After more than a year of having two products which you have loved and enjoyed, we’re proud to venture into a whole new category- Näck Active, with our power-packed Whey Protein. We sat down with our co-founders to understand the process behind this launch; let’s go back to the start with our CEO, Malin Petersson.
What led to the launch of Näck?
Malin Petersson
Näck is a Swedish-Indian startup launched by a group of friends who also happen to be strong health enthusiasts with extensive experience, professional and personal knowledge from the nutraceutical and fitness industry. We launched Näck with a clear common goal: to simplify the modern wellness movement, make the often overwhelming and complex world of health and nutrition simple, fun and most importantly, trustworthy.
I think we all deserve products we can rely on, but in an industry filled with magic pills, false claims and made up labels, trust is a scarcity. Näck is a Swedish word that translates to “Naked”, and that is what our entire foundation is built on - transparency and honesty in all aspects of our business. We develop supplements we want to use ourselves and recommend to our friends and family. It may sound vague, but put in a context of quality, safety, efficacy, it becomes crystal clear. No odd ingredient combinations, no questionable scientific reports and no false claims or hidden agendas. Instead, high quality ingredients and products, based on science, using methods we're proud to reveal.
Why are we venturing into the Näck active category?
Well, the sports nutrition category is growing fast in India, with a clear gap to be filled when it comes to reliable, high-quality supplements to support one’s workout routine. In our NÄCK ACTIVE category, you will find products developed to support your fitness and performance goals. Made with ingredients and formulations specially crafted to aid hydration, strength, recovery, and endurance so you get the most out of your workouts. Our Näck Active products are designed for effective results and as always, backed by Science.
Why are we launching Whey?
Philip Göransson
Simply put, it is a cornerstone product for the majority of people leading an active lifestyle. It is now more common for the everyday active person, like myself, and not only the athlete who takes up sports as a profession, to supplement with protein in order to support and optimise their workout. The health and wellness wave in India is a force to be reckoned with. We strongly believe that this is not a trend but a positive paradigm shift where more and more people choose to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Aligned with this shift, consumers are demanding high-quality, reliable products to support their exercise routine. Whey protein is one of those products that can support that lifestyle in a great way.
Why this particular formulation?
Joel Eric Pinto
Since the beginning, we were determined to create the best tasting Whey Protein, while having a nutritional value well optimised for an active lifestyle. It took multiple iterations & tasting sessions with team members & various experts before we came to a formulation that we were absolutely happy with.
We tried various chocolate flavours until finally finding one from the US that had real, natural cocoa in it. It took 3 months for it to arrive for production. At Näck, we believe in using natural, real ingredients wherever possible.
We also went a step further and added a blend of digestive enzymes to ensure better digestion for individuals that are mildly lactose intolerant. In fact, during one of the many tasting sessions in our manufacturing unit, we ended up consuming A LOT of Whey all through the day but found that it was pretty easy on the stomach.
Our Whey Protein has a simple formulation with a blend of high-quality Whey concentrate and Isolate sourced from Europe, containing 21g of protein with an intake of only 95 kcals. It packs 10.3g Essential Amino Acids per serving which our body needs to build lean muscle mass.
Whey concentrate is commonly known for its great taste and contains all the “good stuff” like micronutrients, peptides, and immuno-globulins that support liver, lipid, bone, and heart health. Whey Isolate has a higher protein content since it goes through extra filtration processes. Hence, we use a blend of both to bring you a superior quality Whey protein with the best of both worlds!
How do we ensure that our product is high-quality?
Anthony Igoe
We source high-quality Whey Concentrate and Whey Isolate from two global manufacturers in Whey production, based in Ireland and the Netherlands. These raw materials are fully researched; each batch arrives at our manufacturing unit with a complete certificate of analysis that details all aspects of the powder.
While developing the blend of Isolate and Concentrate, we conducted tests to ensure that the product is smooth, creamy and of course, has the best taste possible. This process took us over 12 months to arrive at the final product.
In our manufacturing unit, the goods are controlled when they arrive to ensure compliance with the certificate of analysis to ensure they are good for production.
The manufacturing unit we are working with is GMP certified and follows a rigorous process for blending as well as filling the product.
Once the product is filled, it is then tested by our manufacturer in their analytical lab to ensure that it contains the amount of protein we should have, the taste profile is correct against the approved samples, and the product is fully mixed and does not contain any harmful microbes.
We went one stage further in our testing and sent finished products to the UK for review by Informed Choice, an internationally recognised testing & quality assurance program, where the supplements undergo a 4-stage approval process.
First, they review the manufacturing plant and its quality and product manufacturing process, then they test the actual production, after which they issue the certification and allow us to use the Informed Choice logo, and finally they will make tests on our product as part of their 4 stage approval process.
We are pleased to say we were approved without any queries.
Finally the product is shipped to our warehouse and stored in our air conditioned space, and shipped to our customers on demand.
