[Beverage Series] How Pickle Juice Stops Muscle Cramps With Filip Keuppens

Filip Keuppens is the CEO of The Pickle Juice Company, a leading functional beverage brand known for its science-backed sports drink designed to help stop muscle cramps. Under his leadership, the company has expanded to more than 17,000 retailers across the US and is trusted by elite athletes and professional sports teams. Before leading The Pickle Juice Company, Filip built deep experience in sales, marketing, and retail at major companies, including Kraft Heinz, Warner Home Video, and 20th Century Fox. He is passionate about advancing sports hydration through science, innovation, and consumer education.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [4:30] Filip Keuppens explains how Pickle Juice stops muscle cramps in under 60 seconds
• [7:59] The role of vinegar grain, and nerve receptors in cramp relief
• [14:03] The NFL game that sparked Pickle Juice’s origin story
• [18:05] Strategies for successfully launching products into major retail stores
• [24:30] Building a brand through an ambassador program that creates loyal advocates
• [35:12] How The Pickle Juice Company is exploring AI for operations and efficiency

In this episode…

Muscle cramps can strike without warning and derail athletic performance. But what if relieving a cramp had less to do with electrolytes and more to do with your nervous system? What does science reveal about how to stop muscle cramps almost instantly?

For Filip Keuppens, a consumer products executive and endurance athlete, muscle cramps are primarily a neurological issue rather than simply the result of dehydration or electrolyte loss. He explains how years of scientific research led to the development of a proprietary formula that interrupts the nerve signals responsible for cramping in 60 seconds or less. He also discusses the challenge of educating consumers about the difference between a scientifically formulated product and ordinary pickle brine. Beyond the science, Filip shares how authentic athlete advocacy, strategic retail partnerships, and a values-driven culture have fueled the company’s growth while building trust with consumers. He also offers insights into launching products in major retailers, cultivating loyal brand ambassadors, and using AI to improve business operations.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Filip Keuppens, CEO of The Pickle Juice Company, to discuss building a science-backed performance beverage brand. They explore the neuroscience behind muscle cramp relief, strategies for expanding into major retail chains, and the power of ambassador marketing. Filip also shares how AI is being explored to improve business efficiency while supporting long-term growth.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Filip Keuppens on LinkedIn
• Pickle Juice
• Kraft Heinz
• Warner Brothers
• 20th Century Fox
• Honey Stinger
• Does Pickle Juice Stop Muscle Cramps? by Dr. Kevin C. Miller, Ph.D
• Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
• Who Moved My Cheese?: An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer Johnson, Kenneth Blanchard
• The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, Jim Huling
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, 20th Anniversary Edition by Patrick M. Lencioni
• Microsoft
• ChatGPT

Special mention(s):

• Dr. Kevin C. Miller on LinkedIn
• Azalea Capital
• Steve Collette on LinkedIn

Related episodes:

• “[Beverage Series] Mastering The Ancient Art of Jun Kombucha with Holly Lyman, Founder of Wild Tonic” on Inspired Insider Podcast
• “[Beverage Series] Fueling High Performance with Steve O’Dell and Robbie Page Founders of Tenzo Tea” on Inspired Insider Podcast
• “[One Question] The Value of Learning from Mistakes and Missed Opportunities with Dave Colina Founder of O2” on Inspired Insider Podcast
• “[Beverage Series] How Different Drinks Can Impact Your Health with Kara Goldin Founder of Hint” on Inspired Insider Podcast
• “[Shark Tank & Beverage Series] Bringing a Party Punch to the Marketplace with Aimy Steadman Co-Founder of Beatbox Beverages” on Inspired Insider Podcast
• “[Swim Series] Custom Swim Goggles Powered by Innovation With Rasmus Barfred” on Inspired Insider Podcast

Quotable moments:

• “It’s the only product scientifically proven to stop muscle cramps in 60 seconds or less.”
• “Sell from the buyer’s perspective by solving real customer needs.”
• “Help someone during a cramp, and you’ve earned a customer for life.”
• “We invest in education and authentic advocacy, not just advertising.”
• “AI should empower people, not replace them.”

Action steps:

1. Use targeted solutions for muscle cramp relief: Choose scientifically formulated products that address the neurological causes of muscle cramps, rather than relying solely on hydration or electrolytes.
2. Understand what sets products apart: Learn the difference between clinically tested solutions and look-alike alternatives so you can make informed purchasing decisions.
3. Build trust through authentic communities: Seek recommendations from athletes, ambassadors, and experienced users who can provide genuine insights based on real-world results.
4. Prioritize clean-label nutrition: Choose products with simple, transparent ingredients to support both athletic performance and overall well-being.
5. Embrace technology to improve performance: Stay open to tools like AI that can boost efficiency, support better decisions, and enhance outcomes without replacing the human element.

Episode Transcript

Intro 00:15

You are listening to Inspired Insider with your host, Dr. Jeremy Weisz.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz 00:22

Dr. Jeremy Weisz here. I am the Founder of InspiredInsider.com, where I talk with inspirational entrepreneurs and leaders. Today is no different. I’ve Filip Keuppens of Pickle Power. They have some amazing pickle juice products, which we’ll go into. I’ve tried them. They’re great. Filip. I ran my first half marathon a couple of weeks ago with my daughter, who does cross country. We had our pickle juice stocked up in our pockets, so she was like, oh my God, I love this stuff. And she’s telling her cross-country team, I mean, it’s good for all sorts of things, which we’ll get into. I always like to mention before I formally introduce Filip and the company. Some other episodes of the podcast people should check out. Since this is, I guess, we consider this part of the Beverage Series.

Filip. So, I mean, you could buy a gallon of the pickle juice also on their website if you really want to stock up, and people do. I had Holly Lyman of Wild Tonic, a kombucha, on the podcast. That was a really good episode. I had the founders of Tenzo Tea on the podcast. I had Dave Colina of O2 and Kara Goldin of Hint Water, and many more, just like some really cool journeys of beverage companies. And another good one, Filip, was Aimy Steadman, one of the Co-founders of Beatbox Beverages. They were actually on Shark Tank. I think they got investment from Mark Cuban. I tend to go with the healthier stuff, not alcoholic. So Pickle Juice is like right up my alley, but people can check all those out. And more on InspiredInsider.com.

This episode is brought to you by Rise25. At Rise25, we help businesses connect to their dream relationships and partnerships. We do that in a few ways. One, we’re an easy button for a company to launch and run a podcast. We do the strategy, accountability, and the full execution production. Number two, we are an easy button for companies’ gifting, so we make gifting and staying top of mind could be for clients, partners, prospects, even staff. From a culture perspective, you just give us the addresses, we’ll do everything else. And I don’t like to send tchotchkes, Filip. I like to send food, right? And because I like getting food, and maybe we’ll have to get pickle juice into our boxes, but so we’ll think of we’ll send something every 3 to 4 months for like 4 to 5 years to our best partners and clients and things like that. So I’m always on the lookout for cool stuff that we can send people. So we’ll, we may have to order some pickle juice to send in one of the boxes to everyone.

But the number one thing in my life is relationships. I’m always looking at ways to give to my relationships. I found no better way to profile the people I admire in the podcast and send them sweet treats in the mail. If you have questions, you can email [email protected].

I’m really excited to introduce Filip Keuppens. He leads the Pickle Juice company, which I’ll pull up in a few. And it’s really a brand whose. Their innovative beverage uses a proprietary vinegar and grain blend to block the nerve signal that triggers muscle cramps, and they have some science on their website, which will we’ll talk about as well. And he really spans from e-commerce to grocery channels. And really, he understands athletes. He’s firsthand as coach and director of rugby with the Dallas Rugby Football Club. And they have a lot of NFL teams, MLB teams actually buying the product using the product. And big thank you to Matt Kovacs for the introduction. Filip, thanks for joining me.

Filip Keuppens: 04:08

It’s awesome to be here. Really excited.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 04:11

So I know there’s kind of like a three-part to Pickle Juice, but just start off and talk about Pickle Juice and maybe a little bit of the science behind it because, you know, people buy once because it looks cool, like I want to buy this pickle juice, but people keep buying because it works.

Filip Keuppens: 04:30

Yeah. That’s right. Well, as you know, and maybe some of some of your audience knows that Pickle Juice has nothing to do with pickles or juice. It’s a trade name like Band Aid, Xerox, Kleenex, Sharpie, whatever. But at the end of the day, it’s the only product in the world scientifically proven to stop muscle cramps. And it does it in 60s or less. There is a study conducted through the University of Stirling a few years ago that is actually study number two on our website. I believe that they used the UK national swim team as the test subjects, and they had 100% efficacy in stopping muscle cramps in 60 seconds or less. So it’s pretty cool.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 05:21

The way it is recommended to take it. Like, if let’s say I’m about to swim, I swim six days a week or something. Should I be taking before and after, like what’s recommended use of the product?

Filip Keuppens: 05:32

It’s a great question. So I kind of want to work from the cramp backwards, if that makes any sense. So it’ll block the muscle cramp for about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the intensity and your dosage. We recommend about ten millilitres per ten kilograms of body weight. For a normal human being, that translates to one of our shop models, which is a 2.5oz bottle, but that’ll stop the cramp from 45 to 60 minutes. So if you’re swimming for less than 45 minutes, it’s going to cover you during that block of time. If you’re like an endurance athlete, like I’ve gotten into endurance cycling, so we’ll do like 100-mile races and stuff like that. So we’re oftentimes on the bike for five, six hours. It’s not going to help me six hours in, so I’ll carry it with me like a shoe.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 06:22

For every hour maybe, or.

Filip Keuppens: 06:25

Yeah, once you start feeling that kind of stuff, like I get twinging in my calf around mile 50 or 60 if I’m pushing really hard, and I’ll take it right, right before that, kind of when I get that cramp swinging. And I don’t know when you ran your marathon with your daughter, if you experienced that kind of same thing, and you used it prophylactically.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 06:48

I use it prophylactically, typically.

Filip Keuppens: 06:50

Yeah, yeah.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 06:52

I don’t want to experience the cramping. So. So yeah. It’s interesting. I’ll have to tell them I did an interview with when I swim, one of the goggles I use is THEMAGIC5. And this is the founder here. If you’re watching the video, Rasmus, there’s probably some cross-collaboration because all of them are custom goggles. So you guys will have to think of some collaborations. Get the pickle juice in front of their people and the swim goggles in front of yours. But yeah, this is great. And I know there’s a lot of science behind it. I’ve heard of people just have even before Pickle Juice came in, they would have. And again, it’s probably that there’s sugar and other stuff in it, but it was working. Just not the proprietary stuff of like emptying the jar of pickles and like drinking the juice. It’s not as scientific.

But talk about how this came about in the company.

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