John Holahan

Background

About John Holahan

For those who don’t know, here’s a quick bio. I’m a product development expert that spent over a decade doing R&D for the world’s largest Xanthan Gum manufacturer, which is now part of Monsanto. For anyone not familiar, Xanthan Gum is the most prominent thickening agent, used across the food industry in many things you eat from salad dressing to ice cream. In the food industry, they like to say “it adds a little bit of body”Rather randomly (long story), I learned that Xanthan Gum could also be used to help people manage a major medical issue called Dysphagia, where people with this condition can only drink liquids that have been thickened. For years, companies caring for these people had been using sub-par ingredients for the job leading to horrible food quality and patients who simply would not eat. Starting as a business school project, I followed this crazy idea taking my vast expertise in something as niche as Xanthan Gum, and built a first of its kind product to assist with dysphagia. I’ve spent the last 23 years building it into a nationally recognized brand and today SimplyThick is the most beloved thickener in its category.Our mission is to make life just a little better for people who are suffering, and make the nursing homes and hospitals they frequent more well suited to treat their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Which of course leads to happier families, better reviews, and more referrals.