Finally there is an energy product that actually taste good AND is not a beverage! 
In 2007, Dr. Bohannon founded Encaff Products, LLC and with it, a major break-through process to create “tasteless” caffeine.  Dr. Bohannon serves as the company Chairman & CEO.  He is an entrepreneur, scientist, and inventor. He has seven issued patents, seven patents pending, and 12 on the drawing board.
 
In 2005, Dr. Robert Bohannon had dreams of developing various caffeinated food products at a coffee shop he owned.  People all over were suddenly asking for Dr. Bohannon’s caffeinated donuts, bagels & breakfast bars.  He filed patent applications to cover his invention and trademarked a family of breakfast products containing the microencapsulated caffeine under the Buzz Brand (Buzz™ Donuts, Buzzed™ Bagels, and Buzzed™ Breakfast Bars).  The microencapsulated caffeine has been trademarked as Encaff™.  In 2007, Dr. Bohannon founded Encaff Products, LLC, and started to broaden his vision to make other consumer products using his “tasteless” caffeine invention.  In essence, Dr. Bohannon developed a method to mask the bitter aftertaste of caffeine.  This was a major break-through that now allows food companies to tap into the billion-dollar “energy” industry while maintaining the integrity of their original product. Unlike beverage companies who can mask the bitterness of caffeine with sweeteners & sugars, Encaff opens up an entirely new & incremental opportunity to use Encaff’s caffeine as an ingredient.   
 
In early 2008, Dr. Bohannon decided that he needed a consumer package goods (CPG) veteran to take his “tasteless” caffeine idea to a new level.  He called upon the best- known and most respected name in caffeine, Starbuck’s and its President & CEO, Mr. Jim Donald for advice on who best to lead his company.  Jim, who himself is one of the most respected pioneers in the supermarket industry (hand picked by Sam Walton to lead the introduction of a new grocery division at Wal-Mart and served as President & Chairman at some to the top supermarket companies in the US) had the right guy in mind.  Without hesitation, he told Dr. Bohannon about Dan Leonardi, a CPG executive in Atlanta who had a successful track record while at Pepsi, Keebler Company and Kellogg Company.  Dr. Bohannon and Dan Leonardi soon began to develop an immediate relationship & passion for caffeine and the potential of developing new innovation.
 
In late 2008, Leonardi was sharing his “tasteless” caffeine with some college students at Auburn University where both his sons, Daniel & Christopher were attending.  After a few minutes, the students got it… “Let’s flavor this powdered caffeine to have a great taste just like a pixie stix!”  It took no time for Leonardi to begin to develop Encaff Product, Inc.’s flagship product, Encaff Energy Stix™ and in 6 months had a winning recipe.
 
Today, Encaff Products, Inc. employs a two-pronged strategy to penetrate the enormous markets for caffeinated products by focusing on sales of Encaff™ as a ready-to-eat consumable or as an ingredient. 
 
As a consumable product, Encaff Energy Stix™ is a great tasting, ready-to-eat black cherry flavored powder energy stix.  Each stix pack contains 75mg of caffeine; a “pixie stix” with a coffee cup’s worth of caffeine that can be readily enjoyed without the need for any liquids to wash it done.  “It is rare to find a new product with so many benefits that will truly help grow a category.  For example, each stix actually taste great and requires no water or no mixing… just open & sprinkle directly onto your tongue and enjoy!  It’s convenient, portable & lightweight packaging makes it easy to carry, especially in our on-the-go lifestyle.  And has only 10 calories!”  Leonardi goes on to say, “We believe energy stix can be the next logical “big idea” for the energy category.  Think of it as… First there were energy drinks, then energy shots, now there is Encaff Energy Stix™ …the Next Generation of Energy!”  Encaff Energy Stix is ideal for the busy “on-the-go” professional, truckers, military personnel, college students and health & exercise enthusiasts.  Each package contains two energy stix which creates a value proposition for the same price point as one energy drink or one energy shot.  A win-win for the consumer and retailer!
 
The ideal retail outlets for Encaff products would be: Convenience Store Chains, Gas Stations & Truck Stops, Grocery/Mass/Drug Channel, Colleges and Universities, Military Exchanges, Vending Accounts and alternative outlets like home improvement centers, sporting and nutritional stores.
 
On the ingredient side of Encaff’s business, its strategy is to align with major food, beverage and pharmaceutical type manufacturers to develop caffeinated products that fit their unique brand positioning. While not a water soluble ingredient, Encaff is ideal for fast melt applications.  Simply, Encaff as an ingredient can be directly added to most any manufacturer’s recipe beyond liquids.  As an example, because of the proprietary process to make caffeine tasteless, pharmaceutical companies who use caffeine as an accelerant can now enhance their quality of taste by using Encaff.  No longer do they have to resort to poor tasting over-the-counter caffeine. With Encaff, the bitter aftertaste is masked and the overall taste quality from a manufacturer’s product is significantly improved.  Leonardi feels he can help most food companies, like yogurt companies for example, develop new innovation by being the first “energy-boosting” product to help compete with the morning coffee user in search of their caffeine “fix.”  “The possibilities are endless to now expand energy into the food industry.  With little working capital, categories like yogurt can expand their current brands into an entirely new & incremental position,” says Leonardi.
 
For more information on Encaff Products, Inc. and Encaff Energy Stix, please contact us at sales@encaff.com or visit the website at www.encaffenergy.com for more details