Barcode (drink)

Barcode was launched in April 2021 by Mubarak "Bar" Malik and Kyle Kuzma. At the time, Kuzma was on the Los Angeles Lakers, After time with the team as a training camp assistant and later a strength and conditioning coordinator, he served as their Director of Performance. Malik's work on Barcode was rooted in his experiences during years prior to launching the brand. Due to health issues in his family, such as diabetes, Malik was averse to the sugar content in "big name sports drinks on the market". Having a background in exercise physiology, kinesiology, sports science, and nutrition, Malik began formulating his own beverages. He initially tested these formulas on New England Patriots players as he had a relationship with the team's dietician. In July 2023, the NBA's then most recent first-overall pick, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, became a brand ambassador for Barcode. Other public figures to have openly praised the product include Halle Berry, Kelly Rowland, and Derrick Rose. In October, Barcode signed a three-year sponsorship deal with the NBA's Brooklyn Nets to become the team's "hydration partner". ==Ingredients and packaging==

The drink is a mainly a combination of coconut water, regular water, vitamin D, magnesium, and adaptogens. Marketed as "fitness water" and a "plant-based performance drink", Barcode beverages include minerals, vitamins, and adaptogens. The drink includes magnesium, as well as vitamins B6, B12, and D; it also features ashwagandha and shiitake mushroom extract, the latter being what sources the beverage's vitamin D. Malik chose to include vitamin D as an ingredient because of vitamin D deficiency being common in the United States, particularly among professional basketball players. Containing 30 calories and having a low sugar content (2g), Barcode's drinks are sweetened with monk fruit. Cordyceps fungus extract and rhodiola rosea extract are ingredients of the watermelon and lemon lime flavors, respectively. The drink is packaged in a bottle and features a QR code that enables consumers to have an augmented reality (AR) experience with the bottle. When scanned, consumers can see curated content including information regarding the drink. ==References==