Adelaide-developed sports drink PREPD looking to supercharge global growth with fundraising bid

Adelaide sports drink company Preserve Health is seeking a $2 million cash injection to take its PREPD hydration product to the world.

Adelaide sports drink company Preserve Health is seeking a $2 million cash injection to take its PREPD hydration product to the world.

The company, which was spun out of Flinders University, is raising the Series A capital to fund the growth and commercial rollout of PREPD nationally, to launch a new powder product range, and move towards future global expansion.

Preserve Health raised $500,000 in seed capital last year before launching PREPD to market in November 2018.

Sales jumped 134 per cent over January, the company said and there was positive customer feedback.

Preserve Health chief executive David Vincent said PREPD was a new category of sports drink.

“The hydration enhancing benefits of PREPD arguably represents the biggest advance since sports drinks were invented over fifty years ago,’’ he said. “With no direct competitors, we have a global vision for PREPD and the potential is enormous.”

“PREPD is not a replacement for sports drinks, but actually makes them work more effectively.”

PREPD recovery drink developed at Flinders University.

The product is a two-step hydration enhancer consumed 6-18 hours before, and then after exertion, and is designed to boost the absorption of electrolyte drinks or water.

The company said PREPD was based on 20 years of research conducted at Flinders University and Yale University, and challenges the notion that sports drinks alone are adequate for athlete hydration.

Fluid loss of more than 2 per cent body weight from dehydration is common in most popular sports, which can reduce performance by up to 30 per cent, the company said.

Mr Vincent says Preserve Health has a full information memorandum available to investors under nondisclosure agreement via the website prepdhydration.com.au and is taking expressions of interest by email until April 5.

PREPD works by using proprietary resistant starch formulations, which triggers hydration in the gut.

Co-inventor Professor Graeme Young from Flinders University said: “While the human body can’t store water in reserve, the unique resistant starch in PREPD unlocks the largely unused hydration potential of the large intestine to absorb up to 5 litres of fluid per day.”

Clinical trial results published last year showed a dramatic hydration boost with AFL players using PREPD compared with consuming leading sports drinks only, the company said.

“Since launching in November, PREPD has been used behind closed doors over summer by elite level cricketers, footballers, supercar and UCI Pro cyclists during the Tour Down Under,’’ the company said.

“Consumers and elite athletes alike report experiencing the significant hydration difference with PREPD from the first use.’’

PREPD is sold online at www.prepdhydration.com.au, and is also stocked in 25 specialty sport retailers mainly in South Australia and also in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.

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