Officially launching at Vitafoods Europe in May, Qara Creatine is entering the European market with the aim of providing an alternative to what it describes as a “premium creatine alternative”.
The brand, based in the Netherlands, is the brainchild of nutrition entrepreneurs Michael Hacking and Eric Van Wilson, who bring decades of combined experience and expertise in the worlds of supplement development, branding and commercial success.
Hacking left his nine-year role as co-founder and CEO of caffeinated chewing gum brand FIRST Energy Gum to focus on this venture. He revealed that he recently expanded the FIRST product lineup to include creatine tablets.
He told NutraIngredients: “When I looked into developing creatine tablets, I found a near-reliance on high-quality creatine. “With demand falling and consumers clamoring for new products, it’s unsustainable for the market to remain this way. Qura Creatine will introduce a long-term option in a segment that is stable for a long time, offering an option between high-premium and generic.”
The brand promises to offer purity, transparency, and solubility and “redefine what ‘premium creatine’ really means”.
It claims to have the highest purity currently on the market, over 99.95%, as supported by independent verification.
The products are manufactured in FSSC 22000 certified facilities with final packaging and format customization done at IFS approved co-packing facilities.
Each package is tested before release by accredited third-party laboratories, including Eurofins laboratory facilities in both the EU and the USA. Packages include package-specific QR codes for direct access to verification information.
In addition, its rapid spreadability makes it a candidate for a range of formats.
“The crystals have a much more open structure. You can even see it with your eyes because the whole mass of the powder looks different,” Hacking said.
“It’s groundbreaking when it comes to dissolving. I’ve always found a residue at the bottom of my glass when mixing creatine into a liquid, but it dissolves completely.”
This product is currently packaged as a flavorless powder in jars or bags.
With more flavors to offer in the near future, the team is looking forward to several format innovations. For example, it is currently conducting tests to see how the ingredients perform in dextrose tablets and RTDs.
Hacking added that building ingredients into products that contain sugar makes sense from an absorption standpoint, because creatine is absorbed into the muscles faster when taken together with glucose.
“These innovations will help bring the ingredients to a wider audience,” Herking added. “Just look at the protein market. I don’t necessarily think creatine is going to be as big as protein, but I think it’s going to be a mass market product and it’s going to be included in all kinds of products.”
Expanding interests
Creatine plays a fundamental role in cellular bioenergetics by supporting the rapid regeneration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s primary energy molecule.
Approximately 95% of total creatine stores are located in skeletal muscle, where phosphatine acts as a rapid phosphate donor during high-intensity effort.
This mechanism enables sustained power output, improved work capacity, and delayed fatigue during repetitive stress.
Although traditionally associated with strength performance, creatine’s biological role extends to many organ systems. High-energy tissues such as muscle and brain rely on rapid turnover of ATP, making creatine relevant for neuromuscular function, cellular flexibility, and metabolic regulation.
Emerging evidence suggests that creatine may support cognitive processing, memory and attention, particularly under demanding conditions, or in aging populations.
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