Brothers Asim and Qasim Khan, both Marquette alumni, recently created an all-natural health drink now being sold online and at Beans & Barley.
The product, called ZYN, will be sold in over 350 retailers including Sendik’s, Hy-Vee, and Good Harvest in the coming months, Asim Kahn said, and maybe in Marquette dining halls one day.
The drink comes in four different flavors: lemon ginger, mixed berry, mango lychee and pomegranate cranberry. ZYN, which comes from the Hindi word Zindagi meaning life, contains curcumin, its staple ingredient.
“We are really excited about the health benefits,” Asim said.
Curcumin is one of the most important bio-active ingredients in the super-root Turmeric, which is known for its widespread healing powers, according to the company website. The healing properties of curcumin work to combat things like digestive diseases, chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer’s, depression, arthritis and joint pain.
“All of (their) drinks contain simple, all natural ingredients,” the company website said.
The brothers, who are originally from Pakistan, were inspired two years ago when visiting family in their home country. Their aunt wrapped their father’s foot in a turmeric and olive oil paste when their father was suffering from severe diabetic nerve pain.
Within an hour, their father’s pain had completely subsided. The entrepreneurial-minded brothers knew they wanted to provide natural remedies to a larger population.
After the Khan brothers came up with their business idea, they began formulating and experimenting with flavors and recipes.
The company would eventually like to expand to other all-natural products using the same powerful yet simple ingredients, Asim said. He said they are looking into lotions and cosmetics as possible future products.
Beans & Barley, a Milwaukee cafe and organic market, started selling their products about two weeks ago, Beans & Barley manager Brandon Nacke said.
“Like all new products, sales tend to start slower, but it’s been picking up in the past few days,” Nacke said. “We just put in a new order for one more case of each flavor.”
ZYN has been recognized by the National Minority Supplier Development Council and is a pending corporation to be B Corps certified. To be certified, ZYN must meet “rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency,” according to the B Corps website.
“We are driven by the desire to do good,” Asim said.
After about a year of development and a 250-people taste test, they created their final four flavors, which went to market in November 2017.
“It’s pretty good,” Nacke said. “Kind of reminds me of a better quality Powerade.”
When they attended Marquette, the brothers were both students in the College of Business Administration, majoring in accounting and finance, and they now act as a beam of hope to some students.
“It’s so promising to see former members of the business school going on to start their own businesses and be successful,” Jack Blum, a freshman in the College of Business Administration said.
Asmin said he would encourage current students to follow his same path.
“If you have any entrepreneurial interest, do it when you’re young … and don’t let failure hold you back,” Asim said.