Startup Flightfūd launches beverage mix to alleviate physical stress of flying

“There are six real effects that happen when you are flying – dehydration, poor circulation, jet lag, bloating & digestive issues, depressed immunity and exposure to cosmic radiation,” according to Flightfūd co-founder Kaeli Bauman, who experienced all six symptoms when she worked as a flight attendant after college. But, she added, until now there has been no single solution. She explained that as a flight attendant she went to “every health food store in Toronto” to find treatment options for each of the symptoms, and was given a combination of six to nine supplements – too many to take each day on the job. “That is where the idea for Flightfūd started. With a bunch of research on superfoods that I put together in an initial concept formula that I and other aviation professionals I worked with tried,” she said. With their help, over the past four years, Bauman said she and her co-founder perfected the formula for Inflight Elixer. The powder blend, which will be sold in a sachet online beginning Oct. 1, includes a base of coconut water crystals to “restore and enhance hydration, camu camu powder to boost immunity, chlorella and spirulina to support your body against cosmic radiation, papaya powder to prevent bloating, goji berry powder to improve circulation, and tart cherry powder to manage jet lag,” she explained. Building a following & charting a path for growth In preparation for the upcoming launch, Bauman said she has been building up the company’s Instagram account to include more than 10,000 followers and relationships with travel bloggers and influencers, including other flight attendants. In addition, Bauman said she plans to leverage a Facebook group with more than 7,000 members that she started 2.5 years ago for flight attendants interested in nutrition and healthy living. In the new year, Bauman added, the brand plans on hosting pop-ups at various hotels across the US and Canada as well as other experiential marketing efforts to promote the product and educate consumers about what happens to their bodies during air travel and how Inflight Elixir can help. The efforts will target three distinct consumer sets: aviation professionals, including flight attendants and pilots, young professionals 25-40 years old whose jobs require them to travel frequently, and a “third bucket of artists, athletes, and executives who are up to big things and their work takes them on the road,” Bauman said. Making the product accessible to those who need it most However, she recognizes that these three groups have distinct financial means – mainly a divide between the aviation professionals, who tend to have less disposable income, and those who travel as part of their lifestyle or for work in other fields. This could place the $3.99 price point per sachet out of reach for some aviation professionals, which is why Bauman said she plans on introducing a subscription model for flight attendants and pilots who will be able to sign up to receive monthly purchases at a 40% discount. Looking forward, Bauman said, she hopes to sell Inflight Elixir in brick-and-mortar stores within the next year and eventually expand the brand’s portfolio to including food-based products. “The whole ideas is to pack as much nutrition as possible into products that are portable and non-perishable” so that frequent flyers can enjoy the possibilities air travel offers and the destinations they visit, she said.

Startup Flightfūd launches beverage mix to alleviate physical stress of flying

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