The visionary women behind hiro drinks – an exclusive interview.

Welcome to an exclusive interview with Indah Respati and Cath Worthington, the visionary co-founders behind HIRO Drinks.

These entrepreneurs have seamlessly blended their passion for wellness and sustainability to revolutionize the beverage industry with their innovative brands.

Indah, with her deep-rooted commitment to environmental stewardship, and Cath, a dynamic leader with a keen focus on natural and functional drinks, have together created a portfolio of products that promise more than just good health—they offer a vision of a sustainable future.

From their base in Bali, they leverage the rich biodiversity of Indonesia to bring unique health benefits to consumers worldwide, while also enhancing the livelihoods of local farmers.

In this inspiring dialogue, we explore the entrepreneurial spirit of these two women, the challenges they have overcome, and the triumphs they have celebrated in their journey with HIRO Drinks.

Join us as we delve into their stories and discover how they are significantly impacting the world of natural wellness drinks.

YT: Can you introduce yourselves and tell us about your roles at HIRO Drinks?

Cath: I am Cath Worthington, Entrepreneur, mother, Co-Founder & CEO of HIRO Drinks, a Bali-based Functional beverage company. HIRO was born between friends who hold wellness and nature at our core.

We wanted to create a product/product that benefits every person at every touch point of the production process, from our network of farmers growing the ingredients to the consumer.

Also Read>>> Our Review of Hiro Drinks

Additionally, we wanted to bring to life the wealth of incredible natural and potent ingredients that the jungles of Indonesia have to offer.

I didn’t set out on my HIRO journey as the CEO; it’s a role I acquired through unexpected circumstances. I’m so grateful to drive this business forward by working with Indah, my wingwoman, and our fantastic team, all of whom bring their magic to HIRO. 

Indrah: I am Indah Respati. My passion for Indonesia’s natural resources brought me to Bali from Bogor-West Java; I Moved to Bali during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

I want my life to be more beneficial to nature and humans, connecting the benefits of nature to human health so that everything can be harmonious and sustainable.

My role is as the COO of HIRO, and I have been with HIRO since its inception with Cath & friends here in Bali. Right from the beginning, brainstorming ideas and making innovative drinks from raw materials that we took directly from farmers, we took a direct approach with farmers in Aceh Sumatra.

During this time, I collaborated with Cath, the company’s CEO, to determine and drive the company’s vision, operational strategy, and the level of recruitment of our team members.

YT: What inspired you to start HIRO Drinks in Bali together?

Cath: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, my business was in the luxury travel. I moved my family to Bali so my kids could attend the Green School in Bali.

I wanted to continue running my travel business while providing a progressive education focused on sustainability. Alas, a global shutdown had other ideas.

Needing to pivot, I started looking at my skill set (Sales/Communications), interests (Wellness/Nature), and what exciting opportunities were available. I went to do an Elevation Barn retreat, which connected me with my partners and helped me understand how HIRO was born. 

Indrah: Cath and I are interested in nature and using natural products as future health solutions.

At that time in 2021, when the pandemic occurred, we thought together in this challenging situation how we could think of a solution, namely making innovative drinks products from natural health that were safe for consumption by the broader community without side effects.

It is supported by a situation where people have begun to be aware of their health and heal themselves by consuming natural products and reducing the consumption of chemical medicine/drugs.

YT: Are there any other people than you two involved in this company?

Cath: Yes, as I’ve already mentioned, I have a team that brings their magic to HIRO. We have a network of farmers, their families, our office team, and several specialist freelance suppliers. We are only possible with every one of them.  

Indrah: Yes, of course. We have a great team that is competent in their fields, has high loyalty, shares, and takes responsibility for their respective jobs, and has contributed a lot to HIRO’s journey so far. We work together, we value them, and everyone involved in the HIRO business is our hero.

Company Mission and Vision

YT: What is the core mission behind HIRO Drinks, and how does it reflect your values?

Cath: Our mission from the very beginning was multi-faceted: – To convert waste ingredients into functional drinks – To work directly with farmers to teach them how to provide the ingredients to us, so they no longer go to landfill and the farmer generates 60% higher income than before he was able to sell these ingredients – To produce drinks with incredible mental wellness health benefits. – To make 100%Natural, Zero Chemical/preservative great tasting drinks

Indrah: We care about health and wellness. We take advantage of knowledge by combining ingredients from nature with modern science. We create products with rich benefits from Indonesia’s natural wealth.

We support farmers and collaborate with all parties involved. We provide extensive employment opportunities to develop a sustainable business.

With responsible production, we create natural drink products that are environmentally friendly and socially friendly and contribute to sustainable economic growth.

In the future, HIRO drinks can penetrate the world market, and products from Indonesia can enter the world.

YT: What sets HIRO Drinks apart from other energy drinks on the market?

Cath: Our drinks work and we do what they say we will do. There’s NO BULL! We used existing science to prove the health benefits of our ingredients.

We then took that knowledge and modern technology to put infrastructure and equipment on the farm and teach the farmers how to produce and process our core ingredients and make drinks with incredible natural health benefits. 

Indrah: We use natural ingredients, namely coffee skins/Cascara, as the main ingredient in our energy drinks because Cascara provides a healthy energy boost, contains natural caffeine and is safe to consume without side effects; our raw material is an organic way to consume your daily dose.

Cascara can help reduce stress and anxiety. Its high chlorogenic acid content protects our cells and brain from stress and reduces the body’s ability to produce stress hormones. Therefore, stress and anxiety can be overcome without the need to consume unnatural capsules.

Cascara also helps improve cognitive health. Research shows that it contains twice the amount of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that protects brain and spinal cord cells from damage.

Our raw materials are valid, scientifically tested, and have good safety and nutritional value. They are also without preservatives and have safe long-term effects. They have a delicious, unique taste that can be felt immediately after consumption.

YT: How do you see HIRO Drinks impacting the wellness industry in Bali and globally? 

Cath: Well, how big can one dream? The world is waking up to the fact that the food and beverage industry has fed us ingredients and products humans weren’t meant to consume.

My vision is to become a brand that is looked up to as progressive and wise and educates people on the importance of consuming products that are natural and good for you. Let’s start with Indonesia and grow from there. We will make an impact across ASIA when the time is right. 

Indrah: Because in Bali, people’s awareness regarding health & wellness and the use of natural ingredients for self-medication is increasing, with the presence of HIRO drinks, it is a good solution & new habit among these circles, this future innovation uses natural raw materials that are scientifically tested with a unique taste, we are optimistic that HIRO drinks will be more readily accepted by the public and the health industry market globally compared to its competitors so that people will begin to reduce their dependence on chemical medicines.

Product Development

YT: Can you talk about the unique ingredients in your drinks and why they were specifically chosen?

Cath: We currently offer two drinks; each drink’s core benefit ingredient is a historically bi-product/waste.

As we continue to grow and add additional drinks to the range, we would like to bring extra “waste” ingredients and their benefits to our range. Coffee Fruit was chosen because it is the most incredible and powerful ingredient. It is loaded with health benefits, but the number one benefit for us is that the polyphenols in coffee fruit offer extraordinary benefits to our brains.

When you consume these polyphenols, your body converts them to BDNF, opening up and nourishing your mind. You get a fantastic, awake feeling without the side effects of heavily caffeinated drinks. Our Sleep tonic’s key ingredient is the fruit of the Nutmeg. 

There have been wars fought over Nutmeg and for a good reason. It is a potent adaptogen. Most people know Nutmeg as the seed that’s ground up and sprinkled on a Cafe late at Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner. Lesser known is the mace flower that grows around the seed and then the fruit. 

Our Sleep tonic combines all three elements, but the fruit is exceptional. It contains a chemical component that, in the correct dose, relaxes the central nervous system, allowing the body to drift off to sleep naturally.

YT: How do you ensure your products’ scientific and health claims are valid and reliable? 

Cath: We carry out significant laboratory tests recommended by BPOM INDONESIA (The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority). All of our raw materials have passed several tests, the standard parameters of which have been determined by BPOM, the official institution in Indonesia for food standards.

Additionally, we used a combination of existing science and ancient wellness knowledge and practices to formulate our drinks. Every ingredient we use has a reason and a very well-thought-out process behind it. 

Sustainability and Local Impact

YT: You’ve mentioned that HIRO Drinks uses ingredients that are often considered bi-products or waste. How does this approach contribute to environmental sustainability? 

Cath: Yes, the main ingredients for making our drinks use bi-products or waste; we taught our farmers this knowledge that the ingredients they would throw away could, in fact, with the proper handling and process, be converted to a high-value product. Our farmers can use it well and earn up to 60% more profits/income.

HIRO’s efforts positively impact environmental sustainability so that this commodity can continue to benefit many parties. We also look at our environmental impact with our packaging and try, wherever possible, to implement the most sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

An example is our bottle return policy, which we offer to individual and retail customers. 

YT: Can you describe how your business model benefits local farmers and their communities directly? 

Cath: We buy directly from farmers after harvest, without intermediaries, and at fair or above market prices.

Hence, our farmers profit more than ever by taking produce they previously sent to landfills.

We provide direct guidance and education to our farmers regarding the quality of the harvest we are willing to buy and how to process the ingredients for us.  

Challenges and Achievements

YT: What have been some of the most significant challenges you’ve faced starting and running HIRO Drinks? 

Cath: They were proving to BPOM (The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority) that our core ingredients were indeed fit for human consumption. It was an arduous and enormously emotional process.

We launched this drink during the pandemic; marketing difficulties were limited because we could not interact directly with buyers, which would have made marketing more optimal.

The availability of unique raw materials creates its challenges.

Because our products are particular and unique, we must make special efforts to convince buyers to trust and buy them; we must be consistent in educating our consumers.

YT: What achievements or milestones are you most proud of in your journey with HIRO Drinks?

Cath: The main ingredient of HIRO FOCUS, dried coffee fruit/cascara, received the First BPOM license in Indonesia. We are proud to be the first company to have this waste ingredient licensed as a food source.

Hopefully, this will have an impact in the future so that we can develop this raw material more widely.

From zero to 55 Retail locations, our drinks are now available in supermarkets, wellness venues, hotels, and restaurants across Bali, with Jakarta coming soon. 

Creating a brand literally from “plants in the ground” to pour in a glass has been an enormous learning curve, but I’m so glad we did it. 

Future Plans

YT: What are your plans for HIRO Drinks? Are there new products or markets you aim to explore?

Cath: Watch this space. We continue to develop innovative, environmentally, and socially friendly wellness drinks. We are currently developing new packaging and exploring additional flavours and wellness benefits.

We are researching new waste ingredients and exploring potential brand partnerships. We are excited about this next phase of development.  

YT: How do you plan to evolve your relationships with local farmers as your business grows?

Cath: We always involve farmers directly in the business collaboration system that HIRO has implemented. Farmers, besides getting double income from their harvest, also receive guidance and training to introduce applied technology to sustainable industry.

With this cooperation method, all parties contribute to our business’s development so that HIRO can progress in harmony with all parties.

Personal Insights and Advice

YT: What personal learnings have you taken from your experience with HIRO Drinks as an entrepreneurial woman?

Cath: There’s so much! At the same time as creating HIRO, I’ve also been in a phase of life where I was faced with enormous life-changing personal challenges. What I’ve taken away is that I’m far more potent than I ever gave myself credit for, and out of the ashes rise great things.

It’s essential to let old parts of yourself die away to make space for the newer version of yourself who wants to step forward. And always continue learning or expecting things to remain the same. 

Indrah: An empowered female entrepreneur must have the capacity of emotional and intellectual intelligence, gentleness, and firmness to move the wheels of business sustainably and stably.

Because emotional balance in running a business is needed, exceptionally calm in making decisions.

The success of HIRO and this business journey requires patience and persistence in various situations that exist internally and externally. A conducive and comfortable work environment is critical in a sustainable business.

The role of individuals in each division is vital; collaborative efforts are interrelated to bring us to the current position with the joint contribution of all parties.

I am proud as a woman empowered to start a business by staying persistent and continuing to learn many things; always grateful for what we have achieved and appreciative of all parties who participate in our business.

YT: What advice would you give entrepreneurs who want to start a wellness-focused business in Bali or similar settings?

Cath: It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. My advice is to get your vision clear. Stick to that and know that only some people will get it, understand it, or want to be part of it. But that’s okay.

Be prepared to hear many “NO’s” before you get a “Yes”. Then there will probably be more “No’s” and another “Yes”. Just keep going, collect “No’s”, trust your vision and that the right people will come along at the right time. Eventually, the “YES” that changes everything will come along. 

Indrah: Let’s return to nature, explore the potential of Indonesia’s natural resources, and continue learning about many new things that will create renewable innovation.

The balanced growth of the health industry must go hand in hand with the use of natural ingredients and chemical drugs so that, in the future, we can reduce our dependenc on chemical drugs.

We must be a driver of an environmentally friendly and socially sustainable economy.

YT: Thank you for creating such a beautiful company, we enjoyed hearing you both and wish you the best of sucess with Hiro Drinks.