With the national launch of WheyUP in September, a breakthrough product has joined the explosive energy drink market. WheyUP claims to be the first energy drink with protein. Or, as founder Erik Rothchild likes to say, “WheyUP is a protein drink with energy benefits.”   

WheyUP combines 20 grams of whey protein with an energy formula of caffeine, B6, B12 and taurine. As part of its fitness-friendly profile, WheyUP comes in a 16-ounce bottle and is sugar-free and noncarbonated so it’s easier on the stomach when you’re active, the company says. WheyUP introduced two flavors—Wild Berry and Tropical Citrus—and will have Blue Raspberry and Grape Watermelon flavors in production by the end of the year.

The big idea for WheyUP came from Rothchild, an amateur boxer and a single father of four, with 20 years experience in sales and marketing. Like many other people, Rothchild regularly consumed an energy drink before his early-morning weight-training regimen. When he couldn’t find one with the protein he needed, he began mixing sugar-free energy drinks together with whey protein and fresh fruit before hitting the gym.

“The fitness industry recommends 20 grams of protein prior to exercise,” says Rothchild. “I kept looking everywhere, but I couldn’t find an energy drink that contained protein. So I made my own in my kitchen. When I brought samples into the gym, everyone liked the taste. They wondered why nobody ever thought of this kind of product.”

In October, General Nutrition Centers began testing WheyUP in their top 200 corporate stores nationwide, with ongoing sampling demos in 30 Manhattan and south Florida locations. GNC is the largest global specialty retailer of nutritional products with nearly 5,000 stores in the US and franchise operations in 48 international markets.

“It was the combination of the protein and energy drink formulation that caught our interest as an item to test in our stores,” says Brian Cavanaugh, brand director for sports nutrition at GNC. “The category in general is extremely competitive. It takes a combination of effective sampling, marketing, packaging and a great tasting product to perform.”

WheyUP is launching their national advertising campaign now. “It’s a mix of traditional print and television ads, and online advertising,” says Rothchild. “We also rely on grassroots word-of-mouth through sponsorships and sampling demos. The name says it all—WheyUP is extremely advertising- and marketing-friendly and we plan on taking advantage of that.”

WheyUP was originally sold in 16-ounce cans at Hi-Health, in 63 retail locations in Arizona. WheyUP became one of
Hi-Health’s fastest selling new drinks in its 35-year history. Peggy Autterson, category manager overseeing the sports and fitness products for Hi-Health, says, “We had a large selection of both energy drinks and protein drinks, but nothing that combined the benefits of the two into one product. I thought it made very good sense. Erik put a lot
of thought behind this product and in doing so came up with a real winner.”

For the national launch, WheyUP switched to a clear 16-ounce plastic bottle to combat whey’s shake-like reputation. “WheyUP has a light consistency like a sports drink, as opposed to a creamy shake, so when consumers see it, they know it won’t weigh them down,” says Rothchild. “Also with the bottle, you can put the lid back on and put it in the fridge. You can take it to the gym and it won’t spill.”

WheyUP is endorsed by a number of athletes including several ex-NFL players, a WNBF Professional Bodybuilder, a professional boxer, a state champion biker and pro-skaters. The company sponsors athletes including professional fighters in Mixed Martial Arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championships, as well as a wheelchair athlete and a hopeful Olympic swimmer. Since its Internet launch, WheyUP has been a popular item on bodybuilding.com.

Also endorsing WheyUP is celebrity Danny Bonaduce, radio talk show personality, reality TV star and child actor in The Partridge Family. Bonaduce is a certified trainer and owns a gym, and he regularly consumes WheyUP as a pre-workout drink. He is promoting WheyUP on the Adam Carolla Show, the syndicated morning radio program produced by CBS Radio as part of its Free FM format.

The buzz around WheyUP also has attracted the attention of Hugh Downs with the National Business Series, educational business programs produced by Vision Media Television. The show has selected WheyUP as one of four featured businesses in a 30-minute segment on Beverage Breakthroughs. It will air in early 2008 on PBS, MSNBC, Google video and Voice of America.

Rothchild believes anyone looking for more protein in their diet will be drawn to WheyUP. “For people who are in fat-loss programs, it’s like a cup of coffee with a scoop of protein, which staves off the feelings of hunger. It contains only 1 gram of carbohydrates and zero sugar, which doctors recommend for hypoglycemic patients. And the elderly are encouraged to consume whey protein powder because it helps maintain muscle mass and fight off osteoporosis.”

Along with several financial partners, Rothchild has aligned his company with high-quality contract employees who are experienced in the beverage industry. With his company and warehouse based in Gilbert, Ariz., Rothchild outsourced his operations to Custom Food Solutions, run by Chris McVicker in Chicago. McVicker formulated the drink in his lab, manages the raw materials and secured the manufacturing facility in Greenbay, Wis. WheyUP’s PR and sales team also are on contract, each with at least 15 years in the beverage and fitness industries.

“I have distributors in Texas, Florida and California right now around the core of the health and fitness industry,” says Rothchild. “WheyUP is also going after global sales through Profile Health Resources, a distributor in the fitness industry that’s gotten interest in our product in Canada and Australia. I believe it’s going to be a global brand because whey is a No. 1 supplement no matter where you live.”

WheyUP is strategically targeting its core consumer base, but Rothchild also wants to reach consumers in big box and convenience stores: “That’s our next plan, to offer our consumers more locations to purchase WheyUP.”

VITAL STATS
WHEYUP
FOUNDER: Erik Rothchild
HEADQUARTERS: Gilbert, Ariz.
’07 SALES: 25,000 cases in the first 8 months of sales
EMPLOYEES: 7, including contract employees
GOALS: To successfully build a brand that is recognized as the original energy drink with protein in it.

From Beverage World December 15, 2007