Food Engineering logo
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • MEDIA
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
  • RESOURCES
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP!
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Latest Headlines
  • Manufacturing News
  • People & Industry News
  • Plant Openings
  • Recalls
  • Regulatory Watch
  • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
  • New Plant Products
  • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
  • Alternative Protein
  • Automation
  • Cannabis
  • Cleaning | Sanitation
  • Fabulous Food Plants
  • Food Safety
  • Maintenance Strategies
  • OEE
  • Packaging
  • Sustainability
  • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • Plant Construction Survey
  • Plant of the Year
  • Sustainable Plant of the Year
  • State of Food Manufacturing
  • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • White Papers
  • EVENTS
  • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
  • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
  • eNewsletter
  • Custom Content & Marketing Services
  • FE Store
  • Government Links
  • Industry Associations
  • Market Research
  • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issue
  • Advertise
Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!

Package as product definer

By Kevin T. Higgins
February 9, 2006
As energy gels expand beyond endurance athletes, changes are occurring in their packaging-but don't expect any radical departures.

Bike shops and runners' stores are outside typical food distribution networks, but energy drinks, nutrition bars and other diet supplements are a growing presence at those retailers' checkout counters. Red Bull and Balance Bar are examples that have made the transition to mainstream distribution, and the next product type to bridge the gap may be energy gel.

Generically referred to as "goo," energy gels surfaced in the early 1990s in Berkeley, CA, still home to the three largest manufacturers: Clif Bar Inc., PowerBar and Sports Street Marketing, maker of GU energy gel. Not only did it lend its name, Sports Street created the bottle-shaped polyfoil package that defines the category. The shape suggests a water bottle, a nod to the electrolytes and simple sugars in the gels. The gel is mostly complex carbohydrates that don't require much digestion before delivering energy to on-the-go athletes.

So pervasive is the bottle shape that gel makers who have tried different packaging quickly retreated to the familiar look. "We were in an applesauce cup when we came out with Carb-BOOM," recalls John M. Cooney, CEO and co-founder of Tucson, AZ-based Sunburst Nutrition Inc. "Polyfoil pouches with a tapered opening to pour the gel right into your mouth was a much more sophisticated package."

Sustainability is a rallying cry for many gel makers, and some offer anti-litter solutions. Clif Bar introduced the "litter leash" a few years ago to keep the easy-tear opening together with the pouch. "You see a lot of litter after a large triathlon, and the litter leash was an improvement made to address litter concerns," says Clif Bar Spokesman Peter Berridge. Carb-BOOM switched to a pouch two years after launch. More recently, the firm installed a form/fill/seal machine in a 10,000-sq.-ft. facility and began production. "To get into manufacturing, you have to be gluttons for pain," Cooney jokes. "It's been a tough learning curve, but we did it out of necessity to compete with the leaders in a growing market."

Caffeinated gels and added electrolytes to replace salt tablets are among the refinements from PowerBar Gels, along with pouches with a wider neck and rounded edges. Source: PowerBar.

PowerBar's Michelle Arnau pegs that growth at 20 percent a year. "Gels have been popular for years with hard-core runners and cyclists, but we've seen sales expand beyond elite athletes to more casual athletes," reports Arnau, brand manager of PowerBar Gel. She is spearheading a product overhaul that includes new flavors, enhanced formulation and a more curved pouch design. Sharp edges were eliminated because distance runners, who often carry the packets in their shorts or sports bra, were suffering scratches and abrasions.

A division of Nestle SA, PowerBar benefits from its parents deep promotional pockets. "We sponsor 5,000 athletes in events like the New York City Marathon," says Arnau. Lance Armstrong squeezed a dozen packets of caffeinated PowerBar Gel down his gullet in one stage of last year's Tour de France. But Kraft Foods' Balance Bar subsidiary is a nonstarter in the gel segment, and PepsiCo's ReLoad gel from Gatorade was withdrawn a few years ago. "They sell product by the pallet; they weren't used to selling by the case," says Cooney.

Small is beautiful from an entrepreneur's perspective, and energy gels are still a small segment dominated by entrepreneurial companies. As it comes into its own, look for more product and package refinements of the kind Nestle is introducing.

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Kevin Higgins was Senior Editor for FE.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    With a CAGR of 12.07%, Bonafide Research estimates this...
    People & Industry News
  • skilled MEP worker

    Predicting Food and Beverage Manufacturing Trends for 2024

    The two words that should be kept in mind are labor and...
    Automation
    By: Derrick Teal
  • cleaning and sanitation

    The basics of cleaning and sanitation in food plants

    Sanitation maintains or restores a state of cleanliness...
    Food Safety
    By: Richard F. Stier
Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Customer Service

OT Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Food Manufacturing Facilities

OT Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Food Manufacturing Facilities

Understanding Impacts of OT Cybersecurity Events in Food Manufacturing

Understanding Impacts of OT Cybersecurity Events in Food Manufacturing

Food Plant Openings and Expansions April 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions April 2025

FA&M 2025 in Rewind

FA&M 2025 in Rewind

More Videos

Popular Stories

Conagra Logo

Conagra Brands to Sell Chef Boyardee Brand to Hometown Food Company

Salt

FDA to Amend Standards of Identity to Include Salt Substitutes

Vilter IHP in plant

Industrial Heat Pumps: Sustainable Energy Solutions for Now and the Future

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ESSENTIAL TOPICS

Alternative ProteinAutomationCleaning/SanitationFabulous Food Plants

Food SafetyMaintenance StrategiesOEE

PackagingSustainability

Events

June 5, 2025

Mass Customization Driving Innovation in the Food and Beverage Industry

The food and beverage industry is at the nexus of transformative global manufacturing trends, driving a shift toward personalized, customer-centric solutions. 

June 5, 2025

How Cafe Spice Uses Automation to Propel Private Label

Learn about Cafe Spice’s new, state-of-the-art, highly automated manufacturing facility in Beacon, New York. 

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

Plant of the Year

Related Articles

  • Food Packaging: Packaging as convenient as the product

    See More
  • With Ultra-Thin Deli Select, package is part of the product

    See More
  • Eagle Product Inspection’s MAXIMIZER RMI

    Eagle Product Inspection’s MAXIMIZER RMI Chosen as Candidate for IPPE’s New Product Showcase

    See More

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • March 2, 2022

    The Right Way to Lightweight your Beverage Package

    Converting to a lightweight neck and closure can help you reduce resin usage, save on production costs, and reach your sustainability goals. 
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Elevate your expertise in food engineering with unparalleled insights and connections.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!