BENEO (a leading manufacturer of functional ingredients), California Natural Color (a global ingredient supplier of premium grape juice concentrates, natural colors and grape seed extract) and GELITA (specialist in collagen peptides, collagen and gelatine) have announced a collaboration to develop an innovative performance drink concept that will be available for sampling at IFT First 2025. Bringing together the individual strengths of each company, the concept combines ingredients that support endurance, performance and body composition. Its benefits go beyond the existing market products in the realm of sports nutrition demonstrating great potential for developing products that cater for the more diverse needs of consumers in this area.
With many consumers now taking a proactive approach to supporting their health through exercise, the booming market for sports nutrition[i] 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 ingredients’ scientifically proven effects include sustained energy supply[ii], fat oxidation[iii] and hydration[iv], 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 – holding up to heat, light, and pH – and easily soluble. Pure Brown Carrot also aligns with consumer preference for a clean label with the ingredient labelled 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[v], increase fat-free mass[vi] and support muscle regeneration[vii] 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 Colors 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, be sure to visit BENEO at stand S1634, California Natural Color at stand S2560 or GELITA at booth S2408.
[i] Sports Nutrition Market Size, Trends & Forecast 2025-2035
[ii] Low Glycemic Index Prototype Isomaltulose—Update of Clinical Trials
[iii] König D, Zdzieblik D, Holz A, Theis S, Gollhofer A (2016) Substrate utilization and cycling performance following Palatinose™ ingestion: A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Nutrients 8(7): 390. doi: 10.3390/nu8070390, Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4963866/
[iv] Amano et al., 2022
[v] Jendricke et al. 2020/Jerger et al. 2022
[vi] Jendricke et al. 2020
[vii] Bischof et al. 2023
