With many consumers now taking a proactive approach to supporting their health through exercise, the booming market for sports nutrition has become saturated with formulations with similar benefits that primarily focus on muscle growth or providing energy during activities. An active lifestyle today takes many forms, and addressing more diverse consumer needs, requires a more innovative approach. 

The result of the partnership is a clean label, milk-based sports drink that provides a range of scientifically proven benefits for improving performance. It delivers sustained energy, enhances the effects of endurance training and promotes efficient fat burning. 

To create this next-generation beverage concept, the collaboration combines carefully selected ingredients to achieve optimum results, including: 

• BENEO’s smart carbohydrate Palatinose - providing a mild sweetness, low-glycemic profile and a sugar-like taste. The ingredient’s scientifically proven effects include sustained energy supply, fat oxidation and hydration, supporting fitness goals and body composition.

• California Natural Color’s Pure Brown Carrot – delivering high-strength, natural color in a unique crystal deliver format that is highly stable. It holds up to heat, light, and pH and is easily soluble. Pure Brown Carrot also aligns with consumer preference for a clean label with the ingredient labeled as “Vegetable Juice for Color” in the US, supporting a simple, recognizable label that consumers can trust.

• GELITA’s Bioactive Collagen Peptides, PeptENDURE, are scientifically proven to enhance endurance performance. Daily consumption has been shown to significantly improve running capacity, increase fat-free mass and support muscle regeneration compared to a placebo.

As an enticing milk-based application, rather than a traditional sports drinks such as whey shakes or isotonic drinks, this concept extends appeal to a diverse range of active, health-conscious consumers looking for a solution that supports endurance, performance and recovery. Through this new concept BENEO, California Natural Color and GELITA are highlighting the exciting opportunity for innovative sports nutrition products that boost stamina and improve body composition. 

This industry-first concept delivers the perfect toolbox for manufacturers to cater for the wide-ranging needs of active consumers with quality ingredients and performance benefits that are backed by sound science. The drink concept will be sampled at the forthcoming IFT FIRST 2025 exhibition in Chicago (13th –16th July) as a lactose-free UHT milk mixed with powder blend. 

To find out more, visit …

… BENEO at stand S1634, 

… California Natural Color at stand S2560,

… GELITA at booth S2408.