From Castledermot to supermarket aisles nationwide

WHAT started as a daily ritual during lockdown turned into a full-blown brand for 27-year-old Castledermot native James Byrne, founder of Grab and Grow protein iced coffee.

It all started when James and his sister Melanie were trying to trim down before Melanie’s wedding day.

Like a lot of people during lockdown this looked like at home workouts, calorie deficits and buying yoga mats you were never going to use, but for James, a recent graduate of MA in Sports Nutrition, it was all about hitting protein goals.

“We were just trying to use up a tub of protein powder that tasted awful,” said James. “Mixing it with iced coffee was honestly just the nicest way to get it down."

After implementing at home protein iced coffees into his daily routine and losing three stone in the process, James felt he had perfected his recipe. Upon searching for an shop-bought alternative while on the way to college one morning he noticed there was a significant gap in the market.

"Most of the ones available had 25 grams of sugar. I thought, what's the point in going to the gym and having 25 grams of sugar coffee afterwards? There's no point.” That’s when he had the “lightbulb moment,” and began creating the brand launched just last August.

It was a long process from the first few drawings done in between college exams to the family-run brand Grab and Grow is today.

James told Kildare Nationalist about the challenges along the way which saw James search for a manufacturer in 11 different countries – a journey which, in hindsight, helped him build a brilliant team and support system.

After a long time, a German manufacturer agreed to come on board and that was when it all really took off.

“On my graduation day, I finally found a manufacturer. I was actually in my robes in the hall when I got the email.” From there James and his family worked non-stop to get the coffee on shelves across the country – setting up stalls at events and festivals such as Wellfest, Savour Kilkenny, Ballymaloe Festival of Food and of course, Taste of Kildare.

James also credits his local Castledermot shops and service stations who believed in him and stocked Grab and Grow on their shelves from the outset.

And now, all of that hard work has paid off as James recently entered into a new nationwide contract with a big Irish distributor, which will be seeing Grab and Grow iced coffee in stores across the island.

Through the highs and lows, the excitement and the blows of starting a small business as a university student, James prioritises his mental and physical health and advises other young entrepreneurs to do the same.

“You'll feel every low point, so it's really important to celebrate every little small win as well,” he said.

"I’ve definitely learned that this is a big investment in myself as well. I tend to have a way better routine now – making sure I get to the gym, go to the sauna, and plan little spontaneous trips."

With Grab and Grow coffee on the up and up, make sure to keep an eye for it in stores near you.

For more information on the brand, visit: https://grabandgrow.ie/