For as long as anyone can remember, maple syrup has been at the heart of Vermont culture-- to the point where Vermonters would bleed maple syrup if they could. It was this exact cultural phenomenon, coupled with a professional cycling career, that inspired local New Englander Ted King to partner with the Cochran family of Richmond, Vermont to create UnTapped.
Since a very young age, maple syrup has been a big part of King’s life, due to a family friend’s sugar farm in central New Hampshire. King later went on to attend Middlebury College in Vermont, where he first got into cycling. He raced a bike professionally for ten years total, and within this time it came to his attention that professional cycling was fueled predominantly by energy bars and gels that were created in labs. While living abroad as a professional cyclist, friends and family would ship him maple syrup, which King began to use in a less traditional manner as a purer way to fuel his rides. Finally, in 2014, King teamed up with the Cochran family of Richmond, Vermont to create UnTapped’s first product-- packets of pure maple syrup for quick energy.
Since then, UnTapped has grown into multiple product lines of waffles, energy packets, and drink mixes- with all three products together covering the general needs of sports nutrition. There are now five flavors of stroopwafels to satisfy hunger while exercising, or even just for an everyday snack-- including classic maple, raspberry, coffee, chai, and Vermont.com’s personal favorite, lemon. For quick energy, reach for a maple syrup packet, which comes in pure maple syrup, as well as coffee infused for a caffeine hit, or raspberry with sea salt to boost electrolytes. For hydration and more electrolytes, add one of UnTapped’s drink mixes to your water bottle, whether it be Ginger Mapleaid to help soothe your stomach after intensive exercise, or Lemon Tea Mapleaid for a caffeinated pick-me-up.
Through its consistent usage of real maple syrup in all of its products, UnTapped has achieved its mission to provide better tasting, better performing, and better digesting sports nutrition by using pure and clean ingredients. Since maple syrup is a fast acting sugar and carbohydrate that can be easily broken down by the human body, it’s a more natural and healthy approach for athletes. As a result, UnTapped’s popularity has led to its products being carried across the country, and can be found in bike and ski shops, outdoor gear stores, as well as co-ops, grocery stores, and at https://untapped.cc.
For the time being, UnTapped is focusing on continued growth and creating products that make sense and satisfy the needs of athletes. Also, be sure to look out for them at endurance sports events such as Dirty Kanza, Rooted Vermont, Vermont Overland, and more. Check the UnTapped website and subscribe to its newsletter to see dynamic updates on where UnTapped will be next. Look for the maple creemee trailer or the timber frame to score some delicious maple products!
In response to COVID-19, UnTapped has started an initiative to support its partners by adding an option at checkout to let you identify your local sports nutrition retailer to whom UnTapped will send a check for 20% of your purchase, regardless of whether that retailer carries UnTapped or not.
