Treats created for those with dementia could prove sweet addition to retailers’ shelves
An innovative sweet that aims to reduce the risk of dehydration amongst dementia patients could be a handy addition to retailers’ product portfolios as dementia continues to be the leading cause of death in the UK.
According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, there are currently around 850,000 people who are living with dementia in the UK. This number is expected to increase to one million by 2025 and two million by 2050.
Jelly Drops was founded by a team of graduates, Lewis Hornby, Nick Hooton and Claudia Arnold, who created a hydrating sweet for people with dementia, as dehydration is the leading cause of death amongst this group of people.
The idea came about after Lewis’ grandmother, who has dementia, was struggling to stay hydrated.
Lewis said that many people with dementia often find eating easier than drinking, so Jelly Drops offers a treat that will excite and engage dementia patients while keeping them hydrated. The sweets are comprised of over 90 percent and water and have added ingredients to optimise hydration. The firm, easy to grip ‘drops’ makes them simple to pick up as well.
Jelly Drops also recently won two awards at The Duke of York’s Pitch@Palace competition.
Securing both the overall win of the competition and the public vote of the Pitch@Palace People’s Choice Award, Jelly Drops beat 41 other entrepreneurs for the double win at St Jame’s Palace.
Lewis commented: “It has been a fantastic journey. Our Pitch@Palace elevator were incredibly helpful, helping us hone our pitch and get the most out of our ask to the audience.
“Having the opportunity to pitch to such an influential audience has been incredible, and I’m certain that the Pitch@Palace network will be instrumental to helping us further down the line.”
The team estimates the product will be commercially available by the end of 2019.
Founded in 2014 by The Duke of York, Pitch@Palace amplifies and accelerates the work of entrepreneurs.
