New Year New You
Ryan Brennan looks at how Irish consumers are embracing healthier eating and lifestyle habits this year, from low-fat milk to protein-boosted oats, flaxseed, and reduced-sugar treats
Print16 January 2026
The start of a new year always brings renewed energy, fresh resolutions, and a focus on healthier living. Irish shoppers are increasingly looking for products that help them balance taste, nutrition, and convenience, whether it’s reducing sugar, boosting protein, or supporting gut and bone health.
From fat-free, nutrient-rich Avonmore Slimline Milk to Linwoods Cold Milled Flaxseed, there’s a growing selection of pantry staples designed to make everyday wellness simple and achievable. Hermesetas Sweeteners offer smarter sugar alternatives, while MACE’s Right Options campaign helps families make practical, informed food choices.
Meanwhile, innovative products like Nutriluv Bett’r Snacks, The Happy Pear Gut Soda, and White’s Protein Oats show that indulgence and nutrition can coexist. Across categories, from dairy to snacks, functional beverages to cereals, these launches highlight how retailers can cater to health-conscious consumers seeking real benefits, taste, and convenience as they embrace their “new year, new me” aspirations in 2026.
Hermesetas Sweeteners supporting healthier starts
Hermestas Switzerland
Having got through the Christmas & New Year excesses, many shoppers will turn their minds to new resolutions, healthier lifestyles, and “new year-new me” desires, as they kickstart new routines and focus on their health & fitness goals for 2025. Research shows that over half the population will be seeking to reduce their sugar intake. As well as tasting great with a real sugar-sweet taste, Hermesetas Mini Sweeteners are the best value tablet sweetener in Ireland, so retailers just have to hold their shoppers’ hands by providing pack sizes to suit each main shopper type.
With a range of pack sizes – 300, 600, and 1200 tablets, plus the 90g granulated jar – Hermesetas provides for all main user types & needs. For small quantity & convenience, for personal use and often out of home, there’s the 300-tablet slimline, pocket/handbag pack. With a low entry price that’s perfect for trial, which is so important in the new year period. January & February are peak months for new entrants to the category, plus high regular user sales. The larger volume 600 and 1200 tablet packs are ideal for family sharing in-home or for individuals with higher sweetness levels or the more frequent hot beverage drinkers. The larger the pack, the better the value per 100 tablets. Hermesetas therefore recommends stocking at least two sizes of tablet packs – a small pack for convenience / out of home and low volume users, plus a larger pack for higher consumption users and the more value-for- money focused shoppers. Don’t just stock one size because you will miss out on a big part of the total opportunity. For example, a 300s pack user is very unlikely to purchase a 1200 pack as it commits to too much volume and a higher investment, even if it is a better value per 100 tablets. A 1200 user may buy a small pack for out-of-home, convenient on-the-go use – an added sale – but due to the better value of the larger packs, very unlikely to buy four small packs to accommodate their higher volume use.
Get your year ahead sorted with Hermesetas Sweeteners, the highest volume and ‘best-tasting value’ sweeteners.
Contact Allegro on 01 858 0600 for further information and purchasing.
Linwoods Flaxseed boosts healthy living
Linwoods Cold Milled Flaxseed
As shoppers kick off the year with healthier intentions, cold-milled flaxseed is emerging as a simple, versatile pantry staple with strong nutritional credentials. The original milled flaxseed blend is widely recognised for supporting the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels, while also providing a high source of fibre and plant-based protein. Naturally, it also aligns with modern dietary preferences as 100% organic, gluten-free and vegan.
Unlike whole flaxseed, which can often pass through the body undigested, milled flaxseed is blended into a fine, powder-like texture that’s easier to absorb and far more beneficial for digestion. Linwoods Cold Milled Flaxseed uses a unique cold milling process designed to unlock the goodness of the seed while keeping nutrients intact.
On shelf, Linwoods is an instantly recognisable Irish family brand and a leader in health foods for five generations. Linwoods’ aim to enhance the health and well-being of customers through nutritiously dense, healthy foods using the finest organic quality ingredients and sustainable production methods. making it a strong choice for health-conscious shoppers.
Flaxseed contains omega-3 (ALA), magnesium, fibre and plant-based protein. One 20g serving of Linwoods Milled Flaxseed provides a convenient 4g of omega-3 (ALA), an essential fatty acid that contributes to maintaining normal blood cholesterol levels. It also delivers 4.1g fibre per serving, helping consumers work towards the recommended 30g daily intake of fibre, as well as containing magnesium, which contributes to normal bones and teeth and reducing tiredness and fatigue.
MACE launches Right Options campaign
(L-R) Johnny Sexton, brand ambassador, MACE, and Ciara Turley, health and nutrition coach
MACE has recently announced the launch of its new MACE Right Options campaign, a multi-phase initiative designed to help people make more informed, healthier food choices as part of everyday life.
The campaign is led by MACE brand ambassador and Irish rugby legend Johnny Sexton, alongside health and nutrition coach Ciara Turley, better known as @thetummyfairy.
Running from January through April, MACE Right Options aims to make healthy eating feel more achievable, practical and family-friendly, with a focus on fuelling the body properly and supporting better decision-making around food.
Commenting, Johnny Sexton said: “Proper nutrition plays a huge role in how you feel, perform and recover, whether you’re a professional athlete or just juggling a busy day.
“For me, it’s about fuelling your body in the right way and understanding that small, healthier swaps can make a real difference over time.
“That’s what MACE Right Options is all about – helping people choose these options more easily.”
Ciara Turley, health and nutrition coach, added: “I’m passionate about showing people that healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated, restrictive or time-consuming.
“With MACE Right Options, we’re focusing on realistic, everyday food choices that nourish the body and fit into real life.
“It’s about empowering people with simple knowledge so they feel confident making the right decisions for themselves and their families.”
Episode One of the ‘Fast and Healthy’ campaign drops on 13 January with family-focused video content featuring Johnny Sexton, Ciara Turley and a group of children, reimagining familiar favourites into fun, healthier recipes.
Later phases will deliver bite-sized nutritional tips and practical meal inspiration across social and digital platforms.
Keith Crawford, sales director, MACE, said: “Our MACE retailers are deeply committed to supporting healthier living in their communities.
“MACE Right Options reflects that commitment by making it easier for shoppers to access healthier choices and trusted guidance in-store and online.”
The MACE Right Options campaign will be supported across social media, in-store communications and digital channels nationwide, reinforcing MACE’s ongoing commitment to helping customers make healthier food choices every day.
Nutriluv: A new era of Bett’r Sweets for Ireland
Nutriluv Bett’r Snacks Gummy Candy Energy
Nutriluv Bett’r Snacks Gummy Candy Collagen
Nutriluv Bett’r Snacks Gummy Candy Protein
Ireland’s love of sweets is no secret—but neither is our growing appetite for healthier choices. As shoppers become more mindful of sugar, calories, and how food makes them feel, the arrival of this new reduced-sugar gummy range couldn’t be better timed.
From Nutriluv, ‘Less Sugar’ range reimagines classic favourites, using up to 98% less sugar than traditional gummies. With just 0.7g of sugar per 50g bag, these treats prove that indulgence and balance can go hand in hand.
What really sets the range apart is what it leaves out. Many “sugar-free” sweets rely on maltitol or isomalt, ingredients known to cause digestive discomfort. These gummies don’t. Instead, they use polydextrose, a fibre-based ingredient that supports digestion, improves texture and is far gentler on the gut. They’re also gluten-free, making them accessible to even more people.
The BETT’R Snacks range brings function into the fun. From caffeine and B-vitamins to fight fatigue, to protein for muscle support, collagen and biotin for beauty —these are gummies with a purpose. They’re designed for modern lifestyles, whether you’re heading to the gym, the office, or just want your sweet treats to be BETT’R for you.
Adding extra credibility is brand ambassador Angelique Kerber, a former world No.1 tennis player and Grand Slam champion. Her message is simple: conscious everyday choices—what we eat, how we move—shape a healthier, more active life.
Launching in Ireland in January 2026 from Rose Confectionery, this range isn’t just another sweet on the shelf. It represents a shift: from empty sugar to smarter indulgence, from compromise to choice. For Irish consumers who want treats that fit real life—busy, active, health-aware—this is the candy shelf revolution we’ve been waiting for.
Contact Rose Confectionery on 01-4568064 to find your local sales representative.
The Happy Pear brings a fresh spark to gut health with Gut Soda
The Happy Pear Gut Soda
The Happy Pear has recently launched a range of new Gut Soda drinks, lightly sparkling prebiotic kombucha based sodas created to support everyday gut wellbeing, while providing refreshing taste and a joyful spark.
With growing research emphasising the importance of fermented foods in digestive health, kombucha is continuing to rise in popularity, with one in five consumers now choosing fermented drinks as part of their routine.
The Happy Pear Gut Soda is a raw and unpasteurised fermented green tea kombucha base with live cultures and added chicory root fibre for the promotion of good gut health.
The brand new range is available in three refreshing flavours, each designed to deliver a light spark and radiate the Happy Pear feeling: Lemon & Lime, Raspberry, and Orange & Passionfruit. All sodas are made with 100% natural ingredients.
Note that due to the live cultures in the soda, it must be kept refrigerated at all times. Chilling prevents further fermentation while preserving flavour and quality.
The Happy Pear Gut Soda range is available exclusively in Centra and SuperValu stores nationwide.
Fuel your new year: White’s Oats expands breakfast portfolio with protein-boosted oats
White’s Protein Oats range
With this year’s attention firmly on protein and fibre, White’s Oats, Ireland’s largest oat miller and cereal producer, is helping retailers respond to these shifting priorities with the launch of its New Protein Boosted Oats, designed to support balanced lifestyles without compromising on nutrition, taste or convenience.
Made using 100% Irish oats and presented in fully recyclable 450g packs complete with a scoop to support easy portion and nutrient control., White’s high-protein oats offer a winning balance of nutrition and practicality, fitting seamlessly into daily routines.
Crafted for both hot porridge and overnight oats and available in Choco Boost and Berry Boost flavours, both products provide 14g of natural high-quality protein per 75g serving, alongside high fibre and healthy fats, delivering functional benefits without compromising on flavour.
Available now in 30 Tesco stores across Northern Ireland, with wider rollout planned, the launches underline White’s Oats’ commitment to innovation that resonates with customers and consumers. Speaking on the new range, Danielle McBride, marketing manager at White’s Oats, said, “If you are looking at making smarter food choices to kickstart the new year the right way, this new product range delivers convenience, quality and nourishment in every bowl.”
Avonmore Slimline Milk: Light, nutritious choice
If you’re looking for a lighter choice to kickstart the New Year, Avonmore Slimline Milk is the ‘perfect’ option for you. It’s fat-free, so it provides a lighter taste in your cereal, porridge, tea, coffee, and smoothies.
And while it’s fat-free, it still provides a source of calcium and protein and is enriched with added iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and folic acid, essential nutrients to help you feel your best.
With darker days and less sunlight, it’s very hard to get enough Vitamin D in Ireland at this time of year. But did you know 90% of people also don’t get enough Vitamin D from the food they eat? (FSAI Vitamin D Report, 2023).
Vitamin D is important for bone health, so if you prefer a lighter milk but also want to increase your Vitamin D intake this year, Avonmore Super Milk Fat Free is an easy, convenient solution.
It’s fat-free but has 30% more calcium than regular, unfortified milk and is also enriched with Vitamin D, Vitamin B, Vitamin E, and folic acid.
Avonmore Super Milk is also available in Low Fat and Whole Milk variants.
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