Motion Potion Rx rides two big trends the nation's
love of performance drinks and its aging population of
baby boomers but the new product from Reno needs
to battle its way onto the nation's shelves.
The product devised by Dr. Michael Nelson, a chiropractor
with a strong entrepreneurial streak, is simplicity
itself: A berry-flavored drink laced with vitamins and
glucosamine sulfate, a compound that reduces joint pain
and repairs cartilage.
The target? Aging boomers, who have grown accustomed
to drinking sports drinks and other functional
beverages and now seek an elixir for aching knees.
Nelson joined with Jeffrey Shaw, whose experience in
health care ranges from benefits management to management
of a family birthing unit, and bottling plant owner
Ed Frazer to create Bio Essentials to oversee bottling and
distribution of Motion Potion Rx.
The affiliation of Frazer with the company has been
critically important, Nelson said as the drink was introduced
last week.
Frazer, president and owner of Seven-Up Bottling
Co. of Reno, also owns beverage distribution operations
in Boise, Idaho, and Chico, Calif.
"He instantly gave us access to many markets that
would have taken years to develop," Nelson said.
But how does the company extend its reach after Reno,
Boise and Chico?
That, said Nelson, is the million-dollar question.
Shaw, who serves as chief executive,Nelson and Frazer see
two alternatives:
One, they can prove that the market for Motion Potion Rx
is sufficiently strong that a company with a national distribution
network will buy them out.
Alternatively, they can demonstrate strong sales in the
company's first three markets and use that performance to
convince other distributors around the country to pick up
Motion Potion Rx.
Either way, strong sales right out of the chute are key.
"Success is going to be a platform we'll use for further
success," said Nelson.
His optimism for the company's success is rooted in the
number of Americans suffering arthritis pain 20 million
today, 60 million by 2020, according to some
estimates and the desire of many of them to use
natural remedies.
"The overwhelming majority of my patients are not
interested in taking drugs for the rest of their lives to
get rid of joint pain," Nelson said.
While glucosamine sulfate the ache-fighting
ingredient in Motion Potion Rx is available elsewhere
as tablets, Bio Essential contends its liquid form
of the ingredient is more effective and, at a suggested
price of $1.39 a bottle, more cost effective.
This is Nelson's third foray into the world of
invention.
Aeris USA, one of his companies, markets a
spring-loaded stool known as The Swopper.
An earlier invention allowed consumers to easily
reuse plastic bags.
