Last fall, GU Energy Labs turned to its community of athletes to nominate and vote for the next great Energy Gel flavor. After the votes were tallied, GU’s innovation team hit the kitchen to bring the voter’s choice flavor to fruition. The company launched Cola Me-Happy Energy Gel, the first in a series of special-made Small Batch flavors made at its headquarters in Berkeley, CA.
“Our community of athletes constantly inspires and challenges us to come up with new flavors, and some of their ideas can be unique,” said Magda Boulet, vice president of innovation, research and development, GU Energy Labs. “Our innovation team loves tinkering in the kitchen. We love creating flavors that will satisfy our athletes’ taste buds while training and racing. It’s the best part of our job.”
GU currently has 27 flavors of Energy Gels in its line, joined by Cola Me-Happy, which is available for a limited time. All Small Batch Collection flavors will be sold in eight-packs only, exclusively through guenergylabs.com.
Melissa Bodeau, who nominated the winning flavor, said, “The packaging is absolutely perfect, and it’s so neat to have the opportunity to train with a flavor that I dreamt up.”
The packaging on the Cola Me-Happy Gel was inspired by a piece of art commissioned by GU from California artist and trail runner Maggie Tides, titled “Places We Play,” which celebrates the beautiful trails, hills, roads and water in the Bay Area of Northern California.
Photo courtesy GU Energy Labs
