GC18 a pioneering, golf-specific functional drink, designed to blend adaptogens, and nootropics, for optimal focus, calmness, endurance, and recovery. Unlike generic sports or energy drinks, GC18 is designed exclusively for golfers, addressing both the mental and physical demands unique to the sport. This innovation fills a market gap, offering golfers a natural, targeted performance solution with no direct competitors, shifting the sports beverage category towards specialised, wellness-focused products for specific athletic needs. GC18 was created to solve a specific, measurable problem: cognitive fatigue and loss of concentration over the closing holes of a round, the point at which amateur golfers most often see their scoring deteriorate. Existing products on the pro shop shelf address hydration or energy in a generic way; none target the mental performance demands of golf specifically – Focus, Endurance and Performance.
Ian Millar, founder of GC18, sought the expertise of the SCFDI to create a premium drink tailored specifically for golfers using nootropics as ingredients to provide functionality aspects.
The project utilised the SCFDI’s food science and product development knowledge.
The project was funded by Scottish Funding Council’s .
“I was really pleased with how the project went from start to finish. Everything was clearly laid out at the beginning, with a full breakdown of what to expect and realistic timelines that were stuck to throughout. The professionalism of the team stood out, and communication was always easy and transparent. Working with Caroline and Catriona was a genuinely positive experience—they were supportive, knowledgeable, and open to questions, which really helped me as someone coming into this for the first time. I’ve gained a huge amount of insight into formulation, functional ingredients, and the regulatory side of things. The final samples gave testers a real, noticeable effect, which feels like a major first win. I now feel equipped with the knowledge, resources, and next steps to confidently move forward with development
- The Brief
- The Research
- The Outcome
- The Impact
Ian, the company founder and CEO, identified the gap in the market for a drink specifically for golfers. The idea originated from his and fellow golfers’ experience of seeing energy drinks on the market which have the opposite effect of golfers’ specific requirements.
Within the constantly evolving landscape of use of botanicals, nootropics and adaptogens within food and drink products, as a different approach to a food supplement, the SCFDI needed to ensure that the drink developed is compliant with current UK legislation.
The SCFDI developed a fruit flavoured drink with added adaptogens and nootropics which are widely known for their focus and performance effects golfers look for.
SCFDI ensured all ingredients used were in line with legislation in the UK. The company had goals of achieving certain nutrition and health claims so these were considered and calculated throughout development.
The company was sent multiple prototypes samples to review and provide feedback on to drive the product development process. The final formulation was approved by the company.
The client was provided with branded ingredients and unbranded ingredients of the final approved formulation, this allowed for flexibility of costs and suppliers in the future.
The nutritional composition of the two formulations were calculated, including the vitamin and mineral content. The information pack provided to the company included all the nutrition and health claims applicable to each product. These claims can be used on pack labelling, online shops and promotional materials.
The comprehensive formulation information packs can be given to the clients chosen co-manufacturer to upscale to production.
Lastly, SCFDI provided a larger sample of both prototypes to enable Ian to test with golfers to gather initial feedback.
The developed formula moved from concept to commercial validation through a co manufacturing partnership to provide product for a structured pilot across 24 Scottish pro shops. GC18 was tested with over 150 active golfers in live, on-course conditions, generating real-world performance and purchasing data rather than lab-based assumptions.
The pilot returned a 59% repeat purchase rate, demonstrating that golfers were not simply trying GC18 once out of curiosity but actively choosing to buy it again. Equally important, the product proved to be incremental to retailer revenue: rather than cannibalising existing drink or snack sales, GC18 created an entirely new functional category at the pro shop counter, lifting the average transaction value for the retailer.
The pilot also validated the scaling economics. The company has since committed to 10,000 units of a refined formulation, with a clear path to reducing unit cost as volume increases, strengthening margins for both GC18 and its retail partners as distribution grows.
Building on this validation, the company is now preparing a phased commercial launch to 50+ pro shops across Scotland over the next 12 months, supported by a direct-to-consumer online store. This dual-channel model allows GC18 to scale retail distribution while building a first-party customer relationship and data asset alongside it.
