For Tom Bulgin, founder of Biosauce, this was a light bulb moment and he grew tired of having only industry standard drinks available after working out at his local gym. He wondered if he could create a custom solution to match every individual’s needs. The idea to create personalised sports recovery drinks has been his obsession for the past two and a half years.
This was the beginning of his journey with Biosauce, and now they have installations for their vending machines in prestigious locations in some of London’s top gyms and health clubs, including The Third Space and Reebok Club. As Tom puts it, “The company had to solve problems at all three corners of the triangle: ingredient formulation, vending technology and gaining distribution in gyms.”
Along the way, the company has had to overcome many technical and commercial hurdles.
To understand how Biosauce arrived at its formulation, you need to look at the way professional athletes, ranging from endurance runners to power lifters, approach nutrition. In most cases, they will employ a specialist in sports nutrition to factor in weight and body fat ratio (BFR), and how they relate to their chosen activity, in order to tailor a recovery drink comprising different amounts and types of carbohydrates and protein. Then, they will recommend that the athletes consume the drink during the so-called ‘anabolic window’ covering the first 30-40 minutes after their workout.
Tom points out that it’s during the anabolic window that the body is primed to absorb nutrition; on the one hand, protein for muscle repair and on the other carbohydrates to restore the body’s energy supplies. If you can load up at this point with the right mix of nutrients, you can have the most beneficial impact on the body. This also explains why the Biosauce vending machine serves beverages at ambient temperature – it’s the optimal temperature for the gut to absorb the blend of nutrients.
So why did Biosauce go down the vending route? Quite simply because the interactive technology in the machine adapts the beverage to the individual. When you go up to the machine, it will ask your weight, your BFR (so it can calculate your Lean Body Mass) and what kind of workout you’ve done (muscle building, toning, cardio and so on). It will then calculate the optimal formulation and serve it fresh and on the spot.
Biosauce’s latest enhancement is to offer as an optional extra its Power Protein Mix comprising creatine and other amino acids.
So what does the future hold for Biosauce’s intelligent protein machine? Tom says, “The idea that you can formulate a beverage at the point of sale to match an individual’s personal circumstances is genuinely innovative. There is no longer any need to carry powders, shakers or even cash. Our machine takes care of all that. It can accept credit and debit cards and we even have a Biosauce loyalty card which you can top-up on the Biosauce website and swipe at the point of sale. It’s fresh, convenient and above all personalised.”
Is Biosauce’s personal formulation and instant delivery through a vending machine the future of sports nutrition? And is Biosauce just scratching the surface with its unique proposition of tailored, functional nutrition? Tom Bulgin certainly believes so. He sees no reason why the Biosauce model couldn’t be adapted in future to help not only the obese but also the undernourished.
Jonathan Skofic set up Cott Beverages International in the 1990s. He now works as a business development consultant and interim manager for companies in the consumer goods sector.
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