We caught up with Alvarez to ask her a number of questions, and he or she mentioned every thing from how Levelle was born and the uncomfortable side effects of “shrinking and pinking” to hormonal fluctuations and the upcoming launch of Levelle’s inaugural product – a “Yes, We Cran” power purée. The firm shall be featured as certainly one of NutraIngredients-USA’s Start-up Stars at this yr’s Sports and Active Nutrition Summit in San Diego, CA (February 15-17).
How did Levelle get its begin?
Alvarez: Levelle began throughout a semester-long innovation and new enterprise creation course, a part of Cornell University’s Metro NY Executive MBA program. During the shopper discovery part of the course, my co-founder and I interviewed quite a few feminine endurance athletes, with the intention of pinpointing their “buyer pains.” We definitely weren’t anticipating to listen to what we did: that present sports activities vitamin merchandise have been inflicting girls literal ache. When we seemed additional into the market, we have been shocked to learn the way few merchandise “goal” girls, and that many subscribe to a “shrinking and pinking” philosophy. When we investigated the scientific analysis to establish why girls have been encountering such problem with merchandise, we have been equally stymied: solely 3% of sports activities efficiency research embody girls.
Toward the tip of the course, we realized that our grades have been not our driving motivation. Instead, we have been heartbroken that whereas almost each feminine athlete skilled points with vitamin, they have been additionally fast responsible their our bodies. Though neither of us had begun the MBA program with the intent to pursue entrepreneurship, we began Levelle in February 2021. We did not but have a product, however we had recognized a powerful trade downside and shared the dedication to handle it.
What downside/alternative did you establish?
Current sports activities vitamin merchandise are designed for males’s physiology. While nice for male athletes, they’ll trigger a myriad of bodily uncomfortable side effects in girls throughout coaching and competitors. Sex-based variations are under-considered in vitamin merchandise, with solely 2.1% of 4,000 merchandise focusing on girls. Yet, girls are the most important shoppers of dietary dietary supplements, with 77% using at the least one. It’s time for a sex-specific strategy to sports activities vitamin.
Our aim is to handle considerations – each tangible and intangible – that have been raised by the ladies we interviewed. For our power purees, repeatedly requested options embody clear, recognizable substances; restricted sugars; and complementary texture and style. But our worth proposition goes past offering power – and even mitigating bodily uncomfortable side effects. The actual worth is reassurance: that the substances are suitable for eating at any life stage; that dosing suggestions are made with girls in thoughts; that well being, wellness and vitamin are our high priorities; and that girls’s our bodies are completely high quality the way in which they’re.
At Levelle’s core are the tenets of empowerment and collaboration. Levelle is concentrated on how the feminine physique performs and feels, not the way it seems to be. In different phrases, we aren’t making an attempt to vary girls’s our bodies – we’re making an attempt to assist them. Part of Levelle’s attraction is that feminine athletes really feel seen, heard and appreciated moderately than objectified or ignored. Levelle empowers its prospects to contemplate themselves athletes and deal with their our bodies with respect.
What gas does the distinctive physiologies of feminine endurance athletes require? What ought to merchandise appear to be which are tailor-made to the feminine athlete?
The lack of dietary assist for energetic girls is partially attributable to present analysis being performed predominately in males, with the outcomes then being utilized typically. Yet analysis reveals that girls have completely different power calls for in relation to bodily exercise. Proportionally, they rely extra on fats oxidation, as in comparison with males. Women’s hormone profiles fluctuate month-to-month and over time, influencing their physiology and dietary wants all through their lifecycle. However, analysis research typically exclude girls because of their hormonal fluctuations or fail to adequately management for them.
What we’ve discovered, we’ve integrated into our merchandise. Macronutrient wants ought to be met – as a lot as attainable – with entire meals, which is why our merchandise are constructed from natural fruits, seeds and greens. This additionally means our purees are completely secure to eat throughout being pregnant or breast feeding. Additionally, girls are inclined to endure extra from gastrointestinal misery, which could be brought on by an inflow of excessive glycemic sugars and electrolytes, so we’re specializing in low glycemic substances. Finally, most feminine athletes below eat energy, which may result in further well being issues, so we wish our power purees to incorporate as many vitamins as attainable.
Nutrition and train associated analysis on girls is proscribed. However, there are researchers like Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan who’re actually main the way in which in girls targeted train physiology analysis.
Most lately Levelle submitted an STTR grant proposal by means of the NIH particularly targeted on metabolism in mid-aged girls. Levelle’s mission goes past flavors and type components and consists of rising the provision of and accessibility of female-focused metabolic analysis.
What units a Levelle product aside?
Levelle presents actual meals sports activities vitamin merchandise secure for an energetic lady at any age and any stage of her life cycle, together with being pregnant, breastfeeding and menopause. We use low and average glycemic-index, plant substances to create merchandise that ship a sustained launch of power (and not using a aspect serving of agony.) Our merchandise are shelf-stable with out the usage of synthetic substances, and we keep away from the Top 9 FDA Allergens. We suppose wholesome meals shouldn’t imply compromised style – our purées are scrumptious and can be utilized for sport or for snacks. We are fueling girls to run the world, whether or not that’s throughout a marathon or in a boardroom.
What has gone into constructing the model? What are you most enthusiastic about to date?
From Levelle’s begin, buyer suggestions has been the muse of our enterprise. Through each step of our course of, we actively search enter from athletes, potential prospects and supporters. We are actually happy with the sense of neighborhood and pleasure that this has engendered for Levelle, and we’ve been pleasantly shocked by the enthusiastic response from each women and men. We are the primary model to focus solely on energy-based sports activities vitamin for girls. Our aim is to have girls really feel seen, heard and acknowledged; that we empower all girls to acknowledge their athleticism and really feel assured nourishing their our bodies. With our upcoming launch, we’re so excited to fulfill our prospects the place they’re, actually – working group meet-ups, marathons and pop-up occasions!
How have the Levelle Energy Purées been acquired? When do they launch commercially?
Our first merchandise are our Levelle Energy Purées and we shall be launching with our first taste, “Yes, We Cran!” this March 2023. Over the previous yr, we’ve got developed, examined and refined three completely different flavors with an overwhelmingly constructive response from athletes and supporters. We are most happy with the responses we get from future prospects and others. We have had the chance to current at numerous commerce reveals and expos, the place quite a few girls and a handful of males have really come as much as thank us for what we’re doing: listening to girls and addressing their wants, prioritizing girls’s well being and physiology, and selling a message of empowerment, wellness and encouragement. Women expressed to us their appreciation for lastly being seen, heard and acknowledged. It has been a privilege to observe individuals nod their heads once they hear our story and mission, to listen to runners say “Oh my gosh, you’re completely proper, I’ve completely skilled that,” and to have full strangers supply to assist us any approach they’ll.
Could you share a bit extra about your funding story and your path to date to market?
So far, Levelle has been predominately self-funded, with some exceptions. During 2021, Levelle participated in numerous startup competitions, receiving money awards by means of the New York State Business Plan Competition (NYC Regional Winner in Food & Ag, 3rd place in State competitors) and a grant as a W.E. (Women Entrepreneurs) Cornell fellow. In the autumn of 2021, we had a profitable crowdfunding marketing campaign by means of IFundWomen by means of which we acquired an IFundWomen x Caress Pay-It-Forward grant. Most lately, Levelle was awarded $50,000 by means of Fuzehub’s Commercialization Competition on the New York State Innovation Summit. Throughout Levelle’s journey, we’ve got labored with many NY state assets and companions to develop our firm, together with NYSTAR, the NYS Center of Excellence in Food and Agriculture and the Cornell Food Venture Center.
What is subsequent for Levelle? What is your long-term aim for the corporate?
Through Levelle, we see a world the place girls don’t have to sacrifice on vitamin for the sake of efficiency. We are excited for our subsequent steps, together with the business launch of our merchandise throughout 2023. In addition to our Energy Purées, we’re growing complementary merchandise that talk to girls’s altering metabolic wants. Along with rising the provision of secure dietary merchandise for girls, our aim is to extend the breadth of feminine particular metabolic analysis.
Sports & Active Nutrition Summit
The Sports & Active Nutrition Summit shall be held in San Diego from Feb. 15-17. The Start-up Stars will current their firms, and trade leaders will focus on subjects together with the state of the market, high quality and certifications, regulatory challenges, CBD, esports, customized vitamin, and extra. For extra data and to register, please go to the Sports & Active Nutrition Summit-USA web page.
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