Kerry’s All Real Nutrition launches extra bonus for investors in 2023

New laws in 2024 mean that investors looking for the full tax relief benefit from an EIIS investment may have to look at earlier-stage businesses, which are often deemed riskier than more established businesses.

But there is still time to get the old rate of 40 per cent on less risky, established businesses if you invest before December 31.

To make the investment even more enticing, rapidly growing natural bar company All Real Nutrition is offering an extra 30 per cent coupon if you invest in their second-round EIIS fundraising before December 31.

“Because of the change in tax relief laws, our message to investors is that this is your last chance to invest and get a 40 per cent tax break in a rapidly expanding company that is growing across two countries,” says Niall Harty, co-founder of All Real Nutrition.

“We are also offering a 30 per cent coupon until the end of the year, meaning that if you invest €10,000 now, you will get the full €4,000 back in tax relief, and at the end of the four-year period, you will also get back your full €10,000 plus an extra €3,000.

The new tax laws favour earlier-stage companies that are a lot more risky

“The new tax laws favour earlier-stage companies that are a lot more risky; we have a proven path and we’ve been growing rapidly over the last three years. We feel this is a fantastic opportunity for investors to get onboard with a globally focused nutrition brand that uses Irish ingredients and supports Irish goods.”

Established three years ago by two entrepreneurs with their own individual business experience, All Real Nutrition raised €1 million in their first round of EIIS funding through the Quintas EIIS Innovation Fund. This allowed the company to grow their sales and their brand, expanding into America over the last 12 months.

Sustainability is at the core of the business, both in terms of their ethos as a company, the product itself and their steady but careful growth, as Harty explains.

“When we were looking at the industry, everything felt very fake, from the long list of ingredients to the taste of the product. We want to promote real people, real stories, real products, getting away from that fakeness. This is the cornerstone of our brand.”

The origins of the product lies with Niall, who began making protein bars in his kitchen and selling them in farmer’s markets, before moving to a production facility. Needing help with sales, he met Ross McDowell, who was exiting his biltong business, and they decided to join forces. The two founders have a shared passion for the environment, especially the ocean, largely driven by their beautiful base in Co Kerry.

“Our ethos of ‘realness’ permeates throughout our business,” explains Harty. “Our bars are crafted using fewer than 12 real ingredients, and the centrepiece of our products is our premium Irish grass-fed milk protein, which is exceptional in terms of taste and quality.”

“All our products are packaged using plastic-free home-compostable wrapping, and for every bar we sell, we donate to a not-for-profit charity that prevents plastic from going into the ocean – every bar we sell stops one plastic bottle from going into the ocean.”

Feeding into this ethos

But it doesn’t stop there. Feeding into this ethos of ‘realness’ is their sense of community with their consumers, bringing them into their mission to make a difference to the environment.

Harty explains: “We also run events to help raise money to fight the cause, anything from sea swims to yoga events to fun runs. All the money raised goes towards our mission to help the ocean. So it’s a mixture of sales and our community involvement, and to date we have stopped close to eight million bottles from entering our ecosystem.”

Not only has this ethos had a positive effect on the environment, but it has also resulted in excellent results on the business side. “At the moment we are expanding and becoming a main player in the Irish market. We’ve also expanded into the US market over the last 12 months,” he said.

“We’re the number one natural protein bar in Ireland and we’ve launched into 700 key high-volume premium stores in the States. We’re the fourth fastest-growing brand in the natural bar space in America according to our latest statistic.”

Currently the brand is stocked in approximately 1,600 retails outlets across Ireland and America; here, the bars are stocked in many of our biggest retailers, including Tesco, SuperValu, Centra and Spar. But when it comes to America, Harty favours a slow and steady expansion plan, resisting the temptation to expand too quickly and risk the sustainability of the business.

“We are taking a low and steady approach to America, doing what works and growing sustainably. We are conscious that growing too quickly can easily break a company and so we’re growing cautiously but steadily among retailers that specialise in the premium natural foods special – which is still a massive chunk of the market.”

Their second round of EIIS funding will go towards this expansion, which Harty hopes will contribute to the company doubling in turnover over the next year. “We are hoping to raise €500,000 between now and the end of the year, and that will be used primarily to fund our direct-to-consumer and retail business in the United States. Our turnover is projected to hit €2 million this year, and we’re looking to reach €4 million in 2024.”