Packaging a punch

Praised and revered all over the world, Muhammad Ali remains one of the most prominent figures of the 20th century, a boxing legend in his own right. Always a fighter, neither retirement nor his battle with Parkinson's disease has kept Muhammad down for long.

Since stepping away from the boxing ring, Ali has been active in humanitarian efforts around the world, and now he has come to Tech with a little something called G.O.A.T.

G.O.A.T., which stands for "greatest of all time" in reference to Ali's self-proclamation during his 1964 boxing rounds against Sonny Liston, is Ali's newly developed, healthy snack food brand.

Why and how did G.O.A.T. come about?

In his heyday as a world-renowned boxer, one of the benefits that Ali encountered as reigning champion was a slew of skilled chefs and nutritionists that helped him stay fit.

As such, nutrition played an important part in Ali's life, which later inspired him to create G.O.A.T. Ali developed the healthy snacks alongside co-brand inventor Peter Arnell.

G.O.A.T. was launched this year on five different campuses, Tech being one of them, on Ali's 65th birthday, Jan. 17.

Everything about G.O.A.T. snack products, from the flavor names to the packaging shape, incorporates a boxing theme in connection with Ali's past as a legendary boxer.

Currently, the snack foods come in three varieties: Rumble, Shuffle and Jabs, which are described as fruit bars, energy crunch and energy crisps, respectively.

Each of these varieties have their own flavors, which are given boxing-related names like "thrill-a dill-a," a dill-flavored snack whose name is a reference to an intense match between Ali and Joe Frazier in 1975. The match was aptly dubbed the "Thrilla in Manilla."

Other flavors include "holy guacamole," "big bad bbq," "slammin' salsa" and "hot picnic chik."

In addition to these bold names and titles, G.O.A.T. brand foods also offer a variety of essential minerals and nutrients, including vitamins A, C, D, E, calcium, potassium and iron-up to a quarter or almost a third of the normal daily recommended intake of these in some cases. The snacks are low on sodium and high in carbohydrates and proteins to keep bodies energized.

"Basically the foods are great foods, but you don't feel like you're eating something healthy. I guess the best way to put it is: bad foods gone good," said Miya Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali and G.O.A.T. account manager.

According to Miya, promoting healthy eating is one of the things that her father wanted to do, because eating smart was an important part of his success as a sportsman. Ali believed that foods with better nutrition for the mind and body would empower young adults.

Students at Tech can find G.O.A.T. products at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Tech Square. Prices for these snacks range from $1.99 for regular-sized pouches of all three varieties to $2.99 for larger sizes of Jabs.

"I think it tastes good, although the price is a little steep," said Blake Israel, a fourth-year Computer Science major, after munching on a pouch of "thrill-a dill-a" flavored Shuffle.

For Israel, the cost of the snack could be a reason to pursue an alternative meal option.

"Two dollars for the snack plus more if you want a drink. You might end up spending four bucks on your snack, so why not just go down to Junior's and get a burger basket for a dollar more?" Israel said.

Other students appreciate the nutritional value of the snack.

According to Vincent Palacios, a sixth-year International Affairs and Economics double major who is also a regular Odwalla customer, G.O.A.T. scores pretty high nutrition-wise.

"It's a great snack. It's a healthy snack, but it's not as filling as a protein bar. For an on-the-go snack between classes...it's something that I would consider now that I know about it," Palacios said.

To Palacios, the ingredients in G.O.A.T snacks are fairly healthy, lacking the usual high fructose corn syrups and partially hydrogenated substances that pervade the food industry nowadays.

This healthy content is a key reason why he chooses the snack over others.

"You'll have to try it and see for yourself. It's a great brand. There's nothing else like it out there right now," Miya said.

For more information, check out www.goatfood.com.