Lecka Bites

Q2 2026 was Lecka's best quarter ever — 128% growth year-on-year, 68% quarter-on-quarter. In this episode, I'm walking through exactly what drove it: scaling from 2 to 9 Supersports locations in Vietnam, a huge order tied to our Iron Man Vietnam partnership, and a breakout moment for the Ultra Gel in the US. I also get into something that's been clicking for me lately — realizing the U...

I just got back from two days at TrailCon in Tahoe, right before Western States — our first year having an actual booth there. I thought I'd sit down the next morning and tell you everything while it's still fresh. The biggest surprise? Our energy bars sold out, and not to the crowd I expected. The Ultra Gel sold out too, which felt like real validation. I also picked up on something bigge...

Lecka just turned six. May 21st, 2020 was when it all officially started — a company registered in Ho Chi Minh City, some energy bars made in a kitchen, and a small trail running community in Vietnam. Markus almost forgot the anniversary. His team reminded him. In this episode, he skips the big reflective speech and gets into what he's actually been building: Lecka Coach, a free race nutrition...

It's been a while. Markus is back with a proper catch-up on everything that's happened in the Lecka world over the last few months. The Ultra Gel launched in Vietnam and sold out in two weeks — the fastest response to any product we've released. It's now rolling out across the US, Germany, Denmark, Australia, and more. A second Ultra Gel flavor is coming in June: fruit and nut, les...

After a month-long deep dive into the heart of Vietnam’s sports nutrition scene, Markus returns to the US with major updates on Lecka’s product evolution. This episode breaks down the technical overhaul of the Gel 2.0 line, featuring a transition to tapioca syrup for a cleaner taste, an increased carbohydrate count, and a perfected 1:0.8 glucose-fructose ratio designed for elite endurance performa...

In this episode of Lecka Bites, Markus takes us to the heart of Lecka’s operations in Central Vietnam. From the ancient streets of Hoi An to the bustling beachfront of Da Nang, he shares an inside look at the brand’s latest product breakthroughs. Get the first scoop on the newly finalized Ultra Gels —featuring a refreshing Passion Fruit Mango and a "real food" Banana Peanut Butter—and le...

Join Lecka founder Markus Gnirck as he returns to the brand’s roots in Vietnam during the Lunar New Year (Tet) to outline the next phase of the "real food" revolution. From the trails of Northern California to the streets of Manila, Lecka is proving that clean-label, gut-friendly nutrition is the future of endurance sports. In This Episode: Expansion in the USA: We’re welcoming Reno Runn...

Exciting Developments at Lecka: New Products, Markets, and Growth Strategies Are you curious about how innovative nutrition brands like Lecka are expanding globally and launching new products? In this post, we’ll explore the latest updates from Lecka, including their upcoming product launches, market expansions, and insights into the health trends shaping their strategy. Whether you're an indu...

It's been a while since our last episode. Now it is time for an update. We have been busy launching in France and the UAE and are working on more countries like Australia, China and Chile. Fingers crossed! Also, we are replacing the imported brown rice syrup in our energy gels with locally sourced tapioca syrup. We are doubling down on our commitment to only source ingredients close to our factory...

Two key elements to building Lecka are having a great product and building long-lasting trust with communities. Everything else will fall into place then. How do we build communities? We work with numerous running clubs around the world. We give them samples to try, we tell the story, and try to understand how we can add value. We work with various sports events where we provide small 10g samples...

Hear the background story about the launch in Puerto Rico and Switzerland. He takes you through the last few months of work and how those two countries came about. Also, each country brings its challenges and opportunities. We never stop learning! Additionally, learn more about why we stopped the research into a hydration powder based on processed sugars. No dextrin, fructose, sucrose or anything...

Hear the background story of creating and launching the coffee cacao energy gel - the world's first energy gel made from Vietnamese robusta coffee and cacao. From testing with the first ingredients in late 2024 to testing with our athletes and launching it in May 2025, this gives you insights into how we at Lecka create a new product from scratch. Delicious and functional. This gel delivers 10...

We invite our two AI experts, Tom and Ann, who were 'fed' with the latest research on 'eco-friendly packaging'. They explore the complexities of evaluating the environmental impact of bio-based and fossil fuel-based polymers. The discussion centres around the finding that there is no simple answer to which type of polymer is more environmentally friendly . The episode highlights a recent study tha...

Not many other people in Asia love Backyard racing as much as Ned Phillips does. He recently won the Singapore Backyard Championship and qualified for the BIG's Backyard World Championship in Tennessee 2025. How to run a Backyard you might wonder? Ned takes us through his tips & tricks for one of the most exciting endurance sports right now. This is the ultimate Backyard racing guide. All info...

In this Lecka Bites episode, Markus dives into the adventurous life of Kieren D’Souza, India's first ultramarathon runner to complete the grueling Spartathlon—a 246 km race in Greece. Kieren shares how he left city life behind to pursue trail running in Manali, taking on high-altitude, rugged terrain with limited resources and support. A true pioneer in Indian ultrarunning, Kieren helped shape Ind...

In this Lecka Bites episode, trail runner Valentin Orange talks about his recent attempt at the UTMB 100-mile race. Valentin shares his rigorous training journey after moving back to the French Alps and how his excitement turned to struggle during the race, with fatigue and knee pain eventually forcing him to stop at kilometre 115. Reflecting on his DNF (Did Not Finish), Valentin identifies factor...

Markus sits down with Jakob Bloch, aka the “Danish Ultra Runner,” for an engaging chat on extreme desert races, nutrition strategies, and the challenges of running in diverse climates. Jakob shares insights from his upcoming race in Chile’s Atacama Desert and his past experiences in the Sahara, highlighting his go-to fuel sources, mental stamina, and team dynamics in these gruelling races. They al...

In this episode of the Lecka Bites Podcast , Markus sits down with Tyler d'Arcy, an elite Canadian ultra-runner fresh off his impressive win at the Fat Dog 100K race. Tyler shares the unique training journey that led him to victory, including spending months at altitude in Kenya and using his job as a tree planter to build endurance and mental toughness. He talks about how these grueling 12-hour d...

In this episode, Markus dives deep into the science of carbohydrate loading for endurance athletes. He explains what carb loading is, how it works, and why it’s essential for events lasting over 90 minutes. Referencing key research, including studies by Hawley et al. (1997) and Costill et al. (1981), Markus breaks down how to implement this strategy effectively and avoid common pitfalls like bloat...

In this episode, Markus shares how Lecka works with local community athletes rather than big influencers, because as he puts it, "love goes through the stomach" – naturally, a German touch. He highlights their focus on endurance sports, but with a surprising nod to badminton and ultimate frisbee. The highlight? A chat with Danish para-badminton star Cathrine Rosengren fresh from the Paralympics. S...

We have grown as a brand from Vietnam to over 10 countries in 3 years. How did we do that? We worked with the community to either do it ourselves (Vietnam, USA) or to grow with distributors in the sport and healthy food segment (Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Denmark, Germany, ...) . This week's Lecka Bites is about explaining those two models and what we have learn...

Have you ever wondered how to get your brand on Amazon? Well, we just did it. Markus takes you through the steps of getting on Amazon.com. It took us many months to get listed, but now our gels are available on the US Amazon marketplace. Also, Markus interviews Ned who just tried a new fueling approach: take 400 calories per hour during his 50km run. He sets a new Lecka gel world record, with 48 g...

Join us for the 1st episode of the Lecka Bites show. Markus goes into the why of doing it, what to expect and he gets one of his biggest fans on the show: his own mother. She talks about the beginnings, the taste and her impressions at the UTMB week in Chamonix. A very personal and raw perspective on building a company, through the eyes of the mother.