Hertfordshire-based VOW Nutrition, which has accessed workspace and business support through Oxford Innovation Space to help accelerate its growth, is helping to fuel the ambitions of Team GB at the Paris Olympics and showcase British innovation on a global stage.
The sports nutrition brand, which is based at the state-of-the-art Theobalds Enterprise Centre in Cheshunt, is an Official Nutrition Licensee for Team GB. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the company’s journey, which started in 2019 in a room no bigger than a broom cupboard. With its commitment to quality, innovation and sustainability, the company is growing quickly both nationally and internationally – selling products in 12 countries to date.
Founded by champion bodybuilder Simon Stevens, VOW Nutrition has quickly built a reputation as a trusted provider of top-quality, batch-tested, and Informed Sport Accredited* nutrition supplements. The company’s range of products are now available in major retail chains including over 750 Holland & Barrett stores and over 1,400 Boots stores as well as Ireland’s leading retail company, Musgrave. In collaboration with Team GB, the company has additionally launched a new collection of official accessories including co-branded shakers and water bottles that work seamlessly with its nutrition products.
Simon Stevens, CEO of VOW Nutrition, explains: “We are immensely proud to collaborate with Team GB. From our creatine chews to amino acid supplements and carbonated protein drinks, all our products are made in Great Britain to the highest standards of safety, and meticulously crafted to meet the needs of elite athletes. We have ambassador partnerships with swimmer Matt Richards, canoeing sensation Joe Clarke and sprinter Daryll Neita as well as the GB Rugby Sevens teams, so we’ve been eagerly watching as they make their bids for Olympic medals.”
Something of a home-grown talent himself, Simon grew up in Broxbourne and came up with the idea for the business following his own personal fitness journey. A former athlete, Simon was ranked seventh in the UK for the 200 metres before injuries led him to swap sprinting for bodybuilding. Aged 30, he entered competitive bodybuilding and set his sights on winning a title. Seven years later he won the British Drug-Free Bodybuilding Championship. As part of his training regime, Simon educated himself on nutrition. He made his own products and realised that if he knew as much about nutrition when he was a sprinter, it could have made a big difference.
VOW Nutrition was the first business to sign-up for an office in Theobalds Enterprise Centre, which is managed by Oxford Innovation Space on behalf of Broxbourne Borough Council. Opened in autumn 2023, the centre is a vibrant hub for creative, tech and life science businesses in the region.
“I began making products I wanted and needed that weren’t available on the market,” explains Simon. “For instance, if you take creatine with dextrose it becomes more effective, so I decided to make it into a convenient chew so there is no need to mix powders. I then set out to make a range of innovative products that were effective, tasted good and were affordable for everyone not just elite athletes.”
Commenting on the benefits of being located at the centre, Simon Stevens enthuses: “I have been really impressed with Oxford Innovation Space, the team have been absolutely fantastic. I’ve been located in business centres before I started VOW Nutrition, but I’ve never experienced the level of support I’ve received at the Theobalds Centre.
“As a business owner you have a lot of stress, but the team at the centre understand the pressures you’re under and they go out of their way to help. For example, they’ve connected us to relevant contacts, helped me develop a phased growth strategy and researched funding options to support us as we scale-up. They are a great sounding board and an extra pair of hands.”
The company’s rigorously tested and certified sports supplements are not just growing in popularity with Olympic stars. They are also being used by premier league football teams and English rugby teams as well as health-conscious consumers seeking low-sugar protein powders, drinks, chews and snacks. At the other end of the spectrum, VOW Nutrition has begun working with the NHS to support patients over 60 who have muscle wastage. The company’s products are currently involved in trials, which could help elderly patients recover quicker from operations.
Simon continues: “It is rewarding to think that we’ve created products that could help aid someone’s recovery from an operation and improve their overall health as well as help an elite athlete reach their optimum fitness to win an Olympic medal.”
“I had a vision for this business when I started out and I’m on the way to realising it with the help of Oxford Innovation Space. Over the next 12 months, I aim to expand the VOW team and our global distribution. Our products are currently sold in 12 countries and the aim is to increase this to 20 countries.”
VOW Nutrition is certainly going from strength to strength. As well as launching in China and Dubai this year, the business is also about to unveil a cola flavour of its Sparklean high protein sparkling drink, which is specifically designed to support muscle growth, repair and recovery.
Julie Creffield, Innovation Director at Oxford Innovation Space, adds: “VOW Nutrition has achieved so much in four years and still has huge growth potential. At Oxford Innovation Space, we go above and beyond to help business owners realise their vision because, in turn, these businesses help create job opportunities and drive local economic growth. Entrepreneurs like Simon are great ambassadors for British business and innovation, but just like athletes it is important they have access to the right support and environments to help them achieve their potential.”
* Informed Sport certification means every single batch of a product is tested prior to being sold. Supplement products are tested by LGC’s world-class anti-doping laboratory for contamination against a broad range of banned substances in sport.
For more information on Broxbourne Enterprise Centres, visit www.broxbourneec.co.uk
