Will protein work for Everton FC? Supplier provides personalised sports nutrition products

06-Oct-2014 - Last updated on 15-Nov-2022 at 11:29 GMT

“With things such as taste we know that anyone can get bored of even their favourite flavour which is why we’re in constant communication with the players and management,” said TPW developers.

Related tags functional beverage beverage

English Premier League football club Everton has extended and expanded its partnership with The Protein Works (TPW) with an emphasis on personalised nutrition.

Following the successful 2013/2014 season Everton extended the partnership for another two seasons but demanded cutting-edge, personalised products.

“We have developed three bespoke formulations based on each individual player’s biological indices for post-training shake, hydration drink and post-game shake,” a team of developers at TPW told NutraIngredients.

For the first time the recovery shakes were formulated based on a player’s weight and needs.

“For example the larger Tim Howard is very different in height, weight, age, basal metabolic rate to say Phil Jagielka but equally Jagielka will have a higher work rate than Howard.

“Again Jagielka covers a far greater distance with the majority of this coming in the form of sprints. So all of this needs to be taken into consideration as well as the type of conditioning they are doing in the gym,” said the developers.

The winning formula

Although the final formulations remained secret, the developers revealed what they were challenged with.

“We were tasked with creating a set of comprehensive formulas that were absolutely packed with pure forms of the most well researched aminos, macros and extracts in sports nutrition today.”

“The formulas are very complex and include a wide range of ingredients, some of which have very distinct tastes. Part of the challenge was to carefully balance the nutritional profile of the ingredients and also ensure all flavours were 100% natural,” they added.

Eat like Jagielka?

The players had a say in the formulation of the products and were able to choose and review the tastes.

“It is essential that the players both see the benefits from using the products , but also enjoy the taste , so before any formula is approved a number of the first team and the conditioning team test / taste the products several times before they are finally approved for use.”

“With things such as taste we know that anyone can get bored of even their favourite flavour which is why we’re in constant communication with the players and management.”

The range of bespoke products was not available for sale but TPW said Everton used a number of their standard products such as whey and oat crisp bars, whey protein 80 as well as pill and capsule products.