Word of mouth
Dragons’ Den darling is scoring big in a wide market
It started out as a device primarily aimed at weightlifters and bodybuilders. But as word of New Age Performance Mouth ware products’ benefits spread, so too have the applications they’re used for multiplied.
“From two years ago, our expectations are beyond where we thought they were,” said Truro dentist Dr. Anil Makkar, a New Age Performance shareholder and dental consultant.
“According to what we’re seeing right now with so many different applications of the mouthpiece, it’s to the point where the product could really have unlimited potential,” he said.
Last September the product was featured on the CBC Television show, Dragons’ Den. And since then, product sales have grown exponentially, month by month, he said.
Further proof of the Dragons’ Den exposure came during last weekend’s 2018 Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio when Makkar said the entire supply of mouthpieces — between 500 and 600 — were sold out before the end of the show’s first day.
A big component of the Arnold festival is the strong man com--
petition. And while many of the mouthpieces were undoubtedly purchased by those competitors, Makkar said uses have gone far beyond anything he ever imagined.
Right now, the number-one sales area is California and Makkar said it is being used a lot by U.S. military people, including navy seals.
“They use it when they train because the product is all about balance. It gives them better balance,” he said.
The number-two sales area is the United Kingdom, followed by New Zealand and Australia, where it is being used by firefighters and police.
But Makkar said he has also been hearing online praise from equestrian participants, people with mobility issues and race car drivers.
There’s even one person who improved their riding time on a mechanical bull.
Another unexpected segment of the market pertains to children who spend a lot of time video gaming or texting on their smart phones.
“We’ve actually had some parents buy mouthpieces for their kids who are doing that,” he said, “and parents rave about it. That’s one area we never thought about.”
As for the ultimate outcome of his Dragons’ Den experience, Makkar’s said he can’t comment at the moment because of a nondisclosure agreement that is still in place.
But stay tuned.
“It’s fair to say that in a couple of weeks you are going to hear some exciting news from our company,” he said, grinning broadly.