Fueling Extreme Performance: The Story Behind RealMeal

The Struggle to Fuel for Extreme Performance

In 2019, I set out to attempt selection for the UK’s most elite military units, a lifelong goal. During the course, a nutritionist delivered a clear message:

You will never be able to eat enough to replace the calories you burn.

His advice? Eat constantly. Morning meals in Sennybridge, Brecon, became a desperate scramble for anything with calories—flapjacks, chocolate bars, overly processed "protein bars." Candidates tried endurance gels, which turned out to be a digestive disaster. The result? Stomach issues, energy crashes, and an ongoing struggle to fuel our bodies properly.

I scoured the snack boxes for something unprocessed and without excessive sugar or an unpronounceable ingredient list. There was nothing. Then, injury forced me out of selection.

Sitting at home, frustrated and recovering, I couldn’t stop thinking about the fueling problem.

How do you create a high-calorie, easy-to-digest, endurance-optimized food that works under extreme stress?

The Beginning of RealMeal

Surely there were others facing the same problem, not just in the military but elsewhere. I decided to start creating some prototypes. The aim- a portable, nutritionally complete bar for the most active and dedicated people.

Early attempts in my kitchen were laughably bad. But every conversation with military personnel, and friends in the ultra world confirmed this was a real issue. So, I went all in.

I withdrew all of my savings and hired the best food scientists in Britain. 42 iterations later, we cracked the formula:

600+ calories per bar (carbs: 70g, protein: 25g, fats: 20%)
Perfect endurance ratio (60% carbs, 20% protein, 20% fats)
Vegan, gluten-free, natural ingredients (only 11 ingredients, no junk)
Tastes great (because under extreme stress, appetite disappears, but refueling is critical)

These bars were built for the most demanding conditions, and their effectiveness has been proven in real-world scenarios. Army teams rowing the Atlantic and Pacific in the world’s toughest row races, used RealMeal Endurance Packs, relying on them for essential energy and recovery.

Our First Customers: The UK’s Toughest Military Courses

I sent a trial batch to the same nutritionist who had briefed us at Sennybridge.

“Here’s what I made—with this course in mind.”

Three weeks later, I received an order for the next selection course. To this day, RealMeal fuels candidates pushing through Britain's most grueling military training.

From Elite Military to Everest, the South Pole & Ultra-Endurance Events

Then, word spread.

Bulk orders started arriving—not just from individual soldiers but entire units. Then came ultra-runners, mountaineers, and adventurers. RealMeal wasn’t just solving a military problem—it was solving an endurance problem.

Today, RealMeal bars have fueled:

Summits of Everest
Expeditions to the South Pole
Atlantic and Pacific ocean rowers

Each bar follows a carefully crafted and scientifically designed macronutrient balance to keep adventurers going when conditions are at their worst. The Adventure Pack is a great option for those constantly on the move, offering a variety of flavours tailored to different needs.

RealMeal’s 60% carbohydrate, 20% protein, and 20% fat ratio aligns with endurance nutrition science, making it an ideal fuel source for extreme activities.

No Investment, No Fancy Marketing, Just Real Performance

We’ve never taken on investors. We didn’t run our first ad until 2024. And yet, over 100,000 bars have powered some of the toughest, most driven individuals in Britain.

What does our average customer look like? They are anything but average.

They are the ones who, when every sinew in their body screams to stop, keep going.

They are soldiers in the jungle, climbers in the Alps, rowers battling open oceans.

And when they need it most, they punch in a RealMeal bar—and keep moving forward.

The Stories That Drive Us

The best part of this journey? The stories we hear.

A RealMeal bar split between two climbers, battling brutal winds halfway up the Matterhorn.
A polar explorer, pulling a sled through whiteout conditions in Svalbard, fueled by our bars.
A soldier mid-selection, exhausted, barely keeping down food, except for RealMeal.
Simon Ferrier-May, stood amongst the highest peaks in the world in the Himalayas, having powered his climb with a RealMeal Endurance Pack, proving their effectiveness in one of the most extreme environments on Earth.