The team behind For Goodness Shakes have nailed the recovery market, with their drinks found in a range of major supermarkets – so now they’ve turned their hand to energy products.
The result is Nectar Sports Fuel Concentrate. What’s unique about Nectar is that it has been developed “as an intelligent sports drink” – which translates to the fact that the user can tailor the dose to create either a hyoptonic, isotonic or hypertonic drink.
How? Nectar is sold either in a two litre “fuel tank” (£25) or as individual 50ml sachets (£18 for 15 sachets). The fuel tank requires a dosing pump (sold separately for £5), which delivers 25ml of concentrate on each hit. One pump mixed with 500ml of water makes a hypotonic drink (three per cent carbohydrate) for “low intensity sessions where fast hydration is required”, two pumps create an isotonic solution (six per cent carbohydrate) for “optimum energy/hydration for regular racing or training”, while three pumps deliver a hypertonic mix (nine per cent carbohydrate) “for intervals and intensive sessions”. An isotonic solution is likely to be most popular, hence the availability of Nectar in a 50ml sachet.
Despite the name, there’s no nectar to be found on the ingredients list. Launch flavours are limited to Lemon Lime and Light Orange; both are sweet (particularly the Light Orange) but taste good, go down easily and are easy on the stomach. Nutrition is personal, however, and what works for one rider may not sit well with another.
But while Nectar does its job in providing the required energy boost on a ride, the key to its success over its competitors is convenience. It’s easy to keep in the kitchen (although my fuel tank sits on my office desk ready for some pump action before a ride after work) and there’s none of the mess associated with power-based sports drinks. However, having dug deep for the fuel tank, you may be reluctant to fork out again for sachets to keep you topped up if on a ride which requires more than two bottles. That said, the financial breakdown is reasonable, with a two litre fuel tank providing 40 isotonic drinks at 63p each. If you like your Nectar stronger it’ll cost you more, or if hydration is the key then you’ll get more for your cash.
All in all, Nectar offers an an innovative sports nutrition solution in a clean, easy to understand package which can be tailored to cover any ride. Not convinced? They also offer a starter kit for £5, which includes one Nectar branded bottle and two sachets (one of each flavour).
