In this special two-guest Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Gonzalo Bisquerra, founder of Happy Caapi, and Chris Kilham, the botanical expert known as Medicine Hunter, to talk about the first non-hallucinogenic supplement made from the ayahuasca vine.
Gonzalo spent two decades in sourcing and supply chain for major CPG companies before an ayahuasca ceremony in Panama changed the course of his life. After connecting with two friends developing an early prototype, he spent four years navigating the regulatory, sourcing, and formulation challenges of bringing Happy Caapi to market - a legal, shelf-stable way for people to access the vine's benefits without the hallucinogenic experience associated with full ayahuasca ceremonies. Chris Kilham, who has studied medicinal plants around the world for over 30 years and sat in 135 ayahuasca ceremonies himself, joined as an early advisor and friend of the brand, bringing decades of botanical sourcing expertise and his own published sustainability research on the ayahuasca vine.
Caitlin, Gonzalo, and Chris dig into the important distinction between psychoactive and psychedelic, how the vine alone delivers focus and mood benefits without the visionary effects of the traditional brew, the real story behind ayahuasca vine sustainability and sourcing, and what it takes for brands to work responsibly with botanicals.
Listen in as they discuss:
- What Happy Caapi is and how it differs from traditional ayahuasca ceremonies
- The critical distinction between "psychoactive" and "psychedelic," and why it matters for consumer education
- Gonzalo's personal ayahuasca experience and what inspired him to build a shelf-stable, non-hallucinogenic product
- Chris's multi-year field research on ayahuasca vine sustainability, published in the American Botanical Council's HerbalGram
- The science behind how the vine's alkaloids affect mood and focus without producing hallucinogenic effects
- Why the growing consumer openness to psychedelics and natural alternatives is shaping the timing of this launch
- Product format decisions, from the current liquid extract to an upcoming single-serve sachet
- Gonzalo's vision for Happy Caapi as an ingredient platform for other brands, not just a standalone product
- Chris's advice for CPG brands sourcing and working with botanicals responsibly
- The safety profile of Happy Caapi and how its alkaloid concentration compares to everyday psychoactive substances like caffeine
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