‘The Game Changers’ star James Wilkes is improving sports nutrition with beer waste

James Wilkes knows a thing or two about building muscle and achieving optimal physical performance. Some know him as the Ultimate Fighting Champion. Others, particularly members of the United States Marines, US Army Rangers, and US Navy SEALs, know him as an elite combat instructor.

Most will know him for his star-studded films Game changerA 2019 documentary released on Netflix that, as its name suggests, transformed the narrative surrounding sports nutrition, dispelling myths such as that elite athletes must consume animal products to stay in top shape.

Wilkes—who also narrated the James Cameron-produced film—is now taking that message to the next level by launching Fita. Greek for “plant,” Wilkes’ new protein brand is inspired by Roman gladiators, who ate a predominantly vegetarian diet.

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“Later Game changer was released, I received countless recommendation requests for convenient and delicious protein products that meet international standards for optimized athletic performance, health and sustainability,” Wilks tells VegNews. “The problem was, I couldn’t find any.”

“So I assembled a team of world-class sports dietitians and food scientists and got to work,” he says.

What he created is the brand’s flagship Phyta Elite plant protein that dissolves easily and can be incorporated into people’s daily lives in versatile ways – from adding to a workout shake for a protein boost to mixing into pancake batter.

But where will the gladiators get their protein in 2023? Turns out, from beer byproducts.

Change the sports nutrition game with barley protein

The new Fyta Plant Protein contains an ingredient called EverPro, an upcycled barley rice protein that has started in the beer making process of the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev).

So how does beer become workout fuel? AB InBev has partnered with startup EverGrain to develop a technology that enables them to extract protein and fiber from brewing grains to create nutrient-rich ingredients.

After working on the process for five years, EverGrain officially launched in 2021 to help transform circularly sourced barley into ingredients that can be used in a variety of food and beverage products such as protein shakes and bars, bread and barley milk.

Evergrain’s flagship product, EverPro, is Wilks’ Phyta Protein base—with ancient, soil-regenerating lupine beans—and represents a full-circle moment for elite athletes.

“In my own search for the best diet for athletic performance, I discovered that Roman gladiators were commonly known as ‘horderi’ (Latin barley men) because their diet centered on barley and beans,” says Wilkes.

“As our sports nutritionists and food scientists tested hundreds of ingredients and combinations, we found EverPro, a highly sustainable protein made from upcycled barley, turned out to be the most soluble and digestible plant-source protein of its kind,” He said.

And using this ingredient instead of milk proteins such as whey also has environmental benefits.

“EverPro is not only better for the planet than other proteins – 20 times more sustainable than whey – it’s American-made and processed in a world-class facility approved for infant formula production, meeting the highest quality standards,” says Wilks. “So both the material and the partnership were a great fit.”

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New Fyta Plant Protein is available in three flavors: Café Latte, Caramel Vanilla, and Creamy Chocolate. Which one does Wilks like best? “My favorite is creamy chocolate, which makes my morning coffee taste like mocha.”

In addition to Fyta, Ab InBev works with other companies—such as vegan protein company Planetarians and The Every Company—to repurpose its byproducts to make beer brewing more sustainable.

And AB InBev isn’t the only beer giant looking to make its business more sustainable by repurposing its beer byproducts into vegan products. Molson Coors, parent of competitor Coors, also ventured into the profitable plant-based milk business last year by launching Golden Wing, a multi-vegan milk made with the same barley used for beer.

Game changer The sequel

Wilks’ new Fyta brand is the latest way he’s changing the sports nutrition game. What next? Its sequel Game changer Thanks to The Springhill Company, a production company owned by sports-marketing expert Maverick Carter and NBA legend LeBron James.

Both Maverick and James will join the original cast of elite athletes, including Wilkes, where the first film left off, building on the message that animal products are not necessary for optimal athletic performance.

“One of the biggest takeaways from the film is that animals are intermediaries for protein that we can get directly from the source: plants,” says Wilks.

“Plant protein is not only great for athletic performance and human health, it’s also great for the planet,” he says.