Current society has learned to live with stress and anxiety as if it were an inevitable evil. In the last year alone, nine out of ten people (96%) in Spain admit to having suffered from stress, and one out of three adults already presents some mental health disorder, such as anxiety or depression. Such is the seriousness of the figures that stress is already considered a silent epidemic that, although it is usually normalized or minimized, ends up leaving a physical mark on the body that translates into mood swings, fatigue, or insomnia. Observing this widespread ailment and having experienced it in her own body, Teresa Pueyo decided in 2019 to launch Superlativa to combat this problem through natural food supplements.
A decision that was the result of a personal experience, but also of her previous professional career. Her experience as a venture capital investment manager led her to Singapore, a Southeast Asian country where she became acquainted with traditional oriental medicine, which advocates a more holistic view of health —combining lifestyle, diet, and exercise— and where the use of natural food supplements is much more widespread. "Like the vast majority of the population, I suffered from clinical stress that manifested itself on my skin, but also in increased irritability, and thanks to phytotherapy, that is, plant-based medicine, I was able to find balance again," Pueyo recalls.
Upon returning to Barcelona, she observed that in Europe there were no natural food supplements that served to combat stress, and even fewer that were scientifically backed. It was at that moment that Pueyo decided to change her professional career and found Superlativa. She did so, however, without abandoning the mindset and caution she had adopted after so many years in venture capital firms. "I observed that, in addition to a need, my idea could become a sustainable business because at that time food supplements were just starting to arrive in Europe and the sector was expected to grow at double digits in the following years."
Thus, she began this entrepreneurial adventure with a few savings, a small scientific team ---currently led by Marta Hernández--- and supported by Netmentora, the global network that accompanies entrepreneurs in early stages through an international community that bets on shared knowledge. Today, Superlativa already has a staff of 20 employees ---mostly women--- and doubles its turnover every year thanks to its food supplements, which have already seduced 120,000 people. Likewise, Teresa Pueyo was recognized as Impact Leader by that same network that supported her in her beginnings, Netmentora, in this case at its annual event, Impact Night, in the category of Entrepreneur to businesswoman.
In addition, the brand has just launched a new natural supplement: Superlativa Forte, designed for episodes of occasional anxiety and acute stress that occur in situations such as, for example, a long trip if one is afraid of flying, a public presentation, an important meeting or a move. The food supplement, designed in liquid format to be drunk and act in a few minutes, helps the body to relax, recover mental and physical calm, but without causing sedation effects, and combat those moments of nervousness or specific fears.
"The product is designed to be carried in a bag and consumed when needed," clarifies Pueyo. Superlativa only works with adaptogens extracted from plants that have scientific backing and clinical studies demonstrating their effectiveness. These molecules act on the neuroendocrine system to help the body normalize its response to stress. Thus, for example, Superlativa Forte contains eight natural active ingredients —five of them internationally patented, such as Magtein or Shoden— derived from plants. Until now, there was no other natural supplement that helped the body manage these episodes.
More than 13,500 pharmacies in Spain already have and distribute Superlativa products, which also include another brand supplement: Superlativa Daily, its best-known product that has become established among pharmacists as the most recommended supplement to combat the effects of chronic stress. These attributes are what have led the brand to be recognized this year with the Pharmacy Award for Revelation Brand, granted by professionals in the sector themselves.
"Stress itself is not bad because it keeps us alert; but the side effects it causes in the human body are," remarks Pueyo. These physical effects are not always related to anxiety and, therefore, are rarely treated. Signs such as sleeping poorly —taking a long time to fall asleep or waking up a couple of times during the night—, irritability, hair loss, difficult digestions, or lack of concentration "should alert us that our body is experiencing a situation of chronic stress." Superlativa Daily is designed to regulate these effects. Thus, it helps regulate cortisol, the hormone that the body naturally generates to face emergency or urgent situations, so that its levels are much more controlled.
In the short and medium term, the brand, which manufactures entirely in Catalonia, is committed to strengthening and consolidating itself in the national market, before taking the step towards internationalization. "Although it is true that we talk more and more about mental health and we have normalized going to therapy more, it is true that in Spain we still have a lot of work to do in terms of how to treat anxiety or stress from an early age," laments the CEO of Superlativa. In fact, currently "more than 80% of users who go to pharmacies show signs of stress and anxiety."
Although its products are designed for the general public, it is especially women between 35 and 55 years old who buy Superlativa. "In general, women carry more mental burdens than men," clarifies Pueyo. In Spain, in fact, 17% of women suffer from anxiety disorders, compared to 9% of men.
The company closed last year a 1.5 million euro financing round led by Iris Ventures, funding that it has invested in continuing to expand and strengthen its portfolio. Although its product range includes other natural supplements that help combat different problems of the human body —such as digestive problems, skin issues, or the regulation of menstrual cycles or menopause—, Superlativa wants to use the funds raised in this round to continue increasing its range of products focused on stress. For next year, in fact, they already plan to launch two new supplements to complement this line.