Bear Balanced continues growth in nascent creatine gummy category
“I pioneered the creatine gummy category as a way to make creatine more readily available to consumers less keen on powdered supplements,” he told NutraIngredients-USA. “The product has since received the recognition of major retailers, scientific leaders, and the nearly 50,000 D2C customers that have consumed over five million servings collectively.”
Currently available online and in select natural food stores, the brand previewed an upcoming launch on Kroger’s Vitacost.com.
The evolution
Initially conceived as a gummy bear supplement, Bear Balanced reshaped and reformulated in Dec. 2022 before debuting its new look and scaled formula at the Natural Products Expo West trade show earlier this year. The major formulation upgrade was the sub-in of Creapure, a creatine monohydrate developed by German company Alzchem Trostberg.
“Creatine is what PhDs in the space refer to as a ‘super supplement’ – the most researched, safest, and effective sports supplement we have to date with over 500 studies concluding substantial improvements and benefits in exercise performance, cognition and brain health, treating bone disease, and general well-being,” Menter said, adding the Creapure is the creatine of Olympians and elite athletes.
Other nutrients in the proprietary blend “to maximize the benefits of traditional creatine”: L-Theanine for memory and muscle function; L-Tyrosine for energy, endurance, and mood; B12 for brain health, cellular energy, and recovery; and Huperzine A for focus and attention during exercise.
The performance
Menter shared that Bear Balanced has achieved over one million in sales in the last eight months, a quarter of which followed the brand’s partnership announcement with Creapure.
Because the brand’s customers exist at the intersection of fitness, health and wellness, the company is also focused on substantiating creatine gummy benefits beyond the sports performance category.
“We are amplifying the results of emerging research from PhDs and thought leaders in the space,” he said. “This includes exercise performance, cognitive health and nootropic benefits, anti-aging, sarcopenia prevention, and age-related brain degenerative disease.”
According to SPINS data from the Conventional and Natural Enhanced Channel, the overall creatine subcategory has accrued $44 million in revenue and grown 136% in the 52 weeks leading up to April 23, 2023. In terms of delivery formats, powders still make up the bulk of sales up 145.7% to $24 million, followed by caplets up 34.4% to $9.8 million, capsules up 80.5% to $1.1 million, and chewable tablets up 214.1% to $488,000.
Although there is no specific data yet to report on the nascent creatine gummy format, a quick search returns at least half-a-dozen creatine monohydrate gummy brands, presented as a no hassle alternative to pre-workout supplementation.
