ATP Science is on track to record $20m in revenue with a new product range

From laying off staff to now hiring a top exec and striking deals with supermarkets, health and nutrition firm ATP Science is clawing its way back to the top.

Toni Doidge admits they missed a beat or two during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pre-Covid Ms Doidge and her husband’s Jeff’s Brisbane-based health, sports and nutrition supplements company ATP science had made the fastest growing, entrepreneurial company list two years in a row.

However, when the pandemic hit the company had to batten down the hatches and ride it out although there was a silver lining for the Doidges. It gave them the opportunity to refashion the business.

“We definitely missed a few beats there. Covid forced us to look at everything – look at our systems, the way we managed finances and everything. It’s been massive and we’ve done a complete overhaul,” she said.

“We had to because our website failed miserably and we missed that window of opportunity to jump on the e-commerce thing. We were dealing with a lot of bricks and mortar retail stores that had to close during Covid.

“We had to lay off quite a few staff so there has been a bit of a claw back and we’re still coming through the other end but we’re now putting on more staff.”

ATP science co-founders Jeff and Toni Doidge.

During the restructure ATP Science took the opportunity to focus on strengthening its e-commerce platform and product innovation initiatives.

Importantly, this year the Doidges bit the bullet and appointed former Subway Australia and New Zealand boss Geoff Cockerill as its chief executive.

“It’s the first time Jeff and I have had a boss which is interesting,” said Ms Doidge who is ATP science director of marketing and branding, as well as the mother of two teenage boys.

“Hiring your own boss is a strange thing to do and taken a bit of getting used to but we really enjoy having him here and he brings a real level of professionalism so everyone is really excited.”

The company currently sells about 40 products and its target demographic are people aged over 25 who are serious about health and “everyday athletes” who enjoy doing some form of activity to maintain health and fitness.

While still producing sport supplements, the reset in thinking has created a greater emphasis on gut-health and their successful Noway Collagen Jelly Bar inspired them to position-in-market three new bar variations before Christmas.

This as seen them strike a deal with supermarket giant Woolworths that will see more than 200,000 of their flagship collagen bars in 900 stores, and there are expectations of more announcements.

ATP Science is forecasting a return on the pre-Covid $20m revenue in 2022-23 by targeting expanded distribution channels and international development, increase its product innovation, and take advantage of the ongoing market demand for the Noway Collagen Jelly Bars.

The company may have started out small 10 years ago but they have had to move out of their small Loganholme base and into a new state-of-the-art $20m manufacturing facility at Meadowbrook which was partly funded by the Federal Government.

They currently have 50 staff working through in manufacturing, warehouse, sales and research and development. Their biggest sales markets beyond the Aussie shoreline include the US, UAE and Asia and offshore accounts for about 10 per cent of gross sales.

ATP science co-founders Jeff and Toni Doidge.

The business had its genesis was two decades ago after the couple arrived back from Britain in 2002.

They had no background in science but were into health and physical fitness with Mr Doidge playing sport at a relatively high level. It was an injury and subsequent work in the gym helped fuel his fascination with supplementation and nutrition.

They borrowed $3000 from Ms Doidge’s mother’s credit card and set up the Supplement Den which they built up into one of Australia’s largest direct sellers of sport supplement products.

They sold the company in 2010 and moved away from selling other people’s products to creating their own with co-founder Matt Legge who left the company last year to pursue other interests.

“We created ATP Science in 2012 because we actually wanted to create new supplements that we could not find in the market place,” said Mr Doidge who is the director of sales.

Initially focused online they moved into fitness and wellness retail and are now focused on expanding into grocery to take advantage of the burgeoning gut-heath market which complemented “common thread” throughout the company.

“We believe that nature knows best. One of the most important things for health, whether it be sports performance or general health and wellbeing, is that the products at the very least are not harmful for the gut or better still promoting good gut health,” Mr Doidge said.

“It’s a bit of a dichotomy. The rise of insta-famous people can have a detrimental affect on health and wellness because people just follow the stars.

“But at the same time there has never been more information out there about gut health, brain health and health wellness and performance.”