Three men set up nutrition business to fulfill their dream (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Rise in sports nutrition creates new jobs in Runcorn

5:40pm Sunday 20th January 2013 in News By Barbara Jordan

THE growing quest to keep fit has motivated three men to fulfil their dream.

Three former directors of the UK’s largest sports nutrition companies have set up their own protein supplements business in Runcorn.

The Protein Works has created eight jobs, expected to grow to 20 by the end of the year.

The company already manufactures more than 45 product lines at premises in Manor Park and sells them online across the UK and Europe, in a deal funded by Yorkshire Bank.

They ship supplements to Spain, Italy, France, and Germany.

Director Mark Coxhead, aged 42, from Tarporley, who specialises in marketing and branding, said: “We have a lot of experience and know what we want to achieve.

“We’ve invested in a manufacturing plant ourselves and sell direct via our website so we can keep costs down and pass savings onto our customers.”

Mark and his colleagues, Nick Smith, aged 41, from Manchester, whose expertise lies in operations and logistics, and Karl Jacobie, aged 48, from The Wirral, who looks after commercial management and product innovation, were previously directors at Myprotein.com and helped the Manchester online sports nutrition brand become the biggest in Europe.

Mark said: “This market has grown rapidly over the last few years. It used to be health conscious males and body buildilng, but now it’s for anyone who wants to get in shape and tone up.

“10 to 15 per cent of our customers are women, we’ve got teenagers who want to look good and guys who want to get back in shape.

“We’re relishing the challenge to take on the world.

“We’ve got so many ideas of things we want to do.”