1. What inspired the mission "Fuel outdoor adventurers and professionals on the move with complete nutrition in challenging environments"?

Deed: It came straight from the field. When I was leading a team in Afghanistan, every pound mattered and stopping to cook wasn't always an option. I realized there was nothing out there that gave you real, complete nutrition without the bulk and time of a proper meal prep.

2. How does RecPak compare to freeze-dried meals in terms of preparation time and convenience?

Deed: A freeze-dried meal means you need boiling water, a cook system, 10 minutes of wait time, and something to eat it out of. RecPak is add water, shake, and drink while you're still moving. That difference is the whole point.

3. What's the shelf life of RecPak, and how does that affect how customers can use it in the field?

Deed: RecPak has an 18-month shelf life from production, so it's easy to stock up and keep in your kit without worrying about it. That stability is what makes it practical for long expeditions, go-bags, or just keeping a few pouches in your truck year-round.

4. As a member of 1% For The Planet, how do you select conservation causes to support?

Deed: We look for organizations that are actively working to protect the places our customers actually use, backcountry, public land, wilderness access. We're also members of The Conservation Alliance, The Access Fund, and currently exploring some hunting conservation groups to join. So we're building those relationships intentionally and over time.

5. How does your military background influence RecPak's approach to product reliability and performance?

Deed: The military taught me that gear either works or it doesn't, and when it doesn't, the consequences are real. That standard shaped everything about how we designed RecPak, from the durability of the pouch to the nutritional profile, it has to perform when you actually need it.

6. How does the protein content in RecPak support recovery during multi-day adventures?

Deed: We built in a tri-source protein blend, whey isolate, micellar casein, and hydrolyzed collagen, delivering 43 grams per pouch. The combination of fast and slow-release proteins means you're fueling performance now and supporting muscle recovery over long hours.

7. What was the development process like for creating RecPak's nutritional formula?

Deed: I don't have a food science background, so I went straight to the people who do. We worked with top endurance sports nutritionists and food scientists with backgrounds at companies like Clif Bar to get the formulation right.

8. Can you explain how RecPak's formula helps with both hydration and nutrition simultaneously?

Deed: Because you're mixing with 12 to 16 ounces of water to consume it, you're getting meaningful fluid intake alongside 700 calories and 22 essential vitamins and minerals. It's not a replacement for your water bottle, but it's a meaningful contribution to your hydration on top of a full meal.

9. What makes RecPak's packaging different from other outdoor nutrition options?

Deed: The pouch itself is a custom design, I've never come across another product that uses packaging this way. It's flexible, durable enough to take real abuse in a pack or a pocket, and the resealable spout lets you drink it on the move without spilling or stopping.

10. Could you explain the functional benefits of having RecPak as a liquid meal versus solid food in demanding outdoor situations?

Deed: Liquid calories absorb faster and digest easier than solid food, which matters when you're pushing hard and blood flow is prioritized elsewhere. You can also consume it while moving, which is something you just can't do with a bar or a freeze-dried meal.

11. How long does a RecPak stay fresh after opening if you don't consume it all at once?

Deed: Once mixed with water, it depends on conditions. Same day in hot weather, up to two days in moderate temps, and up to four days in cold. That kind of range actually works well for most backcountry use cases.

12. What considerations went into making RecPak easy to digest during high-intensity activities?

Deed: We worked with nutritionists who specialize in endurance athletes to dial in the macronutrient ratios and ingredient quality. The goal was something that delivers serious calories without sitting like a rock in your stomach when you're three hours into a climb.

13. How does RecPak specifically address the weight and space constraints that are so crucial for outdoor adventures?

Deed: One RecPak pouch is 6.2 ounces and replaces your entire cook system, stove, fuel, pot, and waiting time, which can run 13 to 20 ounces of gear on a multi-day trip. That's a meaningful weight savings, and it fits in a jacket pocket.

14. What feedback from users has most validated your vision for RecPak?

Deed: Hearing from an older athlete who used RecPak to finish his first ultramarathon, or from a platoon of soldiers heading out on deployment, that's the stuff that keeps you going. When people say it worked when nothing else did, that's validation you can't manufacture.

15. Can you share a specific moment from your time in Afghanistan that crystallized the need for a product like RecPak?

Deed: We were operating with a sniper unit in unforgiving terrain for days at a stretch. The rations were bulky, the MREs weren't enough, and stopping to do anything resembling a meal just wasn't realistic. That gap was so obvious and so frustrating that it stuck with me long after I got home.

16. What was the biggest challenge in taking RecPak from concept to a market-ready product?

Deed: The packaging is entirely custom, there's nothing off-the-shelf that works for what we're doing. Getting that right, alongside the nutritional formulation and manufacturing, took years of iteration. There were a lot of moments, especially as a solo founder, where I wanted to quit. But something kept telling me to keep going. I now have other co-founders (Simon & Joy) that have really helped shoulder that burden. 

17. How does the resealable spout design enhance the user experience in the field?

Deed: It means you can take a drink, seal it back up, and keep moving without stopping or pulling off your gloves. In cold weather or during a technical section, that kind of one-handed, on-the-go usability is actually a big deal.

18. What was the turning point when you decided to fully commit to building RecPak?

Deed: When I got out of the military and went through business school, I kept coming back to this idea. I'd worked in tech at places like Apple and Tesla, but the pull to build something of my own, something that came directly from lived experience, was impossible to ignore.

19. What makes RecPak particularly valuable for search and rescue, wildfire, or military operations?

Deed: In those environments you're often moving fast, carrying a lot of weight, and can't always predict when your next meal window opens up. RecPak is compact enough to carry a few extras without noticing, requires no heat source or cook time, and delivers enough calories and protein to actually matter.

20. How do the different flavors of RecPak provide variety for multi-day expeditions?

Deed: Chocolate, Vanilla Chai, and Coffee each have a distinct enough profile that you're not dreading the same thing every morning. The Coffee flavor also has 150mg of caffeine, so it pulls double duty as your morning brew when you don't want to bother with a separate setup.

5 Bonus Questions

1. What was the main reason that inspired you to start RecPak?

Deed: I realized a product like this could really benefit the outdoor communities I love, and I wanted to see how far I could take something that started as just an idea and build a product that people use and trust. 

2. For someone who's never heard of RecPak before, how would you describe it in one sentence?

Deed: RecPak is a complete meal in a pouch that you mix with water and drink on the move.

3. How does RecPak fit into a person's outdoor nutrition strategy alongside other food options?

Deed: Think of it as your anchor meal. It covers 700 calories and full nutritional completeness, so you can keep the rest of your food carry lighter and more snack-focused without worrying about whether you're actually eating enough.

4. What's the most extreme environment where RecPak has been successfully used?

Deed: We've had RecPak used on high-altitude mountaineering expeditions, by soldiers actively deployed overseas, to endurance rowing races across the Pacific. That range is exactly what we built it for.

5. If I'm new to backcountry adventures, why should I consider RecPak over traditional trail foods?

Deed: Most first-timers underestimate how hard it is to eat enough in the backcountry, especially when you're tired and don't feel like cooking. RecPak removes the friction entirely, add water and you have a real meal in seconds, no stove required.