Enter: DAYGUARD, Oh and Lee’s new company selling affordable hangover remedies that comes in the form of a jelly stick. The sticks are currently available for pre-order and they plan to officially launch in late September.
Q: What is DAYGUARD and how does it work?
Oh: DAYGUARD is a convenient, affordable, and delicious jelly stick designed to support liver health and alleviate rough mornings after drinking alcohol. Simply take one stick before or during your drinking session; for best results, take another one after your last beverage. DAYGUARD does not prevent intoxication.
What are your planning for your rollout?
Lee: We are currently available for pre-order and our products will become available online through our website and on Amazon soon after. This fall, we will also debut at Brown University through a campus ambassadorship program and establish wholesale agreements with local bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and convenience shops.
DAYGUARD co-founders Gene Oh (left) and Felix Lee (right).Dayguard
Where are you making DAYGUARD?
Lee: DAYGUARD is proudly manufactured in South Korea. In the early days, we screened dozens of manufacturers worldwide to find the perfect fit — someone who could help us develop a product from scratch while upholding the highest standards of safety, quality, and efficacy. As a Korean citizen, I was based in Seoul at the time completing my mandatory military service. In my free time, I went to our lab and worked with several of the nation’s top nutritional scientists and food chemists to develop the optimal formula. It was a hectic period, as I frequently shipped samples to Gene at Brown, where he would gain consumer feedback. After dozens of iterations, we achieved a product that excelled in taste, texture, quality, and efficacy.
Have you done any tests or trials to ensure this actually remedies hangovers?
Oh: These jelly stick products originate from South Korea, where they are consumed yearly in the millions, so we knew that DAYGUARD would also work well in the US. We’ve conducted user testing with more than 500 Brown University students and young professionals, distributing our final product at local bars and restaurants. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with participants noting significant relief in next-day follow-ups. We are now working on organizing a larger-scale perceptual study at Brown University to further validate our product’s effectiveness.
Q: Have you done any tests or trials to ensure this actually remedies hangovers? Your website said the FDA “has not evaluated” any statements made about DAYGUARD or these products.
Lee: Our product has passed the safety guidelines set by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea. As DAYGUARD is an herbal dietary supplement rather than a medication, FDA guidelines restrict us from claiming to cure hangovers or treat intoxication, which they classify as a disease. However, there are scientific studies support the efficacy of individual ingredients within our proprietary blend in reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and enhancing the activity of ALD and ALDH enzymes in the liver. These enzymes are crucial in the metabolism of alcohol, breaking down ethanol and acetaldehyde into less toxic compounds and facilitating their removal from the body. We are also planning further studies on the efficacy of our product through collaboration with labs at Brown University.
What are the ingredients?
Lee: DAYGUARD is packed with herbal ingredients designed to prevent rough mornings and support healthy liver function. Our proprietary blend features the highest dose of dihydromyricetin (DHM), a natural flavonoid derived from the Japanese raisin tree, on the market. DHM has been featured in over 7,500 scientific publications, and studies suggest that DHM can increase the activity of alcohol metabolizing enzymes and reduce levels of acetaldehyde, the toxic byproduct of alcohol largely responsible for rough mornings. In addition to DHM, DAYGUARD contains other liver-supporting ingredients, including Korean pear extract, Prickly Pear, L-arginine, and L-cysteine.
How is this different from someone using an electrolyte product, such as Liquid IV? How will you break into the market?
Lee: Our product stands out from electrolyte products due to its proprietary blend of herbal ingredients, which have been used in Korean culture for years. While electrolyte products primarily aid in rehydration, they address only a small part of the symptoms and don’t offer the same liver protection. Additionally, many electrolyte products contain high levels of sugar, often in the form of fructose, which can be as harmful to the liver (on a gram-for-gram basis) as alcohol itself.
Do you have investors?
Oh: We’ve primarily focused on securing funding through grants and competitions. Notably, we participated in Breakthrough Lab, Brown University’s selective summer accelerator program. So far, we’ve earned approximately $15,000 in grants. Although we are not seeking outside funding at the moment, we are excited to partner with investors and major retailers down the road.
What are your goals for the first year? What about the first 10 years?
Lee: For our first year, our goal is to launch DAYGUARD on social media channels, including TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, and establish a presence on college campuses. This fall, we’re launching at Brown and Georgetown University, with plans to expand to other colleges across the US. In 10 years, we aim to be America’s go-to solution for alcohol-related relief, with a strong e-commerce and brick-and-mortar presence.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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Publish date : 2024-09-15 23:01:00
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