The partnership brings together two brands with strong growth momentum, rooted in fitness and community and united by a shared belief in the power of everyday achievers – from first-time competitors to seasoned athletes.

Through the partnership, CELSIUS will bring its LIVE.FIT.GO. platform to life by creating experiences at the intersection of fitness and culture that celebrate movement, progress, and the ambition to own your goals. CELSIUS will connect with ATHX participants through a premium branded zone experience and product sampling across select competitions.

ATHX Birmingham, held on 22^nd and 23^rd August 2026, marked the start of the partnership, bringing CELSIUS to the heart of the ATHX community. The ATHX Games will arrive in Dublin on 12^th and 13^th June 2027 at RDS Dublin.

Julien Scheubel, Head of Brand – Europe at Celsius said: “CELSIUS® is built for people who are motivated to keep moving and make every day count.

“We are excited to become the Official Energy Drink Partner of ATHX, a brand that shares the belief in the power of community and in making fitness more welcoming, rewarding, and relevant to everyday achievers.

“We can’t wait to bring our LIVE.FIT.GO. platform to life together, supporting participants as they take on their goals.”

Founded in the UK in 2023, ATHX has experienced threefold growth in competitor numbers over the past three years and expects more than 40,000 participants across its events in 2026. CELSIUS plans to expand alongside ATHX as it looks to bring its competition beyond Europe.

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IT’S GIVING, the first brand from Simon’s new venture Fizz With Purpose, is available in three fruity flavours – Apple & Elderflower, Black Cherry and Mango & Passionfruit. Each 330ml can contains 6g of plant-based fibre, is low calorie, naturally low in sugar and contains no artificial sweeteners.

The launch comes at a time when soft drinks remain one of the strongest categories in convenience, with total category value growing +6.9% year on year. However, the bigger shift is what shoppers are choosing within soft drinks, with modern soda growing at +412% year on year, significantly ahead of more established areas such as cola at +2.8% and other flavoured carbonates at +4.4%*.

That gives IT’S GIVING a clear role in one of the fastest-growing spaces in the category, bringing a modern soda proposition into mainstream convenience at an accessible price point.

“IT’S GIVING has been developed around a clear consumer need. Shoppers increasingly want drinks that feel healthier and offer more, but too often they feel forced to compromise on taste, affordability or everyday accessibility,” said Simon Gray.

“IT’S GIVING is designed to challenge that compromise, bringing together great taste, 6g of plant-based fibre and a £1 PMP format that makes modern soda accessible for everyday soft drink occasions.”

It also comes at a time when fibre intake remains a major consumer issue, with 96% of UK adults failing to meet the recommended 30g daily fibre intake, according to the British Nutrition Foundation.

Early sales in Northern Ireland are tracking ahead of expectations, with the brand showing strong early rate of sale and, in some launch retailers, performing above the levels of established carbonated soft drinks brands.

IT’S GIVING has already earned industry recognition, with finalist spots in all three UK Soft Drinks Awards categories it entered: Best New Brand, Best Functional Drink and New Product Concept.

“For retailers, IT’S GIVING brings together the cues shoppers are looking for – taste, flavour, fun, value and added benefit – in a format that sits comfortably in the mainstream soft drinks chiller rather than a specialist health fixture,” added Simon.

“I know better than most what it takes to build a drinks brand that resonates with consumers in Northern Ireland. With BOOST, I built a hugely successful brand on value and functionality. IT’S GIVING takes that same understanding into a new space – flavour-led refreshment with added purpose.”

The brand is now available across key wholesalers in Northern Ireland, including Musgrave, O’Reilly’s, C&N, Northern Confectioners and S&W.

The IT’S GIVING launch will be supported by sampling activity and consumer-facing events across Northern Ireland as part of the brand’s #ServeSeason campaign, helping drive awareness, trial and demand at store level during the key summer trading period.

For more information, visit www.itsgivingdrinks.com or follow @itsgivingdrinks on Instagram and TikTok.

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Available exclusively for the S&I channel, IRN-BRU Cherry follows the brand’s recent addition to the core IRN-BRU ZERO range, IRN-BRU Ice Cream, which added £2.9m in category value at original launch in 2023 and rejoined as a permanent addition in April^[2].

This latest flavour extension is set to strengthen the core ZERO range, encouraging retailers to bring additional excitement to the fixture with a three-strong wall of IRN-BRU ZERO variants.

Low calorie carbonates currently account for 55% of carbonates’ category value sales^[3] and are growing 23% faster than regular so it is critical for retailers to offer choice for the growing low-calorie shopper.

IRN-BRU ZERO is currently growing 71% faster than low calorie carbonates^[4] and alongside this, cherry flavoured soft drinks are set to be the consumer pick of the summer this year, currently growing at +42% YoY^[5].

Kenny Nicholson, IRN-BRU Brand Director at AG Barr said: “IRN-BRU is known for its great-tasting limited edition flavours, but cherry is a brand new innovation for us. We’re further strengthening IRN-BRU ZERO’s presence in the chiller, with another trending flavour innovation that’s rooted in consumer insight and macro trend tracking to meet retailer needs.

“Combined with the iconic taste and unmissable chiller presence of IRN-BRU, we’re confident that the new range of ZERO flavours will deliver incremental sales across the crucial summer months and beyond.”

To support the launch, IRN-BRU will be driving UK wide awareness by harnessing its highly engaged social media audience and impactful influencer partnerships.

Retailers should prominently display IRN-BRU Cherry and IRN-BRU Ice-Cream in their chiller next to core IRN-BRU ZERO and use the brand’s eye-catching POS suite to boost impulse sales and drive trial.

^[1] Circana value sales 52 w.e 27.12.25

^[2] IRI Marketplace, Value Sales, 12 wks to 52 w/e 26.8.23 vs YA, Total Marketplace

^[3] Circana Value Sales, 52 w.e 07.03.26, Total Coverage

^[4] Circana Value Sales, 12 w.e 07.03.26, Total Coverage

^[5] Cherry Blend soft drink flavours Up 42% vs 4YA iri to August 2025

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Launching in 500ml big cans, the range will be available in Original and Zero Sugar variants, combining the iconic flavour of IRN-BRU’s top secret essence with taurine, caffeine and B vitamins to deliver the taste and boost consumers expect from an energy drink.

The return comes at a time of significant momentum in the category. In Northern Ireland, soft drinks are now worth almost £498m, with Sports & Energy worth £138.5m and growing by 10.7% year on year. Sports and Energy now accounts for 27.8% of total soft drinks sales¹, underlining the importance of the category for retailers.

IRN-BRU Energy is designed to help retailers capitalise on these trends. The launch offers a clear proposition for shoppers who love the distinctive taste of IRN-BRU but want the functionality of an energy drink.

Kenny Nicholson, IRN-BRU Brand Director at AG Barr said: “Energy drinks remain one of the most dynamic parts of the soft drinks category, and retailers know just how important it is to get the range right.

“We’re bringing back IRN-BRU Energy to deliver the iconic flavour people love into the energy category, giving shoppers something genuinely different while delivering strong incremental sales for retailers.”

IRN-BRU Energy was originally launched to meet growing consumer demand for flavoured energy drinks, a segment that has grown rapidly in recent years as shoppers increasingly look for alternatives to traditional energy profiles. The range returns with the same unmistakable IRN-BRU character and a launch campaign that promises to stand out.

Available nationally, the range will give retailers the opportunity to drive incremental energy sales with a product that combines the strength of the IRN-BRU brand with the growth potential of the energy category.

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^[1] Circana, Value Sales, 52 w.e. 24th January 26, Total Coverage

The post IRN-BRU returns to shelves to shake up Energy Drinks market first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Live from April to July 2026, the campaign will feature on OOH advertising, digital and social media as well as on the street sampling of over 500K consumers. It will attract its core audience of 18 to 34-year-olds, reaching over 20 million consumers.

Lisa McKenna, Boost Brand Director at AG Barr said they have always championed value, bringing great tasting functionality at a great price.

“Boost is not about high octane activities, we represent those who need energy for their everyday needs – the Mondays, not Mountains. So, like our name, we are straight up and embrace our simplicity so that we can deliver the best quality and best value for shoppers – truly a no-brainer choice,” said Lisa.

Boost continues to go from strength to strength and the new campaign builds on the brand’s momentum. Boost is the No.3 brand in Energy drinks^[1] and Boost Red Berry is the No. 2 top selling Energy drink¹ in Northern Ireland. Boost Sports Drinks are the No. 3 brand¹ in sports drinks and they have recently launched a new range of three great tasting, zero sugar waters with electrolytes.

“We’re aiming to build on this with our clear messaging, delivering straight up energy for straight up sales opportunities,” added Lisa.

Retailers should prominently display Boost Energy and Sport in their energy fixtures and Boost Water+ in their water fixtures to offer great-tasting, great value choices to their shoppers and drive incremental sales.

^[1] Circana, Value Sales, MAT to 07/03/26, Northern Ireland

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