Whether you’re looking for a boost in your endurance, performance or recovery, a new nutrition bar has hit the market for high performance endurance athletes. Originating in Quebec two years ago, XACT is now branching out into the Ontario sporting scene.
For endurance athletes in sports such as triathlons, road biking, long distance running, Iron Man events, cross-country skiing and others, XACT’s variety of fruit bars are giving athletes the extra push across the finish line.
One of the hardest parts of maintaining your performance throughout endurance sports is just following the nutrition plan and having the desire to eat on-course, according to President Marianne Regnault.
THE WIN IS BEING ABLE TO STICK TO YOUR NUTRITION PLAN
“By having a product that actually tastes better than the other products out there, that you can actually eat when you’re supposed to eat, just that can go a long way to improve performance,” she says.
XACT bars are fruit-based, and date back to a 400-year-old recipe used in Spain, Portugal and Southern France; which is still where the products are made. The bars are natural, made using fruit, with enough sugar to bring one bar up to 100 calories, making them a compact, hyper-caloric choice for athletes.
PEOPLE LOVE EASY TO EAT
“That’s what people love about it, is just how easy it is to eat,” says Regnault. “It melts away in your mouth. So even when your mouth is parched and dry, you can still take on a XACT ENERGY fruit bar and carry on with your activity.”
Additionally, the company is marketing their XACT PROTEIN wafer bar, which tastes similar to a Kit Kat or Coffee Crisp, but with 15 grams of whey protein, 19 grams of carbs and the vitamins and minerals essential for energy metabolism and muscle recovery.
The small, close-knit company is run by Regnault who looks after the operations of the company. Lawrence, her husband and Alain, Marianne’s father, are also involved in R&D and as business partners.
THE XACT ENERGY STORY STARTED AT MOUNT-ORFORD XTRAIL
The company has been expanding over the past two years, beginning with Lawrence and Marianne searching for a product that tasted better than traditional sports nutrition products that they were using for trail running. Their first pilot runs of the product launched at the Mount Orford XTRAIL, Quebec’s largest half trail race. After receiving tremendous feedback from runners, they have gradually opened new stores and recently made their debut in Ontario as an exhibitor at the Runner’s Expo during Toronto’s Scotiabank Marathon.
EXPANSION IN ONTARIO
As far as further expansion into the Ontario market, Regnault says they made some excellent connections at the Expo and sees many great events coming up for them to get involved with.
GRASSROOTS
“We’ve always taken a grassroots development, since being a very small unknown brand and it’s challenging to open an account,” he says. “What we find is by going direct to the athletes, either at a race or at an event like this, we’re able to generate some enthusiasm for the product.”
UP NEXT: XACT NUTRITION PARTNERS WITH GATINEAU LOPPET
Up next is transitioning into cross-country skiing where XACT will be sponsors at the Gatineau Loppet, Canada’s largest cross-country ski race, as well as getting more involved in snowshoe racing, and winter triathlons in Quebec and Ontario.