Performance beverage launched by Grand Rapids firm

West Michigan native Dr. Jeffery Hendricks, a natural health physician, has developed a performance beverage designed for athletes and the health-conscious consumer. 

The drink, RIZE Performance Beverage, is a 100 percent natural, pre-training drink intended to increase stamina, strength, and memory. It currently comes in two flavors: Citrus-Mango and Apple-Pear.

The beverage took five years to develop and features a  blend of 19 ingredients, two of which -- Trehalose, a plant sugar, and Huperzine A -- are not found in other drinks, according to Teresa Hendricks, legal counsel and director of sales for RIZE Performance. 

"It took five years to get the perfect flavor. We displayed it at the 2012 Natural Food Expo, where it was very popular," Hendricks said. RIZE was also named 'find of the show.' 

After the expo, the drink was picked up by distributors in New Zealand and Australia. It is schedule to launch in Venezuela next.

In the U.S., the drink is in nine states and 400 stores. Locally, it is scheduled to be on the shelves in the pharmacy section of Meijer beginning August 3.

Hendricks says the beverage is currently made in Wisconsin, but she is interested in bringing the entire canning process to West Michigan. The search is on for a co-packer who can accommodate the can's size. 

To learn more about RIZE Performance, you can visit their site here or their Facebook page here.

Source: Teresa Hendricks, RIZE Performance
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Job News Editor
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