, so my experience is confined to internships still. Overall, I wasn’t too deep into it – which made it easier to forgo my career in law.

DrinkAid was meant to just be a side hustle, and its success was quite unexpected since the product was quite niche. When we noticed how much traction it gained in the first few months, we then decided to go full steam ahead. At the time, we only had one angel investor – it was very much a bootstrapped business.” 

How much do you earn on average per month these days?

RF: “My income highly varies as I’m self-employed. There are slow months where I don’t pay myself at all and others when I can afford to, but nothing too lavish – just a competitive salary pegged to my industry!”

How much do you spend on average per month? Give us a rough breakdown of your monthly expenditure pie.

RF: “I try not to exceed $1,000 per month on personal expenses like food and transport. Food takes around 60 per cent of that amount, and transport around 30 per cent – the rest goes into miscellaneous expenditure. 

Of course, there are occasional bouts of shopping that cause this amount to spike, but I try to limit them to when I’m travelling overseas.”

There’s clearly been a cultural shift towards healthier habits among young people. What do you think triggered it? 

RF: “It’s a confluence of factors. Alcohol is so expensive these days – a cocktail can cost as much as a nice meal. At the same time, COVID normalised staying home and drinking at home too, so when people do go out, they’re less likely to overdo it. 

Pop culture has also played a big role in this. Fitness-focused reality shows like Netflix’s Physical: 100 and Final Draft have become really popular over the past few years. As a result, fitness influencers like Amotti (South Korean CrossFit athlete and the winner of Physical: 100 Season 2) have gained mainstream popularity, which really helped catapult wellness into general consciousness.”

Personally, how would you define new-age wellness?

RF: “To me, new-age wellness is very communal. You can participate in events like HYROX with your friends and do a relay race, so people are realising how fun these things can be. It’s a lot more about enjoyment rather than optimisation.”

What about Foulplay makes it stand out in a pretty saturated wellness space in Singapore and the region?

RF: “Foulplay was created with the intention of it being more than just a fitness brand, but we chose to start with a creatine supplement because there aren’t a lot of legitimate options on the market. 

As a brand, it’s also visually refreshing. You don’t see a lot of fun brands in this space – a lot of our competitors are very masculine-coded or overtly clinical. These days though, consumers are often design-led. It’s all about how they can get onto something that’s relevant and grants them social capital.

You can look at Skims and how it has revolutionised shapewear, or even Kourtney Kardashian’s Lemme – brand identity plays a big role in how people connect with products.”

What are some important lessons you’ve learnt from choosing this career path?

RF: “Starting your own business can be (over) glamourised. It’s nice to be your own boss, but you have to shoulder everything on your own too, especially as a solo founder.

Remember to factor in CPF contributions before you think of becoming self-employed too!”

How do you stay motivated when things feel slow, uncertain, or uninspiring?

RF: “I try to visualise my goals as much as possible. And it’s not just putting down what you desire on paper – it’s about mediating your beliefs to make yourself feel like you’ve already accomplished these goals. Everything else is noise.”

What advice would you give to someone who feels drawn to a similar path but is hesitant to start?

RF: “Go for it. You never know what can happen until you do. 

Singapore’s also one of the best places to be an entrepreneur. We have a small market so you get product validation quickly, and there are plenty of grants – free money, essentially – and incubators.”

What’s next in the pipeline for your business? What areas of wellness are you exploring at the moment?

RF: “Electrolyte tablets that don’t require water to consume. Traditional effervescent tablets are quite cumbersome for endurance athletes to bring around, so I’m experimenting with one that can melt in your mouth.

Personally, I’ve been really into mouth-taping. It’s a wellness trend (that involves placing a skin-friendly tape over the mouth to encourage nasal breathing, and allegedly has benefits ranging from improved oxygenation to reduced snoring) that’s really underrated right now. It won’t be something I launch for Foulplay, but I’ve found it really improves my deep sleep.”

Who is one other young creative taking a “path less trodden” that we should talk to next?

RF: “Ryan Ong. He’s a pal and is on track to build his own mushroom farm in Singapore!”