5 minute read
HEALTH PIONEERS
With health and wellbeing a priority as we head into the new year, Paul Agnew meets Keith Allum the man behind an award-winning product
You are probably aware of collagen, the most abundant protein found in our bodies. You may know, possibly from first-hand experience, how it improves joint mobility by relieving the symptoms of arthritis and of the immense global impact it has had on the beauty industry.
But did you know that the health food company responsible for introducing collagen hydrolysate to the UK is based right here in Lancashire – in the picturesque village of Wrea Green?
And that very company, ArthroVite Ltd, is currently celebrating national recognition after scooping ‘Best Beauty Supplement 2023’ for its popular collagen supplement, Beautivite.
Votes from readers and followers of Your Healthy Living, the UK’s leading in-store natural health magazine, saw Beautivite emerge outright winner.
And given that ArthroVite’s other bestseller, Collagen Plus, also won a national award three years ago, it’s no great surprise that the man at the helm is enjoying the moment.
“It is fantastic to achieve such recognition and we are immensely proud,” said managing director Keith Allum, who joined ArthroVite shortly after its incorporation in 1995, initially on the IT side of the then fledgling operation.
“Trading had been brisk from the word go, so it was vital that proper systems were in place to help cope with demand. In no time at all we had thousands of names on the customer database, many of whom are still with us today.
“We put a great deal on customer ‘education’ back then, for collagen was something most people had never even heard of, let alone used on a daily basis. It wasn’t a simple-to-grasp process like selling plasters or headache tablets.
“However, on-going medical research and findings have continued to extol the virtues of collagen and customers have become very knowledgeable.”
ArthroVite came into being after two pioneering Lancashire businessmen, Alan Greening and Peter O’Callaghan, headed to Germany to meet with officials at collagen giant Gelita.
Let Keith take up this fascinating story: “Alan and Peter went over to Germany to investigate the impact of collagen (gelatin) in food, visiting Gelita, a world leader in the supply of collagen proteins for the food, health, nutrition and pharmaceutical industries.
“They were most impressed and decided to bring the ‘good idea’ to life, working in conjunction with Czechoslovakian doctor Milan Adam, a renowned professor of Rheumatology at Prague University.”
Keith recalls the weeks and months leading up to a major UK launch at Old Trafford, home of Manchester United FC and the key role played by Dr Adam.
“Ironically, it was the improvement in the condition of knee cartilage among footballers that had convinced Alan and Peter that they were onto a winner. Milan was a genius, using collagen to develop strings of cartilage, which were then inserted into knees. It was revolutionary surgery and way ahead of its time.
“Milan, who went on to become a Government minister in Europe, stayed closely connected to ArthroVite until he died.
“He was a pioneer and many of the advances made since, across both health and beauty, can be attributed to him – with perhaps just a little bit down to our foresight as a company.”
ArthroVite was awarded exclusive European patent rights from Gelita to add collagen to food supplements and, close to three decades later, the results are there for all to see.
The company has developed links with major traders and retailers including the manufacture of own-brand collagen supplements for Boots. Collagen Plus is the flagship product, closely followed by Beautivite.
Furthermore, Keith has set up overseas supply and manufacturing deals in Ecuador and Kenya, where the ‘Made in UK’ quality factor is very highly regarded.
ArthroVite’s products also fly out to customers across 19 different countries, as far afield as New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada and Barbados.
“It was actually the reaction of customers taking Collagen Plus for joint issues that brought about the arrival of Beautivite. We kept hearing that not only were people seeing
an improvement in their mobility but also that their skin was smoother, their hair healthier and their nails stronger.
“We did careful market research and launched Beautivite – a pure collagen supplement which continues to make great strides in the beauty market, promoting a real sense of well-being and helping to slow down the ageing process.”
Keith, who took sole control of the business in 2008, continues to manufacture through the same factory, having worked in partnership with Gelita since day one and remains totally committed to ensuring that all ArthroVite products are high in collagen, which sadly is not always the case across the market.
“That philosophy has served us well, certainly resulting in strong loyalty and we have never lost sight of the need for the personal touch with our customers. That is something we intend to keep unchanged for the next 30 years – and beyond!”
