Health is wealth
Health-conscious families are driving a revolution in frozen food, with cleaner, more nutritious meals becoming the new standard. ShelfLife reports
Print20 August 2025
Parents are increasingly prioritising nutritious meals for their families as awareness around the importance of a balanced diet continues to grow. This shift reflects a broader societal move towards healthier living, driven by both personal well-being and concern for long-term health outcomes.
Fortunately, healthy food options are now more accessible and affordable than ever before, making it easier for families to make better choices without compromising on convenience or budget. One of the most noticeable transformations is in the frozen food aisle, which has undergone a significant evolution.
Where once it was dominated by heavily processed, high-fat options, it now features a wide range of cleaner, high-quality meals crafted with natural ingredients and fewer additives. These meals often boast reduced levels of sugar, fat, and salt, making them more appealing to health-conscious consumers. In response to growing demand, food manufacturers are actively reformulating their products to meet modern health standards, demonstrating a commitment to transparency, nutrition, and overall product improvement.
Activia: Delicious Yogurt, Healthy Gut
Over the past year, we have focused on developing new and improved dairy offerings as the #1 yoghurt brand Activia, offering functional support in terms of gut health¹ for Irish consumers. This reflects Activia’s desire to be a trusted choice for families and individuals looking for healthier options that don’t compromise on taste.
Made with only carefully selected fruits along with billions of live cultures. Then fermented for 8 hours so our unique blend of 5 ferments have time to do their work. Helping to create a smooth and creamy yogurt that’s irresistible. At Activia we’ve always been passionate about gut health1 with a wide range of options to choose from, so whether it’s our delicious fruit range, our smooth and creamy no added sugars2, 0% fat yogurt or our Fibre Breakfast range why not start your day with Activia.
Activia contains calcium, which contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes. Enjoy as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. 2Contains naturally occurring sugars.
Ireland’s first live probiotic soda by All About to be distributed by GDK
Galway based drinks brand All About has just launched a new range of live probiotic sodas in three refreshing flavours: Lemon, Blood Orange and Tropical. They are to be distributed across Northern Ireland and parts of the Republic with Co. Down-based GDK Drinks.
Made with real fruit, organic ingredients; The Live sodas contain more than 1 billion live cultures per can; they’re handmade in Galway and seriously good for your gut. It’s an uncompromising drink with all the health benefits.
Since 2017, two best friends; Emmett Kerrigan and Keith Loftus have been handcrafting unpasteurised, Live, and organic kombucha; brewed with care in Galway.
A growth in demand for gut-friendly drinks led them to develop the soda range, which unlike kombuchas, don’t need to be refrigerated.
“We wanted to have a feel-good Live soda option with real fruit and probiotics that is good on the palate and good on the gut” says All About co-founder, Keith Loftus.
“We are thankful for InterTrade Ireland’s assistance in cross-border trade through their Trade Export Pathway programme and consultant Barbara Collins from The Good China Set.”
“We are delighted at GDK to be launching these drinks to our retail and hospitality customers” says GDK director, Philip Russell.
“I am fully convinced that the low-sugar, gut-friendly trend is set to grow and grow.”
Established in 2009, GDK Drinks is based in Warrenpoint, Co. Down. It is a leading supplier of several drinks and confectionery brands including Papas Minerals, several craft beers and Manhattan Keogh’s Crisps and Popcorn.
Organic snacks meet growing health-conscious demand
Carmen Ferguson, brand manager at Windmill Organics: “It’s clear the pandemic made people more health conscious and the food and drink you consume is obviously a big part of that. When you add in the increased understanding about the potential long term health impacts of consuming too much ultra processed food, it’s no surprise that many families want heathier, natural foods without chemical additives, so organic is the natural choice. As one of the first organic companies in Ireland, Biona is a family-run business with over 40 years’ experience supplying Irish and international retail partners. All the products in our range, of which there are over 270, are naturally grown on organic farms without the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides.”
“This increased desire for healthier eating has certainly impacted the snacking category with many consumers wishing to make more healthier choices in between meals. This may not be just a healthier version of their old snack but considering new snacks altogether and retailers can play their part by promoting these healthier snacks in-store and making them more visible at fixture too. But, even within healthier snacking, consumers still desire something that feels indulgent and tastes delicious, so brands that tick all those boxes are well-placed to flourish.”
“Whilst many consumers are looking to avoid sugary snacks as a priority, increasingly they are also becoming aware of ultra processed foods too, so appeal to them by stocking a good selection of healthier snacks such as Biona’s rice cakes, corn cakes or lightly salted potato chips. It’s also worth bearing in mind that while there are certain times of the year when healthy living is higher up people’s agenda, such as in January, in reality this is not a short-lived phase but something that many consumers now wish to do all year round.”
Huel becomes Ireland’s no.1 complete nutrition drink in just one year
Huel range
Huel, the delicious ready-to-drink nutritionally complete meal in a bottle, is proud to announce a major milestone. One year after launching in Ireland, Huel has officially become the no.1 complete nutrition drink in the country.
With its simple, powerful mission to make nutrition easy, affordable, and sustainable, Huel has quickly earned a place in the daily lives of busy, Irish consumers. The brand’s rapid rise reflects a growing appetite for nutritious, on-the-go options that don’t compromise on taste, health, or values.
Huel (short for Human + Fuel) is a nutritionally complete meal – every bottle delivers a perfectly balanced mix of 26 essential vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein, essential fats, carbs, fibre, and phytonutrients – all made from plant-based, sustainable ingredients like oats, peas, flaxseed, coconut, and sunflower. It’s naturally lactose-free and gluten-free, making it accessible to a wide range of dietary needs.
Each 400-calorie bottle offers slow-release complex carbohydrates to keep you energised and feeling full – ideal for a busy lifestyle.
Huel Ready-to-drink has a deliciously smooth texture, and it currently comes in five satisfying flavours:
Chocolate
Vanilla
Berry
Banana
Iced Coffee Caramel
Whether you’re rushing out the door, between meetings, or on a road trip, Huel is the smarter alternative to skipping meals or reaching for fast food. No prep, no mess – just shake, open, and go.
Huel isn’t just food – it’s a movement towards a more balanced, convenient, and sustainable way of eating.
A NU kind of energy: Ireland’s first guayusa-powered energy drink
Natural Energy For Focus & Mood
Forget coffee crashes and synthetic energy buzz—there’s a NU way to energise your day. An Irish start-up is shaking up the energy drink market with a plant-powered, gut-friendly and mood-lifting drink that’s rooted in ancient Amazonian tradition and crafted in Ireland.
Introducing NU: Ireland’s first ready-to-drink energy infusion made with guayusa (pronounced: “gwhy-you-sah”)—an antioxidant-rich leaf from the Ecuadorian rainforest known for delivering smooth, jitter-free energy, improved focus, and feel-good mood support.
Fresh off the announcement that NU has joined the prestigious 2025 SuperValu Food Academy, the buzz around this Irish-born brand is growing fast. Co-founders Conor Meehan and Fionn Murphy, backed by water kefir-brewing wizard Gerry Scullion, are on a mission to turn centuries-old wisdom into a clean, modern, and meaningful alternative to conventional energy drinks.
“Coffee or synthetic energy drinks always gave me a slightly jittery feeling, followed by a crash,” says co-founder Conor Meehan. “But when I tried guayusa tea gifted by a friend in Ecuador, the lift was clear, focused, and calm – and the effect faded very gently. I thought: Why doesn’t the world know about this? Now, we’re changing that—one can at a time.”
First in Ireland: To exclusively power its cans with whole guayusa leaf infusions—7 grams per can for 115mg of caffeine (same as a cup of coffee, but without the crash!)
Jitter-Free Energy: Recent studies* show guayusa produces up to 600% less adrenaline than coffee, meaning it energises without spiking stress levels.
Gut-First Formulation: NU is naturally carbonated through water kefir fermentation, delivering live cultures to support gut health and digestion.
100% Natural: No artificial ingredients. No added sugar. No extracts or preservatives. Just herbal infusions, juices, and live cultures —with less than 5 calories per can.
Sustainably Sourced: Guayusa is grown in the Amazon by Indigenous Kichwa communities using ancient agroforestry methods that protect biodiversity and fight deforestation.
As global demand grows for functional, natural energy drinks, guayusa is gaining momentum. The guayusa market is projected to grow from $9M in 2024 to $13M by 2032—a 4.6% annual growth rate, driven by wellness-conscious consumers looking for clean energy alternatives.
Yet, European awareness remains low—making NU’s entry perfectly timed to introduce guayusa to new audiences. All NU cans are brewed on the northeast coast of Ireland at a bespoke fermentation facility led by water kefir expert Gerry Scullion, who spent a decade perfecting clean-label, gut-friendly drinks.
“Guayusa has been consumed daily for centuries in Ecuador and is now found in many products in the US, but it’s still virtually unknown in Europe. That presents a huge opportunity,” says co-founder Fionn Murphy “Consumers are looking for natural ways to support energy, focus and gut health—and NU meets that demand without compromise. We’ve built a product with real functional benefits, a clean ingredient list, and global potential.”
Europe’s leading matcha brand PerfectTed launches in Ireland
PerfectTed range
PerfectTed, Europe’s largest matcha brand and the fastest-growing energy drink brand in the UK, has launched in Ireland.
Its range of PerfectTed Matcha Powders, Healthy Energy Drinks and Matcha Nespresso pods is now available in retailers across Ireland, including Dunnes Stores and Tesco.
PerfectTed Matcha Powers can be found being used by baristas at coffee shops across the country.
PerfectTed has redefined the energy drink and tea categories, making matcha mainstream and offering a healthier alternative to synthetic, sugar-loaded options.
Since securing one of Dragons’ Den’s most successful deals, the brand has scaled rapidly, outpacing competitors and driving category growth.
PerfectTed holds 55% of the UK’s in-store grocery market for matcha, contributing 43% of total growth in the UK grocery tea category.
Ranked #1 in Category Incrementality by Kantar’s Top 10 NPD report, PerfectTed continues to lead the matcha movement.
Founded by Marisa Poster, Teddie Levenfiche, and Levi Levenfiche, PerfectTed began as a passion project after Marisa, struggling with anxiety and ADHD, discovered matcha’s natural, crash-free energy.
Frustrated by the lack of clean, effective energy options, they launched PerfectTed in 2021 to bring matcha to the UK market.
Rooted in centuries of tradition, matcha has been used in Japan for over 800 years by monks for sustained focus and by samurai for enduring energy.
PerfectTed sources the highest quality ceremonial grade matcha, ensuring an authentic, smooth, and nutrient-rich experience.
From landing a historic Dragons’ Den deal to securing 22,000+ store listings across 50+ countries, PerfectTed is Europe’s largest matcha brand and the fastest-growing energy drink brand in the UK, with a commitment to bold marketing, innovative product development, and quality products.
The brand is redefining the way people think about energy.
PerfectTed’s latest innovation, Blueberry Matcha Powder, was developed in response to the surge in popularity of blueberry matcha lattes last year – a trend where PerfectTed was a driving force, as one of the primary matcha suppliers to the out-of-home channel.
Aligned to their mission, PerfectTed identified a clear opportunity to make blueberry matcha accessible for all.
A category first, PerfectTed’s new Blueberry Matcha Powder offers consumers a convenient way to enjoy the internet’s favourite drink at home.
Just add milk, shake, and pour to create the iconic blueberry matcha latte at home. PerfectTed Blueberry Matcha Powder 75g, €14 is available in Tesco.
PerfectTed’s Product Range includes:
Healthy Energy Drinks: Sparkling matcha drinks in Apple Raspberry & Juicy Peach. (250ml, €2.50)
Matcha Powders: Original Matcha Powder, Flavoured Matcha Powders (Blueberry, Summer Berry, Vanilla Bean (€14.50)
Matcha Nespresso Pods: available in Salted Caramel, Original, and Vanilla Bean (€7.00)
Q&A with Tenderstem.ie – Fresh ideas for Healthy Family Eating
Lorraine Fountain, senior commercial manager, UK & Ireland at Twenty Degrees
What makes Tenderstem broccoli a great choice for families looking to eat healthier and what sets it apart nutritionally?
Tenderstem is quite simply, broccoli, but better! Its broccoli’s tastier cousin. It’s packed with flavour, naturally sweet and a little nutty, which means kids and grown-ups are both likely to enjoy it. It also packs a nutritional punch. Just 80g provides one of your five-a-day. It’s low calorie, high in fibre and vitamin C and provides a source of folate alongside a source of potassium, which contributes to the maintenance of normal blood pressure and a healthy functioning nervous system. And because you eat the veg whole, from top to tip, there’s no prep, no waste, and all the goodness stays on your plate.
How do you recommend incorporating Tenderstem into quick and easy meals for busy weeknights?
One of the best things about Tenderstem is how little effort it takes to cook. You can steam or boil it in under 5 minutes, roast it in 15, or throw it on the grill or BBQ for a bit of extra flavour. It’s perfect for busy families, when time is tight but you still want something fresh. Try tossing it into stir-fries, adding it to pasta, or serving it as a side with fish, chicken, or a Sunday roast. It even works lightly steamed and dipped into hummus. There is lots of recipe ideas and inspiration on tenderstem.ie, including quick lunchbox snacks and easy midweek dinners the whole family will love.
Kids can be picky eaters – what are your top tips for making Tenderstem more appealing to little ones?
Let’s be honest, getting kids to eat their greens is a workout in itself. That’s why so many parents, especially those of picky eaters, blend as many vegetables as possible into sauces, soups, or even muffins, to ‘sneak’ in some nutritional goodness and disguise the taste. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing that, it can however mean that kids miss out on getting to know and learn more about vegetables, the different types and how colourful, crunchy, and packed with flavour they are. If kids never see their vegetables, then they won’t become familiar with them and will be less likely to try.
One of our campaigns this year is to encourage parents to stop hiding the veg but to try to make it more fun and appealing on the plate. Get creative, turn Tenderstem into broccoli trees, edible focaccia gardens, or colourful lunchbox veggie animals. And it’s even better when the kids are involved in the prep, they’re more likely to try what they’ve helped make. It’s about building trust and making vegetables feel like a normal, tasty part of the meal, not something they dread to eat.
With sustainability in mind, how is Tenderstem grown, and what steps are taken to reduce food waste or environmental impact?
Our growers use many practises to protect the land i.e. crop rotation, integrated pest management, and efficient water usage, working to Global GAP (Good Agriculture Practices) standards as a minimum. Our specification is designed to deliver the optimum quality for consumers, but also with a validation of crop utilisation and to prevent waste at harvest.
We encourage Tenderstem licensees and growers to adopt the industry leading technology available and for the appropriate packaging to the supply chain and storage conditions ensuring post-harvest life is maintained and waste is prevented.
What’s in season this August, and how does Tenderstem pair with other fresh summer produce?
August is a great time for fresh Irish produce, and Tenderstem fits right in. Available all year round, thanks to a supply of licensed growers in Ireland and internationally, and hand-picked for the finest quality, it pairs beautifully with other summer stars like courgettes, tomatoes, sweetcorn, and new potatoes. Whether you’re making colourful salads, roasting up a medley of veg, or serving it with grilled meat, fish or halloumi on the BBQ, it brings colour, crunch and flavour to every dish. It also works brilliantly in other plant-based dishes like pastas, bean stews, or veggie wraps.
For families trying to reduce meat intake, can Tenderstem be used as a satisfying alternative or complement in plant-based meals?
Absolutely! Tenderstem is a brilliant way to add substance and nutrition to meat-free meals. It holds up well in stir-fries, curries, risottos, or even as the star of the show in a hearty salad. Because it has a bit of bite and natural sweetness, it can carry strong flavours and add texture to otherwise boring vegetarian or vegan dishes. Plus, it cooks so quickly that it’s ideal for busy homes who want to eat more plant-based without spending ages in the kitchen. Whether it’s tossed through noodles, layered onto a pizza or as a nut roast side, it’s fast becoming the hero of the dinner plate and as a substantial go-to when you’re cutting back on meat.
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