Zurich/Metzingen - The start-up ph. AG is expanding to the USA with its recovery drink KA-EX. The product, which is manufactured in Switzerland, will now be available at 34 Earthbar locations in Southern California, 28 of which through an in-store concept with Equinox, an operator of luxury fitness studios.

Ph. International, the subsidiary of the Zurich-based ph. AG located near Stuttgart, is bringing its recovery product KA-EX to the North American market. It will initially be available in 34 branches of the food chain Earthbar, 28 of which are located in luxury Equinox fitness studios between Los Angeles and San Diego.

However, this is only the first step in the company’s US expansion plans, as Pedro Pablo Schmidt, a pharmacist with a degree at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, developer of KA-EX and founder of ph. AG, explains in an article published by startupticker.ch. In due course, the company plans “to expand into Equinox in New York as well as Whole Foods and other premium retailers”.

KA-EX consists of 25 biomolecules that are designed to optimize recovery after intensive exercise. According to the manufacturer, this accelerates regeneration and reduces physical or mental fatigue the next day. Moreover, the product is also said to positively impact muscle growth and stamina.

According to information from the company itself, ph. AG already supplies KA-EX to thousands of athletes and made it available across Europe at more than 30,000 sales outlets. More than 30 teams, including the Swiss national football team, some of the leading football clubs in Europe and a professional cycling team, use the product. In Switzerland, the recovery drink is also available in pharmacies, Coop and Coop Pronto, as well as in various fitness studios.

At present, ph. AG is in the process of raising 750,000 Swiss francs for the rollout at Equinox. A financing round of 3 million Swiss francs is planned at the end of this year, with the aim of launching KA-EX at a larger scale in the USA. This step is expected to generate annual sales of between 30 and 50 million Swiss francs for the company. ce/mm

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