Ever wanted a delicious energy drink but couldn’t find a sugar free one that hit the spot? Or wanted tasty products full of protein? Muscle Moose has you covered and we’re very excited to say that they’re the star of this week’s instalment of ‘Start-Up Stories’. Here’s what the owner and director, Claire Harper, had to say around all things, Muscle Moose!
Where did the motivation come from to create Muscle Moose?
We saw the gap in the market for high quality, tasty protein snacks that appeal to anyone and everyone right at the very start of the now widespread change in customers’ attitudes towards their diet and lifestyle.
That’s no longer the case and it is customers themselves that are driving the revolution and retailers are having to react to and provide for increased demand.
We’re bringing snack saviours to shelves and spreading Moose Love wherever we can!
“Protein products were originally exclusive to the more fitness orientated customer”
Where did the unique name come from?
Muscle Moose comes from our original “Muscle Mousse”, a revolutionary product in the protein world at the time it was introduced, quickly becoming a firm favourite of fitness enthusiasts everywhere. We love the Moose on our logo and so do our customers, it was a natural progression to simply change the spelling as we added more products to the Muscle Moose range.
When did Muscle Moose go from being a dream to reality?
Muscle Mousse was our foundation and everything grew from there.
We started working with Muscle Mousse as a distributor in 2014 and it was one year into this that we knew this was our future; the brand excited us so much and we had so many ideas!
You’ve just released ‘Mountain Chips’, aside from being very tasty, why should consumers choose these over a regular pack of walkers?
Mountain Chips are LESS fat, LESS carbs and MORE protein than the UK’s leading popped chip brand and they taste amazing! If you’re a fan of satisfyingly crunchy popped chips, they are for you! We have two Mountain Chip flavours, Bangin’ BBQ and Sweet Chilli – it’s an equal split in our office on which is the favourite flavour!
Consumers are loving your products, are there any fan favourites?
Ooohhh, now that’s a good question! Our customers are amazing – every day when they share how our products are a part of their daily lives. Everyone has their own favourite; some of the feedback I particularly enjoyed includes a busy parent referring to Moose Juice as “a lifesaver” for extra energy and focus for them to keep up with the kids over the half term holidays and a customer with a slimming goal using our Mountain Chips as an alternative to breadcrumb coating for chicken. Personally, I’m a fan of our 1 Minute Mug Cakes because they take just one minute in the microwave and you can enjoy a warm, gooey golden syrup cake – perfect for a desk snack or a little guilt-free luxury at the end of the day!
When Muscle Moose first began, did you predict it would become so successful? Or were there times you thought it wouldn’t succeed?
Absolutely. I don’t think we would have started anything if we didn’t think it wouldn’t have had the possibility of being as successful as it is. The vision is big! Naturally, all businesses face obstacles but never enough to think we might not succeed.
The sugar tax is a huge topic at the moment, what made you create a sugar-free drink to begin with?
The sugar tax presented us with a fantastic opportunity. The entire Moose Juice range is sugar free, so there is no confusion for customers. Retailers are also looking for alternatives to the sugar filled products we all know so well.
“Customers want zero sugar drinks – it’s as simple as that.”
Retailers need to catch up to consumer trends and Moose Juice is flying off shelves.
There are a huge range of Moose Juice flavours, can we expect to see anymore?
We’re always working on something! We’ve had some pretty interesting suggestions – rhubarb and custard was unexpected! If you haven’t tried all our flavours yet, we have Berry, Blue Raspberry, Green Apple, Mojito and Passion Fruit – give them a go and let us know what you think!
Where can people find your magnificent muscle moose products?
We have over 2,500 UK retailers stocking Muscle Moose products and you can order online from our website, Amazon and other online retailers. You can find us in Holland & Barrett, Asda, selected Spar and Premier stores, in independent newsagents, in petrol forecourt garages and of course, in all good sports nutrition stores – chances are wherever your day is taking you, there will be a can of Moose Juice or bag of Mountain Chips available nearby!
What can we expect to see from Muscle Moose this year?
We have huge plans for this year – we want our customers to be able to pick up their favourite Muscle Moose product in a store convenient for them, so that’s our focus – getting on as many shelves as possible! We’re planning for a lot of growth this year across the brand – watch this space!
Muscle Moose are certainly smashing it this year and from here it looks like the only way is up for them! Make sure to try some of their awesome products and get your hand on some of their new and protein filled Mountain Chips!
