I wonder if this will face the same scrutiny as proteins do with PDCAAS and such. Is there a grading scale with creatine digestibility? I have some exploring to do....
Really interesting piece, especially the tension between functional ingredients moving into more enjoyable formats and the risk of every drink becoming another claims-heavy supplement.
One adjacent space I’m watching closely is functional 0.0% ABV cocktails. Not generic mocktails, but mixologist-crafted adult rituals built around taste, alcohol replacement, and more credible functional use cases.
I’m part of the team at Peak Cocktails, where we’re working to carve out a specific lane: "what athletes drink when they’re not drinking". Peak is a 0.0% ABV cocktail with functional ingredients in effective amounts, transparently communicated, including tart cherry, KSM-66 ashwagandha, L-theanine, lemon balm, curcumin, zinc, and piperine.
The interesting category question, at least to me, is whether functional beverages can move beyond “energy/boost” and into recovery, calm, sleep, and evening ritual without becoming miracle-can marketing.
Feels like athletes and wellness-minded consumers may be one of the more credible entry points, but only if the product actually tastes good and the claims stay disciplined.
Are they using creatine monohydrate? Certain creatine salts (e.g., creatine HCl, creatine nitrate, creatine malate) are more soluble and can be more stable in solution than monohydrate.
creatine craft cocktails?!?? wild
Oh my! More consumer chaos. I see myself getting confused v. fast. RTD space approaching peak saturation, like skincare!
I’m sure I’m missing the point in all this…Let’s just drink water and when bored add fresh fruit (or if romantic add rose petals).
😛
I wonder if this will face the same scrutiny as proteins do with PDCAAS and such. Is there a grading scale with creatine digestibility? I have some exploring to do....
Really interesting piece, especially the tension between functional ingredients moving into more enjoyable formats and the risk of every drink becoming another claims-heavy supplement.
One adjacent space I’m watching closely is functional 0.0% ABV cocktails. Not generic mocktails, but mixologist-crafted adult rituals built around taste, alcohol replacement, and more credible functional use cases.
I’m part of the team at Peak Cocktails, where we’re working to carve out a specific lane: "what athletes drink when they’re not drinking". Peak is a 0.0% ABV cocktail with functional ingredients in effective amounts, transparently communicated, including tart cherry, KSM-66 ashwagandha, L-theanine, lemon balm, curcumin, zinc, and piperine.
The interesting category question, at least to me, is whether functional beverages can move beyond “energy/boost” and into recovery, calm, sleep, and evening ritual without becoming miracle-can marketing.
Feels like athletes and wellness-minded consumers may be one of the more credible entry points, but only if the product actually tastes good and the claims stay disciplined.
Looking forward to your deep dive article on creatine.
Are they using creatine monohydrate? Certain creatine salts (e.g., creatine HCl, creatine nitrate, creatine malate) are more soluble and can be more stable in solution than monohydrate.