Colorado Cool Stuff: PepPods

Eric Peterson //April 16, 2009//

Colorado Cool Stuff: PepPods

Eric Peterson //April 16, 2009//

The minds behind the PepPod, Zach Zeldner and Skip Meador — whose business cards sport the respective titles of “Zookeeper” and “Head Cattle Brander” — met playing soccer in Boulder and discovered tablet-based effervescent drinks on trips overseas.

“Effervescents are really big in the rest of the world,” says Meador, noting that most are hydration-based or vitamin-based, not formulated as energy drinks like PepPods. The pair founded the company in 2005 and developed the product for three years, testing formulas on friends, perfecting both the flavor and formulation of their tablets. Ingredients included “real levels” of caffeine, taurine and guarana, and only one calorie — to be dissolved in eight to 16 ounces of water and quaffed.

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Featuring a lower price tag and foil packaging, the PepPod has taken the market by storm since its launch in late 2008, nabbing a distributor and 200 accounts in its first quarter on the market. “We’re having a blast,” Meador says. $1.49 for a single serving retail. Made by BLhUE Inc., Boulder, www.peppod.com. A retailer locator is on the website.

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