The company, established in 2011, launched its flagship product to support heart health and healthy ageing, following the personal health journey of founder Daithi O’Connor.
It initially focused on providing one comprehensive powdered formula with 26 synergistic ingredients, which aimed to simplify consumer health routines by promoting a ‘one and done’ approach, Nicola Sainty, business relationship manager, told NutraIngredients.
“The combination of vitamin D3 and K2 works synergistically to place calcium in the correct locations; CoQ10 supports heart health; and antioxidants enhance endurance and sustain blood flow,” she said.
Since the launch of the inaugural product, the company has become the leading supplement brand in Ireland with an 18.4% market share according to a Euromonitor Passport report on Consumer Health National Statistic (September 2023) she added, something she credits to the brand's evolution to ‘make therapeutic supplements accessible to all demographics’.
A range for the family
The company now offers nine ‘just add water’ products, designed for both optimal absorption and convenience.
Zest Active, a take on Revive Active, is a product designed for a younger demographic, offering an energy boost without CoQ10 for those who do not require the specific heart and muscle support it provides.
“Removing CoQ10 significantly lowers the formulation cost, and it has become a product for busy professionals, students and shift workers,” Sainty explained.
Joint Complex has become the company’s UK best seller, containing ingredients to support cartilage, connective tissue, bone health and muscle function.
“The challenge lies in raising awareness and distinguishing quality products in a crowded market,” Sainty noted, explaining that partnering with brand ambassadors such as Liverpool Women’s FC captain Niamh Fahey, Olympic runner Eilish McColgan and holistic health TV and radio presenter Jeff Brazier, has highlighted the brand’s competitive edge.
Junior Revive is tailored to the specific needs of children between the ages of 4 and 12 years, aiming to support bone health, brain function, immunity, and teeth and gum health. The only unflavored product in the range, this was designed with versatility in mind so it can be mixed with any drink or food, catering to children's changing preferences and parents' concerns about meeting their children’s nutritional requirements, Sainty explained.
Targeting 13- to 18-year-olds, Teen Revive is designed to support energy and immunity, addressing parents' concerns about their children's well-being during this crucial stage of development for the time and when parental influence is still significant, Sainty noted.
And the newest in the range is Meno Active, a formula designed to address the needs of perimenopausal and menopausal women.
“Recognizing a market gap and the need for a specialized menopause product, we aimed to target symptoms like brain fog, incorporating omega-3 DHA and specific strains of bacteria,” she explained.
The main challenge when developing the product lay in including an efficacious quantity of each ingredient, which led to a combined capsule and powder formula.
“The capsule addition allowed us to provide effective supplementation of all the ingredients, as well as offering some flexibility in usage—it has been designed that the capsule can be taken day or night, depending on the consumer’s need,” Sainty noted.
Growth and development
The brand has shown steady growth since its launch, something that Sainty credits in part to its range of marketing and retailing strategies.
Revive Active recently announced a partnership with WHSmith travel and will be appearing in airports across the UK to promote its ‘perfectly portioned sachets’, which make traveling with supplements considerably easier, Sainty noted.
But the company also employs a very hands-on and ‘old-school’ approach to consumer engagement, Sainty added. “We ran a six-month trial in 32 Holland & Barrett stores across the UK, in which we went in to store to offer samples of the products," she said. "Due to the success of that trial and our uplift in sales and the obvious consumer demand, we've now extended that to 104 stores."
The hands-on interaction with customers "brings the products to life", Sainty added, noting that direct engagement not only gathers valuable feedback but also allows potential customers to experience the product firsthand, enhancing their understanding and appreciation.