Earlier this month, all-natural supplements brand Natural Nutrients opened the doors to its new venture, a health shop and shake bar on the Drum Industrial Estate in Chester-Le-Street.
The move follows the announcement in August of a £125k investment from the Finance for Business North East Proof of Concept Fund, managed by Northstar Ventures, which enabled the company to open the store at the front of its existing factory premises.
The shop provides takeaway shakes and smoothies, as well as the company’s full range of nutritional products, and was officially opened by fitness entrepreneur and TV presenter Katie Bulmer-Cooke.
Founder of Natural Nutrients, personal trainer and nutritionist Liam Sherriff, commented: “I began Natural Nutrients after becoming frustrated at the lack of natural products available for my clients to take. I would see clients working really hard to exercise and eat healthily, only to end up taking supplements that contained artificial sweeteners or bulking agents.
“Now we have a range of all-natural products, the next step was to provide customers with a place they can come and not only buy their ‘super shakes’, minerals and vitamins, but where they can also ask qualified nutritionists for advice, free of charge. At Natural Nutrients we want everyone to be able to access quality products and nutritional advice easily.”
Sherriff adds: “The opening went really well and we got very good feedback, so we’re happy. After only a few days we’ve already got regular customers. It’s only a small shop but it’s a great testing ground for us and could pave the way for a longer term change of business direction further down the line. The plan with the shop was to test it first because we’re bringing three concepts together really – the nutritionists, the shakes and smoothies and the supplements – which isn’t really being done anywhere else, so if it does well then we would look to the High Street.”
Natural Nutrients is proactively looking to work with new businesses and stockists. The brand will be listed with wholesaler Tree of Life from November.
