Amid growing scrutiny around microplastics in chewing gum, Keir Carnie – founder of plastic-free gum brand Nuud Gum – has emerged as one of the leading voices behind the campaign for change.

From Heineken boardrooms to biodegradable bubblegum, the Nuud Gum founder explains why purpose, speed, and boldness are essential when taking on legacy brands – and the Government.

When Carnie left his corporate role at Heineken to launch a purpose-led challenger brand, he knew it wouldn’t be easy. “The biggest challenge was losing the comfort of structure,” he says. “At Heineken, everything moves within clear processes and that’s fantastic at scale. But launching a purpose-driven start-up like Nuud demands agility, speed and a willingness to break the rules when the system doesn’t serve the mission.”

For Carnie, that meant confronting one of the food industry’s most overlooked pollutants: chewing gum. Traditional gum is made from plastic, yet many consumers remain unaware. “It means embracing uncertainty and making bold decisions and constantly challenging conventional thinking – especially in an industry dominated by big players who have been doing the same thing for decades.”

Nuud is billed as a plastic-free gum that biodegrades like a banana skin. But Carnie knows a better product isn’t enough to win hearts, headlines or shelf space. His appearance on Dragons’ Den sharpened that instinct. “The key lesson from Dragons’ Den was that boldness wins. It’s not enough to have a great product and brand, you have to tell a story that challenges the status quo and makes people care.”

“Facing tough questions from experienced investors forced me to sharpen our mission and clarify our impact,” he says. “Staring down the Dragons meant I had a tighter narrative when I went on to secure investment from the likes of Jamie Laing and have Nuud stocked in some of the country’s biggest retailers.”

Nuud’s mission doesn’t stop at the till. Carnie has launched Poisoned by Plastic, a campaign targeting the health risks associated with conventional gum. “The best purpose-led brands don’t just talk about change, they deliver it through their product,” he says. “Every pack of Nuud chewed prevents the equivalent of nine drinking straws’ worth of plastic gum from harming people and the planet.”

“Poisoned by Plastic supports this by raising consumer awareness of the health risks of plastic gum, particularly for young people, while working with MPs and leading scientists to push the Government to update regulations in line with the latest research.”

So what advice does he offer to other founders tackling industries where awareness is low but impact is high? “Make people care! Lead with the scale of the problem, show the consequences and make the solution undeniable. Be bold, challenge norms and remain focused and persistent.”

And what keeps Nuud moving in an industry still dominated by plastic and old habits? Carnie is clear: “It’s simple: the biggest advantage of being a challenger vs. a legacy brand is the ability to move fast, take risks, learn from mistakes and evolve.”