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The BIEST BOOSTER – an all natural high-tech product for race nutrition

Many of you have been receiving the BIEST BOOSTER experiment  »BBex« package last year. The feedback has been so amazing that we are currently preparing another experiment that we call the »PEE«, the perceived exertion experiment. This experiment is especially designed for introducing to you the BIEST BOOSTER as a race tool, and let you experience its advantages during a competition. For all of you who are interested in the BIEST BOOSTER and want to know more about its specificity as an integral part of the race nutrition I want to outline what the BOOSTER actually is and how it was developed.

Hard to believe but true, the BIEST BOOSTER is a high-tech product even though it is also a truly natural product. Biestmilch is colostrum and all natural, so are the 100 mg of caffeine and the sweetener Stevia in the Booster. The caffeine originates from the natural caffeine extract of the guarana fruit. The slight touch of sweetness emerges from the Stevia plant which grows in North and South Amercia. The BOOSTER’s matrix is composed of a dextrose derivative called Emdex®. So in the end, what makes the Booster a high-tech product, is the art of combining 4 grams of Biestmilch with 500 mg of Guarana extract into an edible small shape.

The steps to its nowadays shape and composition

The idea of designing a product that may be able to facilitate the breakthrough for Biestmilch had been on our minds for quite some time. Back in 2000 when we had just started marketing Biestmilch we thought already of a product creation that would allow our customers to immediately get the touch and feel of this amazing substance. Low-dose Biestmilch (900mg) takes around 10 days to 3 weeks to kick in. For a substance that nobody is familiar with and is therefore confronted with a lot of skepticism this appeared to be one of the major handicaps. For us quite frustrating considering the fact that most supplements are without any seizable effect, but sell easily.

After a couple of years of experience we decided to pick up the idea of »a product for the impatient« again. We knew enough about Biestmilch and its efficacy to finally dare to develop such a product.
We knew that 4 grams of Biestmilch lift the spirits and help to improve the general well-being especially in the case of an impaired immunity. Guarana is well known as a natural caffeine extract and the stimulant supporting cognition. With combining these two substances the basic idea was born and along with it the problems that usually emerge, when moving from theory to product development in reality. All of a sudden the Biestmilch powder appeared unruly. So did Sorbitol, shape, structure, taste, solubility, brittleness and stability… a number of distinct problems suddenly popped up and put our theoretical concept to the test.

How to put 4 grams of Biestmilch into an edible shape?

In April 2006 we developed granules, which were neither edible nor possible to swallow in the respective amount. It foamed and frothed inside the mouth in a strange manner and gave any observer a hearty laugh.
As we had already made some experiences with developing bars, the next product formulation we tried out was a bar with 4 grams of Biestmilch and 500 mg of Guarana. The tiny Biest Booster bar was finished by June 2006. It was a bit hard and tasted of bitter orange, we quite liked the taste, but honestly we remained the only ones.
To neutralize the bitterness the Booster received a chocolate coating. It turned to be really tasty. But this tastefulness threatened the healthy aspects of our product. To much Guarana may induce flushes, headache and restlessness. We took a step back from this kind of Booster. Another reason to distance ourselves from the bar was that we would then be compared with the gigantic market of bars. But the Booster should be unique and incomparable, so we moved on to the next testing phase.02zell_raceday stills_10

In September ’06 we had made it to the first tablet, a square block. It was based on a Sorbitol matrix. Because of its laxative effect, if consumed in large amounts, sorbitol was not exactly an option. And Sorbitol has a rather narrow bandwidth concerning stability and consistency. Once the tablet machine was even run down, because the block was simply too thick and the Sorbitol jammed the machine’s extruder. So we had rock hard bricks with which one could have very well killed somebody.

Back to re-thinking and testing

This thinking and testing process resulted in the first octagon version. The experiments lasted from February till April 2007. A huge breakthrough for the Booster development was the choice of the matrix Emdex® instead of sorbitol. Emdex® is a very modern dextrose derivative and a far better matrix than Sorbitol. Taste and feeling in the mouth were improved greatly. At last, after a series of 8 to 10 different kinds we ended up with a product that could be considered for a broader range of testing. We still had massive problems with the stability of the tablet when trying to pack it. The octagon constantly broke into two pieces when put into the side sealed bag.
When eating the 7,8 g heavy Booster there was this moment of »suffocating« and a kind of dusty feeling of dustiness in the mouth, not really what one considers a tasty product. More experimenting and testing was required.

Series 11 brought the final breakthrough

Instead of Biestmilch powder we used agglomerated colostrum. In this testing series all of a sudden the Booster was stable and good to chew. Series 11.1 and 11.2 were mere variations in taste and mouth feeling to optimize »edibility«. With the Booster 11.2.4 the final decision was made for marketing the product. A first production of 4200 pieces left the factory in August 2007.
Since then we have been fine-tuning still, and worked on the mouth feeling. All the years that passed by until today show that those who once tried the BIEST BOOSTER and felt the instant positive effects become loyal consumers. But the slight bitterness of its taste has ever since been a handicap for the first time user in specific.

Finally the BIEST BOOSTER’s bitterness is gone!

Since the beginning of 2012 it became legal to use Stevia in Germany. Now, finally we could take the last step in the BOOSTER’s development until now, add a minute amount of Stevia to it. Stevia is 400 times as sweet as sugar. So we had to be very careful in applying it. What we did is we only removed the bitter part. The BOOSTER should not turn sweet. Because you all confirmed in the passed tests that the BOOSTER should not become really sweet. It should remain a relief for your gustatory sense and contrast the sweetness of gels, bars and drinks.

Now its done, no bitter taste anymore, enjoy chewing the new BOOSTER!

In a nutshell what a BOOSTER can do within the context of an endurance competition

The BIEST BOOSTER is delaying the onset of fatigue
The BIEST BOOSTER is protecting the mucosal lining of stomach and gut

Susann

Susann

Susann is the biest prototype and head of the team. She is Austrian, has studied medicine, meaning she is a medical doctor and the Biesters' alpha wolf. Susann continuously produces new ideas, is strong in making concepts and is practically always ON FIRE. Without her BIESTMILCH wouldn't be where and what it is today, and anyway - not possible.

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8 Comments

  1. Interesting review of a products’ development cycle. May have to try this.

  2. thanks for your nice comment, and we are happy to welcome you as a customer, have a great weekend, best susann

  3. Vitamins, calcium and other nutrients have to be present in your diet to lead healthier life. But, this is merely becoming a cliche, thus, nutritional products have emerged as the ideal solution. With the help of this solution, the need of relying on diet enriched with loads of nutrients gets fulfilled.

  4. Hi to the UK,
    we ship from Germany, until now no distributor in the UK. Sorry, but you have to order in our online store.
    Best regards, Susann

  5. Is it possible to have this sent to Australia? I have friends in Belgium who can have it delivered if not… thanks

  6. yes, we ship to Australia… you just place the order in our online store. But if you prefer, we can also ship to Belgium. Please, just let us know how to proceed, best regards, Susann

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