(Source: Barcode)
When it comes to professional sports, even a 1% change in performance and recovery can have a huge impact.
That’s the mindset former New York Knicks trainer Bar Malik had when crafting Barcode, the sports drink he’s releasing with 6’10’’ Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma.
Barcode was built for pro athletes and everyday consumers
For years, Malik has brewed up antioxidant-, vitamin-, and electrolyte-rich beverages for athletes and celebrities.
Barcode has just 30 calories. To do that, Malik and Kuzma had to get serious about plants:
- Plant and mushroom extracts, AKA adaptogens, come dissolved in the drink
- Monk fruit acts as a natural sweetener
Barcode comes in watermelon and lemon-lime flavors taste-tested by pro athletes, and its minimalist bottles come with scannable QR codes for original content.
It’s not the first time NBA players have forayed into Startupland…
- Carmelo Anthony has invested in Lyft and Casper
- Steph Curry backed fitness startup Tonal
- Harrison Barnes invested in Beyond Meat
- Russell Westbrook recently led a $63m investment in a digital bank
But possibly the coolest NBA businessman is Kevin Durant, whose investments include Postmates, Acorns, Robinhood, Whoop, and Coinbase — back in 2017.
Oh yeah, and VC legend Andreessen Horowitz hosted a birthday party for Durant when he moved to California. Not too shabby.
