UnTapped Launches Improved Products
Untapped have updated some of their hydration products. Hydrated with Mapleaid Simple, real ingredients provide great-tasting, superior performing hydration which is loaded with natural electrolytes from sea salt and potassium.
Untapped has switched from powdered to liquid drink mix. The roots of the Mapleaid drink go back to the elixirs consumed in the maple sugar woods and hay fields on hot days – drinks that have hydrated Vermont farmers for generations. A splash of maple syrup. A pinch of salt. Juiced ginger. Squeezed lemon. Fresh brewed tea. From the moment UnTapped brought maple to athletes these drinks were in their minds.
From long days of sweating while installing the tubing system that collects the sap, they knew these simple ingredients contained the secret to endurance hydration fuel and they wanted to share them. Their experience in the athletic world pushed them to make these drink mixes as powders.
The difficulty they found was escaping industry standard processing aids and flavor enhancers: silicon dioxide, maltodextrin, citric acid and “natural flavors”. Some of these ingredients are so sneaky they can even be completely left out of an ingredient list. The tallest of tasks was sourcing a pure lemon powder without the aforementioned ingredients,in fact it was far easier said than done, but they were eventually able to find a vendor who could provide the pure lemon needed.
With all the dry ingredients in line they were able to bring Mapleaid, the first of its kind hydration mix to market, to rave reviews. Both Lemon Tea Mapleaid and Ginger Mapleaid have ingredients so simple they can be listed right on the front of the package.
Throughout it all they wondered “Why are we taking out all of the water to make a powder only to mix it with water again?” But with attention turned to other new products and projects this question was left to linger with no answer. Little did they know this question would soon be at the front of their minds.
As inventory levels waned, they began the process of ordering the ingredients needed to produce more single-serve packets of Lemon Tea Mapleaid. Unfortunately their lemon supplier informed them that they were now adding silicon dioxide as an agent to aid in the mixing and reduce the cost of the powder.
Because of some strange government rules, they assured UnTapped that they would not have to include silicon dioxide as an ingredient in the ingredient statement. They declined to make this change so they could stick to their roots of ingredient purity.
Without this source of pure lemon, change had to come to the Mapleaid line regardless of what was pulling attention in different directions. Faced with the task of finding a new powdered lemon supplier they remembered back to how they made mapleaid before it was Mapleaid. A splash of maple syrup. A pinch of salt. Juiced ginger. Squeezed lemon. Fresh brewed tea. And went back to the question, “Why are we taking out all of the water to make a powder only to mix it with water again?”
Throughout early 2021 they began experimenting with a liquid Lemon Tea Mapleaid concentrate. After countless iterations they settled on a recipe that kept the simplicity, taste and function customers loved – Organic Maple Syrup, Organic Lemon Juice, Organic Black Tea and Sea Salt.
Testing by the UnTapped team of staff and ambassadors (both at the office and in the wild) has shown Liquid Mapleaid to be even better than its powdered predecessor – easier to mix; better taste and the same great hydrating fuel.
For the time being 1 pound bags of Lemon Tea Mapleaid and Ginger Mapleaid, as well as single-serve packets of Ginger Mapleaid will remain in powder form. Soon you will slowly see all varieties and sizes convert to the liquid form factor. With the added flexibility of packing in-house, they will be able to more readily produce and test new varieties of Mapleaid. The environmental impact of Mapleaid will be reduced as well by switching to a liquid. It will cut out the process of turning maple syrup into maple sugar, only to be re-hydrated again. Additionally, it will reduce the shipping impact, particularly from raw materials. The reduced inputs will ultimately lead to lower cost to the consumer.
UnTapped began on a bike and a pair of skis. Professional cyclist Ted King and the Cochran family of professional alpine skiers, naturally gravitated to the organic simplicity of maple syrup. There was nothing flashy about maple syrup or the slick work of advertisers and food chemists — they simply found that maple syrup truly worked for their energy needs in training and competition. With an understanding of the critical elements required in sports nutrition, maple syrup rose to be the only choice as a viable energy source for athletes. UnTapped was founded in late 2013.
"Born and raised in New England, maple syrup is part of my upbringing just as the gospel of maple syrup has been a passion of mine for years when I traveled the globe as a professional cyclist. Knowing that it is a single, pure ingredient and better yet that it is an incredibly wholesome, nutritious ingredient, it didn’t take long before maple syrup was fueling my rides and races, leaving behind the world of traditional sports gels." said Ted King UnTapped co-founder, former World Tour cyclist, and gravel advocate.
The Benefits of Fueling with Maple Syrup Low Glycemic Containing all natural carbohydrates, maple syrup provides prolonged, sustained energy rather than offering a quick burst and subsequent crash. It offers a quick pick-me-up in the short term, but is there for you in the long run as well. 50 Antioxidants When your body is working hard, or even just undergoing daily stress, you produce free radicals that have an inflammatory or damaging effect. This array of polyphenols found in maple syrup have powerful free radical-fighting properties. Foods with similar qualities include berries, green tea, red wine, and flaxseeds. Amino Acids When you’re training and racing hard, your muscles get beat up. Amino acids help repair that damage and prevent muscle deterioration, ultimately making you stronger. Water Soluble Easy to digest and quick to absorb. Perhaps best yet, say goodbye to gut-rot which is a common complaint of athletes after consuming typical energy gels, as they are loaded with synthetic flavors and supplements. Plus maple syrup is a cinch to clean up; just rinse with water. Alternative sports gels are like tar to clean up.
