>> ... Next Generation ...
Smarter Than
The Average Joe
Two Jewish entrepreneurs are selling a
healthier way to jumpstart your day.
ALLAN NAHAJEWSKI I CONTRIBUTING WRITER
wo local Jewish entrepreneurs
are launching a new product
at the intersection of two huge
markets — coffee drinkers and
health-conscious consumers.
Jeb Belchinsky, 42, of Huntington
Woods, and Brad Kifferstein, 33, of
Birmingham, have developed VitaPerk
— a packet of powderized vitamins and
minerals that coffee lovers can add to
their favorite drink.
"We generated the concept about three
years ago," says Kifferstein. "It was just
a simple idea at the time to infuse health
with coffee."
The duo did their research. Worldwide,
1.4 billion cups of coffee are consumed
each day. And according to the
United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization, more than 2 billion people
are not getting enough vitamins and
minerals in their diets.
"We are all living on-the-go lifestyles,"
says Belchinsky. "It's not easy to stay
healthy."
After coming up with the concept,
the duo hired a biochemist to develop
the product. VitaPerk is manufactured in
Arizona and packaged in New York and
New Jersey. Belchinsky and Kifferstein
work from an office in the Max M. Fisher
Federation Building in Bloomfield Hills.
The company's tagline: Smarter Than
The Average Joe.
VitaPerk comes in individual packets
and is intended for use in 12 to 20 ounces
of fresh coffee. It is sold for $1 a pack and
is available in vanilla, hazelnut, mocha
and an unflavored version. VitaPerk
packets have a two-year shelf life.
"In this country alone, there are about
500 million cups of coffee consumed each
day," says Belchinsky. "We're not greedy.
If we could get 1 percent or less to use
VitaPerk, we'd be very satisfied business
owners."
In their first few weeks of business,
Belchinsky and Kifferstein are in the
process of lining up sales outlets. VitaPerk
is already available at 15 locations in the
area, including two Coffee Beaneries,
Dakota Bread Company, Beyond Juice,
Bean & Leaf Cafe, Java Hut, Nutri-Foods,
Five15 and ZMC Pharmacy.
"Our product can be bought and sold
wherever coffee is purchased — coffee
Michiganders Bike
For Hazon In NY
he annual Hazon New York
Ride raises money for Hazon,
one of the leading faith-based
environmental organizations
in the country and a driving force behind
the growth of the Jewish food movement.
Founded in 2000 with a cross-country
ride, Hazon aims to touch people's lives
directly by building and strengthening
institutions that create healthier, richer
and more sustainable Jewish communities.
For information about Hazon, go to www.
hazon.org .
The bike ride took place over
the Labor Day weekend and raised
$180,000. Michigan representatives (see
34
October 11 - 2012
photograph) included Jay Najman, who
grew up in Southfield and is the son of
Cantor Chaim Najman (now retired from
Congregation Shaarey Zedek); Cheryl
Cook, who grew up in Farmington Hills
and now lives in Brooklyn and is COO
of Hazon; Amanda Aaron, originally
from Ann Arbor; Liz Traison, who grew
up in West Bloomfield and now lives in
Brooklyn and is a Hazon program fellow;
Adena Stern, a Southfield native now
living in Manhattan and a development
associate for Hazon; Susan Slesinger,
who earned her MBA from University
of Michigan; and Rachel Preiser, who
graduated from U-M law school. ❑
Brad Kifferstein (left) and Jeb Belchinsky have invented VitaPerk — a quick
and easy way to add vitamins and minerals to your morning coffee.
shops, groceries, health food stores,
truck stops, gyms, bakeries, convenience
stores, bagel shops — anywhere," says
Belchinsky.
"We're motivated," says Kifferstein.
"It's a great product. It's been third-
party tested. We're not branding this
as a vitamin replacement. It's a lifestyle
enhancer. Most people on the go don't
have time to eat three balanced meals a
day. This enables people on the go to add
a little bit of health to their day."
Early feedback has been positive. More
than 300 people sampled the product at
a recent Pitch for Detroit charity event,
where VitaPerk sponsored the breakfast.
"I think everyone is looking to make
smart decisions," says Kifferstein. "You
could load a zero-calorie drink like coffee
with sugar and cream and before you
know it, it's a 400-calorie drink. Our
flavors add only 10 calories — and
they're all natural."
Belchinsky and Kifferstein worked
together a decade ago on a sales team,
and since then, have been involved in
various businesses separately. A shared
entrepreneurial drive pulled them together
in the VitaPerk venture.
"In addition to targeting retail outlets,
we have a Perk@Work program, geared
toward companies that are concerned
about the health and wellness of their
employees," says Belchinsky, noting that
65 percent of people drink coffee at
work. "You can have VitaPerk next to any
coffee station at a workplace. It's a way
to improve the energy and performance of
your workforce."
VitaPerk will donate a percentage of its
profits to Vitamin Angels, an international
organization that provides nutrients to
young children in need.
A complete list of VitaPerk sales outlets
will soon be posted at www.vitaperk.com .
VitaPerk also has a Facebook page.
Says Kifferstein, "We're trying to perk
the world one coffee cup at a time." 17,