Sales soar at Edinburgh-based firm behind gut-friendly bottled water
“Their strong sales are a testament to their hard work and innovation.”
An Edinburgh-based business behind prebiotics-infused bottled water beneficial to gut health has seen sales soar after securing a major nationwide supermarket deal and receiving support from Scotland’s national business advisory service Business Gateway.
The Prebiotic Company, which produces Ió fibrewater, is the brainchild of friends Alyssa Reid, Mohsin Laginaf, and Jay Curthan, who had all experienced gut issues and say they turned their health around with prebiotics. They used Business Gateway’s Planning To Start tool to help test out the research-backed idea’s business potential, and were then connected with a dedicated business adviser, who provided one-to-one support.
Business Gateway Clackmannanshire also signposted the trio to Interface, which connects businesses with leading academic expertise. This allowed the entrepreneurs to work with academics from Glasgow Caledonian University that proved Ió fibrewater feeds friendly bacteria (probiotics), making it the only bottled water brand in the world that is scientifically proven to offer this health benefit.
Through Business Gateway, the trio also enjoyed support from Scottish Enterprise, which helped with their plans to expand internationally, and the founders received digital support, including a design grant that helped improve their product design and digital presence.
Alyssa Reid said: “Ió fibrewater is where innovation meets a gut health revolution. This trailblazing water is crystal clear, and has the look, taste, and feel of water with natural fruit flavour. Every bottle delivers 100 per cent of the recommended daily prebiotic intake and 20 per cent of an adult’s daily fibre needs.”
The firm has gone on to win World Best Drink Innovation Award and a Scottish EDGE award, and in March 2024 launched its Strawberry and Lemon & Lime flavours in 33 Asda stores across Scotland, now expanded to nearly 50, with hopes for a UK-wide listing, and growth with more national retailers, food service and hospitality sectors. Ió fibrewater recently launched with Parsley Box, a Scottish-based company that delivers meals to more than 100,000 people across the UK, and is available on Amazon.
Mandy Campbell, Business Gateway adviser, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have supported The Prebiotic Company in achieving their milestone with Asda as well as their numerous awards. Their strong sales are a testament to their hard work and innovation. We look forward to their continued success.”
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