Start-up firm Elivar moves up a gear in nutrition field

Inspired by a surge in the number of older people taking up sports including cycling and running, Elivar duo Donal Hanrahan and len Dunne are leading the way in nutritional products for older athletes, writes Trish Dromey

LEADING the field in the development of sports nutrition products for the over 35s, Dublin company Elivar is actively pursuing export opportunities in the UK and Europe.

The start-up company came into being when company co-founder and CEO Donal Hanrahan realised that despite the huge surge in interest in health and fitness in recent years, there were no sports nutrition products on the market which had been specifically tailored for people over 35.

“Most of the products on the market offer the wrong proteins and too much sugar for people in an older age group. They are suitable for younger athletes and body builders. Our bodies change as we age, so should our nutrition.”

A civil engineer, who rowed full time in his 20s, he was working in the telecoms industry in 2011 when he had a brainwave in a French village during the amateur event at Tour de France. “I was surrounded by 10,000 cyclists riding expensive bicycles and wearing expensive gear whose average age was 42. I thought there must be a business in this.”

Discovering that there had been a significant increase in the participation of 35- to 55-year-olds in cycling and other sports such as triathlons, running, and adventure racing, he decided this was a marketing opportunity worth exploring.

He talked to friend and former rower Len Dunne who had previously worked in marketing and brand development for Budweiser and Hasbro. “We looked at developing both a product and also a brand. As a former rower and a consumer I knew what I wanted in terms of sugars, minerals, and vitamins and Len knew about brands.’’

Setting up the company at the Guinness Enterprise Centre in Dublin in July 2012, they started researching the issues, looking at studies and talking to sports nutritionists and food scientists. “We had to source and blend ingredients, and produce a product with the taste and texture that people would enjoy, this took 18 months,” says Mr Hanrahan.

During this time the company enrolled in the Foodworks programme backed by Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia, and Teagasc which provided them with a grounding in the food industry. The following year, Elivar received further support from Enterprise Ireland when it joined the High Potential Start Up programme.

The company produced three products, Prepare, to be taken before endurance sessions, Endure for during, and Recover for after. Once these had been finalised and tested, Elivar found a food company in Navan to produce them under contract. Starting with a soft launch on the internet in August, the company tested the market and got feedback. Raising €700,000 in funding at the end of the year allowed the company to step up a gear and take on two employees.

Elivar has now signed three distribution deals including one with Wholefoods, which supplies the health food and pharmacy sectors in Ireland and two others with UK-based companies. Using Facebook and Twitter to develop brand recognition, Elivar is now working with distributors with the aim of gaining entry into some of the large retail stores selling sports nutrition products.

Up until now sales have predominantly been online but Elivar is aiming to see its products become widely available in retail outlets.

Elivar has already had discussions with a distributor in Holland and plans to work on developing sales in Europe in 2015 once it has gained a firm foothold in the Irish and UK markets.

Long term, the US, which is one of the world’s largest consumer of sports nutrition products is also seen as a market to be explored. Mr Hanrahan sees massive opportunities for export and says the company may consider the option of selling internationally through partnerships.

The €700,000 in funding raised from Enterprise Ireland, private investors, and HBAN food syndicate is being used to develop sales in Ireland and the UK.

Elivar plans to raise further funding later in the year in order to export into northern Europe including Holland and Germany.

Although the company is just starting out, Mr Hanrahan has very ambitious plans. “Our aim is to own this category and be the sports nutrition brand for this age group across all sports.’’

Profile

* Company: Elivar.

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* Location: Guinness Enterprise Centre, Dublin.

* Directors: Donal Hanrahan and Len Dunne.

* Staff: Four.

* Business: Develops and markets sports nutrition products.

* Markets: Ireland and UK.

* Website: www.elivar.com