SuperValu launches 'Real Nourishment' campaign

SuperValu today launches its new ‘Real Nourishment’ campaign as part of its continued sponsorship of the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, aimed at empowering parents and players across Ireland to make better nutritional choices that support performance on and off the pitch.

New research among 750 Irish parents with children involved in sport and over 400 intercounty GAA players highlights that sourcing trusted information on nutritional support for performance is a shared challenge across all levels.

Both parents and intercounty players are navigating an increasingly complex and often confusing nutrition landscape. 77% of intercounty players say online advice is confusing and 79% of parents feel overwhelmed by the same advice online and on social media.

Across both groups, time, cost and convenience are the biggest barriers to making good nutritional choices. Parents also face the added challenge of catering to food preferences when fuelling young players.

While most intercounty players have professional nutritional support, many still say they would benefit from additional simpler and more practical meal ideas and recipes. Parents, meanwhile, are more likely to rely on family, online searches or coaches, with relatively few accessing expert guidance.

Home cooked meals are the preferred source of post-match or training nutrition for 72% of intercounty players compared to 41% of parents who are more likely to opt for quicker choices such as convenience meals, snacks, sandwiches or fruit.

To address these challenges, SuperValu is offering four clubs across Ireland a season of professional nutritionist support and €1,000 to spend in their local SuperValu. SuperValu is also delighted to be partnering with registered dietitian Sinead O Donovan, their new Health & Wellness Ambassador, to help make nutrition simpler and more accessible for families and players at every level of the game.

Speaking at the launch, SuperValu Managing Director, Luke Hanlon said:

“Through our continued partnership with the GAA, we’re proud to support players, parents and communities every day and we’re looking forward to more exciting Championship Football over the coming weeks and months.

What this research highlights is that nutrition can feel confusing, particularly for families trying to do right by young players. This campaign is about simplifying that, offering practical everyday advice that helps GAA families fuel performance on and off the pitch.”

Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Jarlath Burns added:

“Healthy living and nutrition are at the heart of involvement in our games, and the data produced by our partners SuperValu casts an interesting light on the challenges and choices both parents and inter-county players are faced with. Anything that assists people’s understanding on how best to fuel our bodies before training and games, and for a healthy lifestyle in general, is to be welcomed and I wish SuperValu and everyone involved in this campaign every success as the GAA Football Championship of 2026 continues to unfold.”

SuperValu ambassador and Kerry star David Clifford said:

“As players, nutrition is a huge part of how we prepare and perform, but it doesn’t need to be complicated. I see every day how parents are under pressure and unsure what the right choices are for their kids. SuperValu’s Real Nourishment campaign is about making that easier, giving families practical, trusted guidance so young players can fuel properly and perform with confidence.”

Sinéad O’Donovan, Dietician and SuperValu Health & Wellness Ambassador said:

“There’s a huge amount of nutrition advice out there, and it can be overwhelming and many families are unsure where to start.

Good nutrition doesn’t need to be complicated. It’s about developing consistent habits and meal plans that are balanced, easy to prepare and work for busy family life. I’m working with SuperValu to help make that advice clearer, more practical and easier to apply in everyday life.”

SuperValu will roll out the campaign nationwide across digital, in-store and social channels throughout the Championship, with further content featuring GAA ambassadors and supported by dietitian Sinead O’Donovan. To win nutritionist support for your club for the upcoming season visit: https://supervalu.ie/real-people/competitions/club-nutrition-competition or follow SuperValu on social media.

Further Research Findings

Key findings from the research show:

• Confusing Sources

• 76% of parents say sports nutrition advice is confusing

• 77% of intercounty players find nutritional advice online or on social media confusing.

• 79% of parents feel overwhelmed by the amount of nutrition information available online

• More Support Needed

• 81% of parents would value more practical support such as meal plans and recipes

• Intercounty vs Underage Habits

• 85% of intercounty player regularly plan meals around training and matches

• Food preferences is the biggest challenge for parents when fuelling for training.

• 80% of intercounty players supplement their diet with sports nutrition products.

• 72% of intercounty players prefer a home-cooked meal for post-training refuelling