In 2001, three triathletes in Steamboat Springs, CO, decided they needed better – and better tasting – fuel. One of them had grown up in a family of beekeepers so, naturally, the first ingredient in their new gel was honey. Setting up shop at every endurance event in the Rockies – marathons, bike races, ski races, and more – they soon had a committed following for their new Honey Stinger^® gels and bars.

As the business grew steadily over the next 15 years, gaining a cult following among the country’s premier endurance athletes, waffles and chews joined the brand’s product lineup. By 2018, Honey Stinger^® was in the locker rooms and on the training tables of over 90 professional and 300 NCAA athletic programs. But the founders saw a huge untapped market in the millions of people who are physically active on a regular basis, but less intense than the brand’s elite endurance enthusiasts. They sought out Factory to help take Honey Stinger^® to the broader market.

With a new positioning, reimagined branding, and some great new products – including a line of rapid hydration drink mixes and a nut and seed bar – Honey Stinger^® is quickly becoming a staple among physically active, health-conscious gym-goers and recreational competitors, while continuing to fuel its elite core consumers. The Hive, Honey Stinger’s registered community of brand advocates, has grown to over 10,000 today.

Whether it is kids taking chews to soccer practice or James Wiseman munching a waffle on the bench, more and more people are turning to Honey Stinger^® to Sweeten the Burn^TM.