SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION
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Knock-out treat for shop duo By Helen Williams DAVID Stache and Ben Pryor had a bonus after launching their new S1 Supplements shop in Sheffield – ringside tickets to an international fight watched by 10,000 boxing fans. Ben and David’s shop has won the support of Sheffield pro boxer Kell Brook, and he was happy to invite them to his clash with Matthew Hatton in March when he won the IBF International Welterweight title. Ben said: “It was surreal how he came to promote the shop for us. I was in a friend’s bar on New Year’s Eve talking to a guy. I happened to mention Kell’s name and the guy just said ‘I’ve got his number here.’ The next thing Kell was at our launch in April.” Nutritionist David and personal trainer Ben met when they were both working at Fitness First. David added: “We are passionate about sport, health and nutrition and had been looking for shop premises for two years. We decided to just go for it and self-finance the whole thing.” Ben is able to fit his personal
training commitments around shop hours, and David, who has a degree in sports nutrition and a masters in management, runs a nutrition consultancy from his laptop in the shop. In September he will be starting a further masters in human clinical nutrition. “We aim to give people good advice, but to do that you have to get to know them,” said David. “I don’t want to sell customers something that won’t work or something they don’t need. If people come in asking for fat burners, my first question is why?” Ben and David, both from Sheffield, say they are filling a niche that the city needs, and appealing to men and women customers. David added: “There are other supplements shops but not like us. There is a perception that supplements are only about muscle building but sometimes people want to find, for example, fish oils or something that’s good for sleep. I suppose we’re a bit like Holland and Barrett.” They are fans of specialist sports supplements like Kinetica, and bestsellers include Myprotein and
David Stache and Ben Pryor with boxer Kell Brook BSN. But also on the shelves are products like SleepEezy Valerian root, evening primrose, and Devil’s Claw tablets, as well as protein bars and beef jerky. The business supplies a couple of gyms and Ben and David are approaching other independent
clubs that they think would be a good match for their products. They are also looking at partnerships and sponsorships with Sheffield Eagles rugby league club, as well as a women’s football team and a netball team, and hosting seminars and open days offering samples to customers.