Created from the feedback received from US Ironman athletes, Bonk Breaker – the official energy bar of the US Ironman triathlon series – has released Bonk Bites. The new bite-sized portions of the gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free energy bars are available in four freshly-baked flavours: peanut butter & jelly, peanut butter & chocolate chip, apple pie and blueberry oat.
Bonk Bites was conceived last year during the Ironman season and until now were only available on course at US Ironman events.
As the official energy bar of US Ironman events, Bonk Breaker is distributed to athletes at aid stations (bike and run) at all Ironman events held in the US. One of the primary goals of the sponsorship relationship for the flourishing nutrition bar maker is feedback from athletes, which helps guide product innovation and development.
The Santa Monica, California-based company was swift to respond to the request from athletes seeking a smaller portion of the popular energy bars that is easier to consume in the heat of battle! Bonk Breaker Founder & Co-CEO Jason Winn created the first Bonk Breaker – peanut butter & jelly – in an apartment kitchen in 2006 while training for his first Ironman because he didn’t find what was available commercially to his liking, thus he views baking tasty bars that specifically address the needs of athletes of paramount importance.
“A few weeks into the 2012 season, our partners at Ironman asked us if we might consider a smaller bar to serve on course at their events for the 2013 season. (Bonk Breaker Chairman & Co-CEO) Chris (Frank) and I had been thinking about a smaller bar and we were able to turn the suggestion into an on-course product within a month. Ironman was astonished that we could go from concept to execution so quickly,” explained Winn.
Bonk Bites were made available in March exclusively at REI outlets in the US. After a successful two-month run, the new bite-size product was released to Bonk Breaker distributors and retailers worldwide. Beyond the field of athletic competition, the company is pleased that Bonk Bites as well as Bonk Breaker bars, the latter of which are available in 8 flavours of energy bars and 2 high protein bars, are serving as nutritious snack choices for families and anyone on the go.
Frank said, “At 100-125 calories, Bonk Bites are a perfect solution not only for Ironman, but for anyone in search of a tasty, healthy, bite-sized snack in the middle of the day. This includes kids, teens, adults and professionals alike. We have already seen tremendous success in the emerging ‘portion controlled’ category and we think it’s a huge win for everyone.”
