Gilford man wants to cure your protein blues

GILFORD — In the world of protein powders, there are three areas they tend to compete in: how well does it deliver nutrition that athletes need, is its ingredient list made of things you’d normally eat, and does it taste good. Usually, consumers can pick two of those three, but have to compromise on the third.

That was Jack Schrupp’s experience, anyway. Shrupp grew up in Gilford, raced with the Gunstock Ski Club, then skied and rowed competitively at Williams College, in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

He knew he needed to get more protein in his diet, but he became frustrated with the products available to him, which usually had a chalky taste and texture, and had ingredients that sounded more like a science experiment than food.

“I decided to make my own,” he said. The first results of his dorm room tinkering were… bad, he said. But he learned from his mistakes, and eventually came up with something that did what he wanted and wasn’t a chore to drink.

Schrupp now teaches at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and continues to be involved with athletics as a coach. He noticed that the products available to his athletes weren’t much better than when he was a student, so he decided to package his own recipe.

The result is Drink Wholesome, a supplement powder that delivers the protein and carbohydrate balance that athletes are looking for after a hard workout, yet the ingredient list is seven or eight items long, and all of them would be recognized as food items.

“All of our ingredients are real, whole foods. We take real ingredients that are minimally processed. We create a product that performs like a protein powder but without any of the additives. And it tastes really good,” said Schrupp.

The product launched in January, after Schrupp spent about a half-year refining his recipe and building a supply chain. The company is based in Gilford, and the product is made by a small manufacturer on Cape Cod.

Schrupp currently has two flavors – mocha and peanut butter-coconut – which are both egg-white based. He is working on a vegan product – which will be based on chick peas – that he hopes to launch soon.

How has his business been doing?

“It’s been going pretty well, all things considered,” Schrupp said. Sales were building each month through March, and April was going to be an important month for Schrupp. Athletes, so used to having to find creative ways to mix their protein shakes in order to make them palatable, are skeptical of Schrupp’s claim. So, he’s found that in-person demos and handing out free samples are the best way to make his case. He was ready to kick off a strong sales summer by setting up at the Boston Marathon, which would have taken place yesterday.

“Obviously, I can’t do that,” he said. No Boston, and no face-to-face of anything else this spring. “Everything is on hold,” he said. “We were doing really well when we were able to share our product with people. Now that that’s gone, we have to reconsider our strategy.”

He feels fortunate, he said, that he hadn’t started to develop retail partners yet, so he still has access to all of his product, which he is now hoping to market through online and social media channels.

He also sees this as a chance to focus more on developing his product line.

“My favorite part of the business is working with the product itself. I would love to offer a more diverse product and expand into the vegan space,” he said.

Despite the curveball that the coronavirus has thrown at Drink Wholesome, Schrupp said he’s glad to be able to share his supplement with the public.

“It’s been a really positive experience. I’m happy at the personal level to build a small business and bring a product that people really love into the community,” he said.