Olympic hero Daley Thompson launches new nutrition bar in Lancashire

Daley Thompson with the new nuitrition bar DT10 Daley Protein

Daley, who runs his own gym in Putney in London called Daley Fitness, last visited Blackpool when he was playing football for Mansfield Town, but now he has teamed up with masterchef Gary Barnshaw to found DT10 Sports, to come up with their own range of low-sugar protein sports bars.

Now they have chosen Nutree Life from the Red Scar Business Park in Preston to produce their new range of protein bars.

Nutree Life was started two years ago by Patrick Mroczak and Adam Hodgkinson to specialise in plant-based protein foods.

Decathlete Daley Thompson at Nutree Life to launch a range of clean label protein bars, with Gary Barnshaw, Adam Hodgkinson and Patrick Mroczak

This weekend the family firm was awarded the Be Inspired in Business award for Best New Business.

The bars are plant-based, gluten-free and vegan and aimed at the growing number of healthier, more active consumers buying protein-fuelled products as part of their weekly shop.

Daley said: “When competing in the 80s, these types of products didn’t exist. However, these days, sports nutrition bars and shakes are hugely popular.

“It is not just the hardcore gym goers, they are bought by people just wanting to be fitter who maybe go to the gym just once a week.

“And, looking at the ingredients, they contain high levels of sugar, palm fat, preservatives and non-essential additives. DT10 Sports has been developed with this in mind and contains only the finest ingredients, natural sugars and no preservatives.”

Gary said: “Sports nutrition products are no longer just for the elite sportsperson, die-hard gym goer or staunch fitness fan.

“They are becoming an every day item for a bigger market of consumers, the super mums, dieters, those undergoing injury recuperation and the clean living eater.”

Daley said: “When I was with Wimbledon, they took the team to Las Vegas. When I was with Mansfield however, they took us to the Vegas of the North - Blackpool. I love the place. But it is the only time I have ever slept in a bunk bed!

"Preston is a hub of business activity, its the people that make it." He said Gary and he had been very impressed with the ethos at Nutree Life and were pleased their products were being manufactured in the UK.

Daley, 61, added: “I hope people like the bars. Gary has come up with something a bit more indulgent than most which can look a bit mundane. We wanted it to be the Rolls Royce of nutrition bars - the gold standard!”