"In Bangladesh, everything has so much sugar in it."
A health drink was never part of Steve Long’s plan.
In 2018, a YouTube video changed his life. At the time, he was working a stable job in Germany, selling cameras for GoPro.
But what he saw online shocked him: a humanitarian crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
Long was stunned that something so devastating had barely registered in German media. He decided he could no longer sit still.
What began as an impulsive trip to help at the refugee camps soon became the start of a long and evolving relationship with Bangladesh.
At first, Long came as a volunteer.
Years later, he would return with a business plan, a growing fanbase, and a mission to make the country healthier, one sugar-free drink at a time.
A Journey That Began with Outrage
In his own words, Long never planned to be a YouTuber or businessman. He simply wanted to help.
He recalled: “Since I did not have the proper qualifications, no INGO would hire me. So, I interviewed for a local NGO and they sent me to the camps for food preparation and distribution.”
That decision exposed him to a crisis few of his friends or family had even heard of.
Frustrated by the lack of global attention, Long picked up a camera and started documenting what he saw.
“I used to just sell cameras for GoPro, so I was not an expert in shooting videos.
“I had to teach myself shooting and editing videos by watching hundreds of hours of YouTube content.”
His early footage focused on life inside the camps.
Although rough in execution, the videos were heartfelt. But they failed to capture the attention of viewers in Germany. Instead, a different audience began to notice.
Embraced by Bangladesh
Steve Long quickly saw that it was Bangladeshis, not Europeans, who were watching his content. He adapted.
He said: “Video content in Bangladesh writes itself. There is always so much happening on the streets and it is so lively.”
One of his first viral videos featured him riding a local ENA bus. It gained over 300,000 views.
From there, he leaned into the spontaneity and vibrancy of Bangladeshi life.
Long explained: “After that, I just started having fun with my videos, trying out new local foods, going to different places, and so on.”
But success didn’t make him forget his place as a guest in the country. He remained grounded.
“I am a normal human, not a super-rich foreigner who rides a fancy car and has curated experiences.
“I do all the local things, I eat local foods, and ride local buses. When I go to Sylhet, I take a Tk400 (£2.50) ENA bus like everyone else, and I go to the local restaurant and order biryani.”
To many, he became known as ‘Lomba Bhai’.
“I am not known as ‘Lomba’ because I am tall. I am only tall here, but in Germany I am average. I actually translate my last name to the language of the country that I am residing in.
“In Spain, I would be called ‘Largo’, here I am called ‘Lomba’ as it is the local meaning of the word long.”
A Shift in Purpose
Before the pandemic, Long would visit Bangladesh periodically, balancing his YouTube work with life in Germany. Covid-19 forced him to pause.
When travel resumed, he came back with new questions.
He said: “When I came back to Bangladesh after Covid-19, I had to think a lot about what I wanted to do.
“While making YouTube videos was very fun, it was not going to sustain my livelihood in the country.”
He realised that even popular videos in Bangladesh did not pay well on YouTube due to limited advertising revenue. Long needed a new plan, one that combined his passions with a viable business model.
Turning to Health
In Germany, Long was used to staying fit with the help of electrolyte drinks. In Bangladesh, he was surprised by what he found.
He revealed: “In Bangladesh, everything has so much sugar in it.
“Even electrolyte drinks recommended to people are full of unhealthy amounts of sugar. I even made a video on YouTube showing the amount of sugar content in your average 200 ml drink. I couldn’t believe it!”
Rather than complain, he decided to act.
He developed Stryker, a flavoured electrolyte drink with zero sugar.
The drink was formulated in Germany, with minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium, all based on German health standards.
Long said: “When you sweat, you do not only lose salt, you also lose other minerals.
“Potassium is for heart health, and magnesium is for recovery. When you sweat due to the heat, or suffer from food poisoning or diarrhoea, you need to regain all of those minerals back.”
Localised Yet World-Class
Long understood that a drink made entirely in Germany would cost too much to import. Instead, he took a hybrid approach.
Ingredients were sourced globally, but production was done locally.
He said: “Importing the whole drink after making it in Germany would cost around Tk400 per bottle, but this way I am selling it for Tk100 (60p) without compromising on quality.”
He partnered with Bruvana Beverages, a local manufacturer with strong regulatory compliance. Quality approval from BSTI and other agencies was non-negotiable.
“It was crucial for me to work with a company that has a clean record with regulatory authorities.
“I made it a strict requirement that Stryker would only be launched after successfully passing all official quality checks and receiving full approval from BSTI and other relevant bodies.”
Flavours, Feedback, and Fine-Tuning
Instead of standard flavours, Long experimented with mixes. He launched three: Mango Orange, Strawberry Watermelon, and Blue Raspberry. The last one was his personal favourite, though not always popular.
“In Germany, everyone drinks a famous blue drink called Powerade. So, I wanted to make one for Bangladeshis too.
“But when I provided samples to locals, many said that it tasted like syrup medicine.”
He took the feedback seriously:
“Once the German food developer made the flavours, I told him to make it 10 times sweeter because Bangladeshis love sweet drinks.”
Despite the sweetness, Stryker use artificial sweeteners instead of sugar.
His marketing campaign was entirely personal. Using his YouTube skills, Long documented the journey of Stryker from concept to creation. On the streets of Dhaka, he handed out samples and recorded honest reactions.
Building a Bridge, Not Just a Brand
Stryker launched in December 2024, partnering with FoodPanda. Positive reception has led to expansion into retail shops, and a website for nationwide orders is on the way.
Long is aware that some are still shocked at the Tk100 price tag.
“When you are struggling with money, you cannot afford to care about things like this.”
“Even in Germany, a few decades ago, people did not care about healthy drinks because they could barely even afford to pay rent or provide for their families.
“But as you make a little more money, you need to start thinking about the kinds of unhealthy products you consume every day.”
He sees Stryker not just as a product but as a symbol.
Long wants to continue bridging the gap between local tastes and global standards.
His long-term aim is to create more products that are as exciting as they are healthy. He is even working on adding personal touches for his customers.
“I am planning on sending personal videos to everyone who buys the drinks from the online store that will be available soon.
“I am here for a mission to make Bangladesh a healthier place, so I have no problem providing a high-quality product and going the extra mile to thank people who buy my drinks.”
From refugee camps to street-side taste tests, Steve Long’s journey is anything but conventional.
What began as an act of outrage evolved into a personal mission, blending compassion, creativity, and commerce.
Through Stryker, he is not just selling a health drink, he is trying to spark a broader conversation about responsibility and trust.
In a space often crowded with influencers, Long stands out not just for what he does, but why he does it.
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