Set to launch in November, each gummy contains 1,800mg of creatine monohydrate. Each serving consists of three gummies amounting to a total of 5,400mg creatine monohydrate. A daily dosage of three to five grams has been reported to be effective for improving muscle mass and performance.
Marketed under the name Hi-Creatine Bites, the gummies, which come in Hakuto Peach Flavour will be sold on the brand’s website and selected gyms in Singapore in November.
This is Foo’s second business venture in the supplements space, building on his experience in the anti-hangover space through DrinkAid set up with co-founder Solomon Poon in 2020.
DrinkAid has since become one of the most recognizable anti-hangover brands in Singapore, with presence across online and offline retailers, including Unity, Watsons, and Guardian – the latest health and beauty retail chain to stock the products.
Speaking to NutraIngredients, Foo said that the preparation for FOULPLAY started about 1.5 years ago, with more people paying attention to health and wellness in recent years.
“DrinkAid’s business peaked at around 2022 and 2023, when the COVID-19 lockdown had just ended and everyone was revenge clubbing and revenge drinking.
“However, in last year and this year, we are slowly seeing a tapering of demand, as people have been drinking less, especially the Gen Z, and this is is reflected in alcohol sales and club turnouts in Singapore as well.
“People are turning more health conscious these days. This is a major reason for launching FOULPLAY because you can’t ignore the trend and that’s where most of the growth opportunities lie,” said Foo who is also a fitness enthusiast and used to be a tennis player in junior college.
He has identified female consumers and seasoned athletes as key target consumers of his creatine gummies. He believes that the gummy format would make creatine friendlier to female consumers and is also a novel format for seasoned athletes.
Supported by three angel investors, he said his key goals for the business include becoming a market disrupter and a viable challenger to major brands.
“I hope to disrupt the market in terms of what the brand stands for – taste, transparency and accessibility. We want people to talk about us, and we want the big brands to notice us in the sense that we are a real and viable challenger in the space,” he said.
Why start with creatine gummies
Foo has started his performance nutrition business with creatine gummies as he sees it as a product that is relevant to anyone, not just athletes.
“Creatine is beneficial for anyone, regardless of whether you train, whether you are male or female, and females have a greater need to supplement with creatine, because their bodies naturally produce lesser amount of creatine as compared to men,” he said.
There is also emerging clinical evidence showing how creatine could improve cognitive function, especially during periods of sleep deprivation.
What’s more, as most creatine supplements come in the form of powder or pills, a gummy version could make it more appealing to people who are new to creatine.
“It is accessible, delicious and it’s less cumbersome to consume, and if you have taken creatine before, you would know that it tastes chalky and the gummy format can address this issue,” he said.
QR code packaging
Each Hi-Creatine Bites box packaging will be printed with a QR code that allows consumers access to the product’s certificate of analysis (COA).
The analysis is conducted by an accredited laboratory, allowing consumers to see data on ingredient identity, purity, and dose.
Foo said that the move was in response to concerns some popular creatine gummies have failed to meet their label claims, with some testing at negligible or even zero creatine monohydrate.
Earlier this year, British social media and fitness influencer James Smith revealed through creatine gummy testing conducted by Eurofins that just four out of nine brands contained adequate levels of creatine.
US supplement brand NOW, also revealed last year that half the creatine gummy brands it tested failed to meet dosage claim on label.
The mission to uphold transparency is also a reason for the name FOULPLAY, said Foo.
“I am going with the idea of unfair advantages in sports which happen when you commit a foul, but I want to bring that sense of unfair advantages through everyday life.
“It is also a jab to the malpractices that some supplement companies are doing, especially for creatine gummies. I think it is both cheeky and ironic that a brand like FOULPLAY can be a brand that stands for transparency in the market,” he said.
Upcoming plans
There are plans to launch more flavours of Hi-Creatine Bites, as well as enhanced versions where creatine is formulated with other synergistic ingredients.
“Creatine will be the main star of FOULPLAY, but the whole plan is to make our presence known first through this product and then eventually go into more competitive space like protein and functional drinks, like electrolytes and hydration drinks,” said Foo.
Aside from Singapore, he hopes to introduce the product to other South East Asian markets like Malaysia and Thailand.
