“Zest” for life? Revive Active launches health supplement for young adults’ wellness

20 Mar 2019 --- Nutritionals manufacturer Revive Active has launched a supplement that targets the health and wellness of young adults. Zest Active is touted as promoting natural energy, brain function, recovery from exercise, as well as boosting the immune system due to the use of Kerry’s Wellmune beta-glucan ingredient. Available in powder form, Zest Active boasts zero sugar, zero caffeine and no artificial colorings. Already available throughout Ireland, the supplement is expected to be released in the US this September.

“When looking at people who are in college or are working late, or who may be struggling with exams and need energy, we believe this is the product for them. It is a natural alternative, which gives energy and mental clarity, as well as promoting muscle recovery and protecting the immune system,” Dáithí O’Connor, Founder and Managing Director of Revive Active Products, tells NutritionInsight.

“We do not use any fillers, binders, caffeine, stimulants, sugar and anything of the sort. Revive Active’s flagship product has 26 active ingredients. What we looked at, that nobody else is doing, is using coenzyme Q10 which boosts heart health, as well as magnesium and taurine,” O’Connor explains.

Teen ReviveThe product’s long list of active ingredients includes Kerry’s Wellmune Beta-glucan, a powerful immune support nutrient. In addition, the supplement contains amino acids including L-glutamine and lysine, which also promote immunity, as well as muscle recovery. Energy boosting taurine, biotin and vitamin B12, which promote the nervous system are also included. Lastly, mental performance is supported with the addition of choline, vitamin 3 and L-theanine.

Zest Active also contains vitamin C, which contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism as well as maintaining the normal function of the immune system during and after intense physical exercise. Pantothenic acid is another addition, which contributes to normal mental performance and magnesium which contributes to normal muscle function. 

As far as delivery is concerned, the supplement comes in powder form and can be simply mixed with water. The company feels that this way of delivery is the most efficient and sustainable for busy young adults. “It has an orange flavor and is very palatable,” O’Connor says.

“The alternative of tablets is just not feasible. We have a customer base that takes Revive Active every morning, they just mix it with water, which is a convenient way to consume it,” he notes.

Revive Active, founded in 2011 by O’Connor, has created supplements for almost every life stage. The Revive Active supplements portfolio includes Junior Revive, suitable for children aged 5 to 12, and Teen Revive, suitable for 13 to 19-year-olds. These supplements are also administered in a powder form, but in this case, it is flavorless. According to O’Connor, this is because children change their preferences and the company wanted to create something that parents can add to a child’s favorite juice or its cereal, for example. 

Dáithí O’Connor, Founder and Managing Director of Revive Active Products at Kerry's recent Wellness Conference in Naas.Junior Revive and Teen Revive both contain five fruit and vegetable powders including chicory prebiotic fiber and 18 essential minerals and vitamins including BC30 probiotic fiber and choline that boosts brain function.

Junior Revive“Parents want to make sure that their children are getting something nutritious every day. Junior Revive protects their immune system and helps with brain development and bone development and you can add the supplement into anything. How it is administered is very important for successful delivery,” O’Connor concludes.

As with Zest Active, Junior Revive and Teen Revive also include Kerry’s Wellmune ingredient. Wellmune’s health halo keeps expanding as studies explore its potential benefits. Recently, a study found that consuming beverages fortified with the yeast beta-glucan ingredient can reduce the severity and impact of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms associated with intense exercise stress. 

In addition to physical health, consumers are increasingly interested in boosting mental health as well. Food and beverage brands are tapping into this need with “feel good” language, brain health claims and “guilt-free” messaging. There is a renewed interest in active ingredients that can benefit the mood, such as omega 3, GABA and gingko biloba. 

The rising interest in the role that nutrition can play in day to day is not only about physical but also emotional wellbeing, whether in terms of mood, comfort or a clear mind. An Innova Market Insights Consumer Lifestyle and Attitudes Survey (2018) found that eight out of ten consumers agreed that mental health is as important as physical health to their overall wellbeing, rising to nine out of ten respondents in China, the US and Brazil. This was found across all markets surveyed: US, UK, Germany, France, Brazil and China.