Two Houston entrepreneurs launch Noolyte, a sports drink combining hydration, clean energy, and mental focus, aiming to compete with top industry names.
HOUSTON — Two Houston entrepreneurs are stepping into the booming sports drink industry with hopes of taking on some of the biggest names in hydration and energy beverages.
The founders behind Noolyte say their drink is designed to combine hydration, clean energy and mental focus into a single product aimed at athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
“Noolyte is the new era of hydration,” co-founder Leonardo Fernandez said. “We have hydration, so electrolytes, and also caffeine and nootropics, so it’s a very well-balanced drink.”
At first glance, Noolyte may look like another sports drink on the shelf, but its creators say the formula sets it apart. The beverage contains nearly 1,000 milligrams of electrolytes, natural caffeine derived from green tea extract and nootropic ingredients intended to improve focus and performance.
The founders said the idea came from their own interest in health and wellness and a desire to avoid artificial ingredients commonly found in many beverages.
“We created this beverage because we were getting into health and wellness,” co-founder Mark Villaneuva said. “We were trying to figure out what could fuel us, what could keep us hydrated, what could keep our body active because artificial fillers are really what’s killing your body right now.”
While researching healthier ingredients, the pair discovered nootropics, compounds often associated with cognitive and performance benefits.
“When we came across them and did more research about it and found out there’s years of studies of these ingredients, we decided to implement them into our beverage,” he said.
But launching a new drink in the crowded sports beverage market has not been easy.
“Getting to shelves is very difficult,” Villaneuva said. “It’s like real estate. A lot of these big companies are buying shelves, they’re buying fridges, and the competition there is that we’re not able to put our product there as well.”
Instead, the founders said they are focusing on finding opportunities in smaller retail spaces and local businesses.
Just two months after launching, Noolyte is already being sold in more than 30 locations across Houston, including gyms, yoga studios, Pilates studios and gas stations. The drink is also available online through the company’s website.
The founders said the business has been entirely self-funded so far.
“It’s life savings, time savings, it’s everything,” Fernandez said. “It’s just me and my business partner, Mark, in this. We don’t have any investors and we basically poured all our money into this for a year and a half full-time.”
Now, the two Houston entrepreneurs are hoping their hometown startup can grow into a nationally recognized brand in the competitive sports drink market.
Got a news tip or story idea? Email us at newstips@khou.com or call 713-521-4310 and include your name and the best way to reach you.