Ultimate Guide - Lecka
What Is Lecka?
Lecka is a real-food sports nutrition brand founded in 2022 by Markus Gnirck, a German-born ultra-runner. The idea took shape while Markus was training for 100-mile races in the highlands of central Vietnam during COVID lockdowns, and grew out of a simple frustration of fuelling with artificial sports nutrition for three-to-six-hour training runs. Working with a local trail-running testing community, he set out to build fuel from real, minimally processed ingredients instead of the maltodextrin and glucose blends most gels are built on ¹,².
Lecka’s core value is high-quality products that respect athletes, support local farmers, and protect the environment. This philosophy shows up in how the products are made. Lecka’s bars go from harvest to packaging in around three weeks, and its gels are processed within just 18 hours of the fruit being picked – a genuinely fast farm-to-gel turnaround designed to preserve real flavour and cut back on the gut issues that conventional gels can cause ². The range is built around fruit purées (mango, pineapple, banana, passionfruit), brown rice syrup or cane sugar and tapioca syrup for carbohydrate, and basil seeds – often described as “the chia seed of Asia” – for texture, alongside a light electrolyte blend ².
Where Is Lecka Based?
Lecka is headquartered in Singapore, with its ingredients sourced and much of its product development still rooted in Vietnam, where the brand was founded ¹. It has grown from its original Southeast Asian testing ground into a genuinely international brand, now distributed across Vietnam, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Germany, with a growing presence in the US and Australia ¹.
Is Lecka A Good Brand?
Absolutely - Lecka has carved out a clear point of difference in a crowded gel market. What stands out about the brand:
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A genuine real-food formulation for all energy bars + Kumquat Honey and Lime Ginger gels ².
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A fast farm-to-gel process (as little as 18 hours from harvest for gels) aimed at better flavour and easier digestion ².
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A genuine ultra-distance option (Ultra Gel) alongside its standard gels, bars and a caffeinated Coffee Cacao gel – a genuinely broad range for a young brand ⁴,⁵
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Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free across most of the range, and third-party lab tested for nutritional content and microbial safety
For athletes who get gut discomfort from traditional maltodextrin-based gels, or who simply want something that tastes and digests like real food, Lecka is a genuinely credible and increasingly well-regarded choice.
Our Favourite Lecka Products
Key Features → 27g of carbohydrate per gel derived from whole food - no maltodextrin
→ 105mg sodium, 60mg potassium and 7mg magnesium per gel
→ Made with Honey, Tapioca Syrup and Lime
→ Caffeine-free
→ Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free, with no artificial ingredients
Who It’s For → Endurance runners, cyclists and racers who want a real-food gel for efforts over an hour, including vegan, gluten-free and nut-free athletes.
How To Use → Consume 1 gel every 30-45 minutes during endurance exercise lasting longer than 60 minutes. Tear open and take directly from the sachet – no water required, though hydration is still recommended.
Key Features
→ 60g of carbohydrate
→ 450mg sodium and 234mg potassium per gel, built for genuinely long efforts
→ No artificial flavours, sweeteners or unnecessary fillers
→ One Ultra Gel replaces 2-3 standard gels, so athletes carry less
→ Vegan and gluten-free
Who It’s For → Ultra-distance athletes - think 100km+ trail races, Ironman-distance triathlons and long-distance cycling (6+ hours) - or anyone who’d rather carry fewer, more concentrated gels on long days out.
How To Use → Consume over 2-3 mouthfuls rather than all at once, and follow with water or an electrolyte drink. Take one Ultra Gel every 45-60 minutes; not recommended for efforts under 2.5 hours.
Lecka Energy Gel – Coffee Cacao (with caffeine)
Key Features
→ 22g of carbohydrate and 80mg of natural caffeine per gel, from 2% locally grown robusta coffee plus added caffeine – about the same as a small espresso
→ 120mg sodium, 89mg potassium and 21mg magnesium per gel – the highest sodium in the Lecka Energy Gel range
→ Made with real cacao powder (7%) and pumpkin seed butter for a genuinely food-like taste
→ Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free
Who It’s For → Endurance athletes who want a caffeine and mental-focus lift late in a race or hard session. Not recommended for pregnant or nursing women, children, or athletes sensitive to caffeine.
How To Use →Take 30-60 minutes before an intense effort, or during the second half of an endurance event. Tear open and consume directly. Take no more than 2 caffeinated gels per session (160mg caffeine total).
Key Features
→ 21-27g of carbohydrate made on whole foods and safe for youth athletes
→ High electrolyte bars
→ Vegan and gluten-free, with no artificial sweeteners
Who It’s For → All athletes or active people who want a real-food, solid-fuel option for lower-intensity sections of longer events, or fuelling in the lead-up to activity. Can also be used as an everyday snack option.
How To Use → Eat 15-30 minutes before activity, or during lower-intensity sections of a long event. Can also be used as a mid meal snack to top up energy stores.
Final Thoughts
Lecka suits athletes who want their fuel to actually taste and digest like food - without giving up the carbohydrate and electrolyte numbers that endurance sport demands. With a genuinely fast farm-to-gel process, a maltodextrin-free formulation across the range, and options stretching from an everyday gel and bar through to a purpose-built Ultra Gel and a caffeinated Coffee Cacao option, Lecka is a strong pick for athletes managing gut sensitivity or simply after a more natural-tasting alternative to traditional gels.
References
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Nutra Ingredients. Blazing an energy trail: Sports nutrition brand Lecka doubles down on endurance focus [Internet]. 30 May 2024. Available from: https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2024/05/30/sports-nutrition-brand-lecka-doubles-down-on-endurance-focus/
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Garage Grown Gear. Lecka Nutrition: Farm to Gel Nutrition from Southeast Asia [Internet]. Available from: https://www.garagegrowngear.com/blogs/brand-bios/lecka-nutrition-farm-to-gel-nutrition-from-southeast-asia
Disclaimer:
The content in this blog is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always speak with your doctor or allied health team before changing your diet, exercise, or taking supplements, especially if you have a health condition or take medication. Please use this information as a guide only. Aid Station doesn’t take responsibility for individual outcomes.
