It’s hard enough to chase a scientific breakthrough. 

But as New Zealand company Ārepa found out it's even harder and more expenisve to defend your breakthroughs time and time again. 

Ārepa was founded in 2017 and the so called “brain drink” company was growing at a rapid pace when at the end of 2023, they hit a massive speed bump. 

That's when the Ministry for Primary Industries and an Auckland University scientist came out and said the company hadn’tactually proven better brain function at all. 

Ārepa found itself in the headlines, but for all the wrong reasons. 

The company's co-founder and co-chief executive Angus Brown told their story with Kerre Woodham on the latest episode of Bosses Unfiltered. 

LISTEN ABOVE

NOTE: This interview was recorded on June 4th 2025. 

<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">It’s hard enough to chase a scientific breakthrough.&nbsp;
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">But as New Zealand company Ārepa found out it's even harder and more expenisve to defend your breakthroughs time and time again. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">Ārepa was founded in 2017 and the so called “brain drink” company was growing at a rapid pace when at the end of 2023, they hit a massive speed bump. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">That's when the Ministry for Primary Industries and an Auckland University scientist came out and said the company hadn’tactually proven better brain function at all. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">Ārepa found itself in the headlines, but for all the wrong reasons. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">The company's co-founder and co-chief executive Angus Brown told their story with Kerre Woodham on the latest episode of Bosses Unfiltered. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">LISTEN ABOVE
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">NOTE: This interview was recorded on June 4th 2025.

Kiwi businesses have been navigating the biggest economic turmoil in decades. Wherever you look, business leaders are making tough calls: staff cuts, putting payroll on the credit card, or worst case… closing the business altogether.  

They thought they had it all: a great idea, solid marketing, and a healthy amount of capital.  So where did it all go wrong?  And can they ever turn things around? 

In Bosses Unfiltered, Kerre Woodham, interviews prominent Kiwi businesspeople who’ve experienced failure and adversity and lets them tell their story.

When did they realise their dreams weren’t coming true?  How big was their fall from grace?  How did they pick themselves up and where are they now?  

Bosses Unfiltered tells the real story behind the headlines.  About what it’s really like being in business, in a raw and vulnerable way, while showing that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that success can quite often come from failure.

Listen to Bosses Unfiltered every Thursday morning from 11:30am during Kerre Woodham Mornings, and follow the podcast on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

Kiwi businesses have been navigating the biggest economic turmoil in decades. Wherever you look, business leaders are making tough calls: staff cuts, putting payroll on the credit card, or worst case&hellip; closing the business altogether. &nbsp;
They thought they had it all: a great idea, solid marketing, and a healthy amount of capital. &nbsp;So where did it all go wrong? &nbsp;And can they ever turn things around?&nbsp;
In Bosses Unfiltered, Kerre Woodham, interviews prominent Kiwi businesspeople who&rsquo;ve experienced failure and adversity and lets them tell their story.
When did they realise their dreams weren&rsquo;t coming true? &nbsp;How big was their fall from grace? &nbsp;How did they pick themselves up and where are they now? &nbsp;
Bosses Unfiltered tells the real story behind the headlines. &nbsp;About what it&rsquo;s really like being in business, in a raw and vulnerable way, while showing that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that success can quite often come from failure.
Listen to Bosses Unfiltered every Thursday morning from 11:30am during Kerre Woodham Mornings, and follow the podcast on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

Bosses Unfiltered tells the real story behind the headlines.  About what it’s really like being in business, in a raw and vulnerable way, while showing that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that success can quite often come from failure.

Bosses Unfiltered

Episode 7: Angus Brown

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/11ad73ea-a43a-4a88-9735-b39a01770dce/transcript