An Aberdeen sports nutrition firm built around a full-time job in the energy sector has won a national Runner’s World award within twelve months of its first sale.
FTP Endurance Fuel began trading in August 2025. Twelve months on it holds a Runner’s World 2026 Sports Nutrition Award, is stocked by UK specialist retailers and ships to customers across the UK and overseas — while founder Rob Lawrie continues to work as an execution lead at energy services firm TechnipFMC.
Lawrie, a chartered engineer, GBR age-group triathlete and Ironman finisher, started the company to solve a problem he had lived with for years: the energy gels endurance athletes rely on are hard on the stomach.
“I’d done the races where you’re strong at 30k and then your gut gives up before your legs do,” he said. “It’s the difference between the time you trained for and a walk to the finish.”
FTP’s core product is a chewable energy pastille designed to deliver the same carbohydrate load as a gel in a format that is easier to take on and keep down. The range now also includes carbohydrate drink mixes and electrolyte tablets.
The company took more than £128,000 in the six months to July 2026 and is currently running at around £25,000 a month, with monthly revenue having more than doubled since February. It has been built without outside investors, with production handled by a UK co-packer and sales running direct-to-consumer alongside a growing wholesale list.
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The Runner’s World award placed the Aberdeen brand alongside household names in the category. “You’re a one-man band in the north-east of Scotland and you’re on a list next to companies with marketing departments bigger than your entire business,” Lawrie said. “That was the moment it stopped feeling like a hobby.”
On 29 November, Lawrie will attempt to run under three hours at the Florence Marathon, fuelled solely on FTP products.
“If I can’t fuel a sub-three on it, why would I expect anyone else to trust it?” he said.
