PowerCap technology offers fast market entry for big and small beverage players: Fortitech

PowerCaps are a dosing technology enabling consumers to add nutrient-rich formulations to beverages at the point of consumption. After four years of development, PowerCaps entered the market in 2011.

Rich Schleif, director of marketing for Fortitech, Inc, told NutraIngredients-USA that he is anticipating huge growth area in on-the-go beverages.

“The great thing about this technology is that the ‘big guys’ can utilize this as a point of differentiation for their product lines, but it is also creates an affordable entry point to the beverage marketplace for a start-up,”​ he said.

“The common ground that PowerCap provides for both of these entities is the speed at which this product can be brought to market, as well as its appeal to a multitude of consumers.  Through formulation, a myriad of health conditions can be addressed and its size means that it can be taken anywhere and used at any time.”​

Lightweight and efficient​

Derek Hopkins, president of Liquid Health Labs, Inc, manufacturer of PowerCap, said that while there are already similar cap-dosing systems on the market, PowerCaps have a universal thread count allowing them to be attached to any water bottle.

“We wanted to deliver a lightweight and highly efficient product that used a minimal amount of pieces in terms of the mechanism that would hold and dispense the ingredients into a water bottle,”​ said Hopkins. “We also wanted to ensure that it would fit any standard size 26.7mm water bottle opening, which is a tremendous attribute in terms of its appeal to a consumer.”​

“All of these points help to ensure a positive, user-friendly experience. Additionally, a PowerCap is very shelf stable, thus virtually eliminating the chance for nutrient degradation.”​

Speed of entry to market​

Schleif explained that Fortitech provides the custom market-ready powdered product, complete with the nutrients, flavors, sweeteners, stabilizers and colors in addition to the cap as one complete unit to a manufacturer.

“The all-in-one powder solution can be custom tailored to target any lifestyle, age-demographic or health condition, such as energy, relaxation, immunity, and so on. ​

“We developed the service of providing an all-in-one market ready powdered solution so that our clients can get everything they need to create and launch innovative beverages, faster and easier.”​

Relaxation & Fatigue ​

At the recent IFT trade show in Las Vegas, Fortitech showcased the use of PowerCaps for relaxation and fatigue formulations. The relaxation formulation contained Ashwaganda extract, GABA, L-Theanine, an all-natural flavor and a zero-calorie-sweetener. The fatigue-fighting formulation included B-vitamins, vitamin C, an all-natural flavor and a zero-calorie-sweetener.

These formulations present two big challenges, said Schleif: First was getting the powder to flow out of the cap, and second was getting the powder to dissolve in water. 

“As it turned out, this was a great opportunity for our new R&D lab which can provide agglomeration, roll compaction, bead milling and spray drying services on a bench-top level.  By screening and agglomerating the powder, this helped with both the flow-ability out of the cap as well as its ability to dissolve in water.  ​

“But interestingly, as we tried different flavors, dependent on the flavor that we used, that impacted the ease in which it came out of the cap and its ability to dissolve.  ​

“This resulted in us needing to re-agglomerate and/or screen the powder to return it to a state where it easily flowed out of the cap and dissolved in water.”​

For these formulations, Schleif said that Fortitech did everything – color, flavor, nutrients. “We’re the only premix company doing everything.”​

Fizz​

Another area with expected growth is in effervescent tablets, said Schleif. “An effervescent can offer 100% bio-availability. They are an ideal vehicle for supplying nutrition on so many levels.  ​

“For children or adults that can’t or won’t swallow a pill, they are easily ingestible (effervescent products can allow a large dose of ingredients to be taken in a single serving).  They are highly portable and can be easily tossed into a purse, briefcase or gym bag for on the go nutrition.”  ​

Effervescents can also be formulated as a multivitamin, or used in condition specific formulations, including immunity, digestive health, cardiovascular health, bones/joint health, boost energy levels, and blood sugar management.