about us

skratch labs makes sports nutrition designed to help you perform better without offending your gut or your taste buds because we use real food, starting from scratch.

rooted in professional cycling and science

While working as a sport scientist and coach for a professional cycling team, Dr. Allen Lim started making his own training food and sports drinks from scratch for the cyclists because too many of the pre-packaged sports bars and drinks that were marketed or given to them were laden with artificial ingredients and literally making them sick to their stomach.

the creation of “secret drink mix”

He also started diluting their sports drinks to lower the sugar concentration while adding back extra salt and electrolytes to replace what was actually being lost in their sweat. Eventually, he started making a “secret drink mix” in his kitchen using a recipe with less sugar, more sodium, and no artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors, with a simple and clean taste created by using real fruit.

the secret got out

Soon, word of the “Secret Drink Mix” was spreading fast and it was clear that the demand for our all natural drink mixes extended far beyond cyclists or endurance athletes. Race car drivers, rock climbers, concerned parents, Peace Corps workers, and normal active people looking for healthy food and drink alternatives were buying the product and hungry for more knowledge and ideas.

FAQ’s

What makes Skratch Labs different from other companies that make similar products?

We create products that solve problems which means every ingredient has a purpose. That purpose is to help people perform better. We focus on real ingredients and promote an equally healthy lifestyle. Our products are made from real food ingredients to help you bust your butt not your gut.

The creation and evolution of our products has always stemmed from evidence based problem solving – on what we, to the best of our knowledge, understand as real. This emphasis on real is core to our identity. In it there is an earnest attempt to always learn, to solve problems, and to communicate with both intellectual humility and humor. Intellectual humility being the ability to change one’s mind when presented with new and compelling evidence. Humor being able to cut to the truth in a way that is delightful rather than intimidating or threatening.

How and why was Skratch Labs created?

Skratch Labs has its roots in two key ideas that form the pillars for who we are today.

The first idea is that food and drink are better when it’s made from scratch.
When Dr. Allen Lim, our founder, was working as a coach and sports scientist on the Pro-Cycling Tour, the single biggest complaint that athletes had was that conventional sports nutrition left a bad taste in their mouths and an even worse feeling in their guts. It’s a problem that’s not limited to world-class athletes, but an issue that almost anyone who has consumed highly processed sports drinks, bars, chews, or gels, under the guise of performance, has ironically experienced. To remedy this problem, Dr. Lim began literally making the food and drink he gave to riders, in races like the Tour de France, from scratch. He started blending a simple sports drink with less sugar, more sodium, and real fruit to keep athletes better hydrated. At the same time, he prepared delicious recipes like savory rice cakes, parmesan potatoes, and freshly baked cookie bars to fuel his team. While it may not have always been easy or convenient, this return to real food and drink was based on evidence-based problem-solving – on relentless experimentation and critical feedback from some of the best athletes in the world.

The second pillar for us at Skratch Labs is the belief that no matter where you find yourself in life, it’s never too late to start from scratch.
When we first started Skratch Labs, we just wanted to help people solve problems. But doing so meant we had to solve a lot of our own problems, both personally and professionally. We literally had to start our lives over from scratch – a new beginning that is very much our own American Dream. Fortunately, the same problem solving skills that we used to create our products, allowed us to learn quickly. We pulled ourselves up from our bootstraps and got to work, adapting through creative innovation. It’s this innovation and the basic belief that we can transform for the better that forms the basis of our mission. A mission to provide people, regardless of where they find themselves, with the inspiration, life skills, and products so that they can take better care of themselves and their families through real nutrition created for a lifetime of physical activity.

Why did we pick the name Skratch Labs?

It imparts two key beliefs when it comes to people taking care of themselves and realizing their potential.

1️. The first belief is that food and drink are better when it’s made from scratch.

2️. The second is that no matter where someone finds themselves in life, it’s never too late to start from scratch.

It’s also about the heart and the head.

The Skratch symbolizes the soul of the company, the heart side. The hedonistic side, the emotional side, the passion side.

The Lab side is a reminder that you still have to be rational, that there’s still science and there’s still evidence-based problem solving when you come to your conclusion, and that the two can live together.

Who is Skratch for?

Skratch Labs is here to help athletes who are striving for greater performance in sports like cycling, running, or any sport where exceptional endurance drives success. We believe that it’s a combination of training, recovery, and nutrition that will help you improve, whether you’re a Pro Tour cyclist or committing to a first try at a new distance. We get it — pushing your physical limits makes you feel alive — and we’re here to help. Our products are made with real food, starting from scratch so that you actually want to eat or drink them and you feel good when pushing hard.

Skratch Labs products are safe to use for anyone looking for cleaner sports nutrition. We never use artificial sweeteners, isolates, colors, or preservatives that might cause GI distress.

Can kids have Skratch products?

All Skratch products are made from natural ingredients making them a great option for children.
All of our hydration products have less sugar than comparable drinks and are only flavored with real fruit. They have none of the excess ingredients like preservatives, emulsifiers, coloring agents, or flavoring agents.
Sport Hydration Mix, like with adults, is perfect for making sure they stay hydrated for activities like dance class, gymnastics, soccer, skiing, or bike riding – really anytime the little ones are sweating!

Our Wellness Hydration Mix was designed specifically with kids in mind for when they are sick with diarrhea or severely dehydrated. Based on the World Health Organization’s recommendations for oral rehydration salts, used to rapidly rehydrate those who are sick, our Wellness Hydration Mix is an excellent alternative to popular pediatric drinks. Wellness Hydration Mix contains all of the sodium, potassium, and zinc kids (and adults) need when they are feeling under the weather without any of the extraneous flavoring agents, artificial sweeteners, coloring agents, preservatives, or emulsifiers.

Our Anytime Energy Bars also make a great snack for school, sports, or weekend adventures.

For kids working hard and pushing hard at sports, our Recovery Mix can be a great after practice refuel.

Is Skratch safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding?

Yes, Skratch is safe to drink during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
We’ve received quite a bit of positive feedback from women who’ve used Skratch during both pregnancy and delivery, and even breastfeeding too. Our local birthing center also stocks it and suggests it for moms-to-be.
We recommend you still follow the standard suggestion of only using Sport hydration mix when you’re sweating, and well, exercising. Our matcha green tea and lemons is the only mix that contains naturally occurring caffeine from green tea leaves (16 mg per serving), so if you have any reservations with this one, you might be more inclined to pass on this particular flavor.
Our Daily Hydration recipe is a great option when just looking for a little boost in your water.
If you’re not already familiar, we would also recommend checking out our Wellness hydration mix. It’s our Oral Rehydration Solution, much like Pedialyte, but without all of the unnecessary additives. This comes in pretty handy in times of serious dehydration following illness, morning sickness, or in full disclosure, a bout of diarrhea.
Additionally our bars and Recovery Mix are great for keeping calories up during breastfeeding.

Where is Skratch manufactured?

All Skratch Labs products are manufactured and assembled in the USA. Our headquarters and warehouse are in Boulder, Colorado, where our team can take full advantage of the mountains, trails, rivers, and sunshine.
Come visit us at HQ anytime — you can make purchases from our retail store or just say “hi” — 2885 Wilderness Place Unit B in Boulder.