CurraNZ® Original Wins European Sports Nutrition Product of the Year at NutraIngredients Europe Awards 2026

Iconic New Zealand blackcurrant supplement crowned in Barcelona against record competition, as decade of gold-standard science is recognised on the global stage

CurraNZ® Original, our pioneering New Zealand blackcurrant extract supplement, has been named European Sports Nutrition Product of the Year at the prestigious NutraIngredients Europe Awards, held on Wednesday 6 May in Barcelona.

The accolade was awarded in a year that saw a 25% increase in entries, reflecting the strength of competition and the significance of the recognition. 

The branded ingredient was also a finalist in the Sports Nutrition Ingredient of the Year category, underlining the exceptional standing of its proprietary material, Enzans®, across both consumer and business-to-business markets.

Judges’ Verdict

The judging panel, comprising industry experts from across the European nutraceutical sector, were unequivocal in their assessment, stating the product “stood out with its strong science and efficacy for performance and recovery in a competitive category”.

  Judges said CurraNZ® “the documented effects on glycogen storage and muscle metabolism combined with the validation from professional athletes using the product gave CurraNZ the differentiating X-factor.”

A Decade of Science Honoured

The award recognises more than ten years of rigorous, independent research into the CurraNZ® / Enzans® proprietary standardized New Zealand blackcurrant extract - now underpinned by approaching 70 gold-standard, peer-reviewed studies and meta-analyses spanning endurance performance, muscle recovery, cardiovascular and metabolic enhancements, gastrointestinal protection in the heat, and fuelling. No other blackcurrant extract in the world comes close to this body of evidence.

Breakthrough New Research: Expanding the Endurance Engine

Health Currancy showcased its latest research at the awards, drawn from landmark studies by Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Chichester, which together reveal how CurraNZ® fundamentally upgrades the muscle’s capacity to perform and sustain effort.

Bigger fuel tank, smarter fuel use (Liverpool John Moores University)

A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that just seven days of CurraNZ® supplementation boosted starting muscle glycogen reserves by 39% - a critical performance variable, as muscle glycogen is widely acknowledged as a primary limiting factor in endurance and high-intensity exercise. Athletes also experienced a 24% increase in fat utilisation during exercise compared to placebo, meaning the body more efficiently taps into its vast fat stores while sparing finite carbohydrate reserves. This dual effect - more fuel stored, and less wasted - offers a compelling advantage for athletes competing in multi-day events, twice-daily training blocks, or prolonged endurance races.

Fibre-type dependent performance gains (University of Chichester)

Exploratory trials led by Professor Mark Willems found that CurraNZ® significantly improved high-intensity intermittent running performance in athletes with endurance-dominant (Type I) muscle fibres, delivering 17% more total running distance (526m) and 15% more high-intensity running distance (308m) compared to placebo. Crucially, athletes achieved these gains without any increase in heart rate or blood lactate, indicating no additional cardiovascular or metabolic strain. At the individual level, 50% of participants were classified as consistent responders across repeat trials, with the highest individual responder improving his total running distance by up to 38%.

Together, the studies paint a compelling mechanistic picture: CurraNZ® “upgrades” the endurance engine by improving fuel storage and selection, and targeting fatigue resistance in the muscle fibres that matter most for sustained performance.

Quote from Health Currancy Founder & Managing Director

Fleur Cushman, Founder and Managing Director of Health Currancy (pictured above, with advisor Kenn Israel and husband, David Nesling), said:

“Winning the European Sports Nutrition Product of the Year is a truly important moment - and a testament to the extraordinary work of the scientists, universities and independent researchers who have dedicated years to understanding what this remarkable berry can do for human performance. 

“We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our academic collaborators, in particular the teams at Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Chichester and Worcester, whose pioneering work continues to reveal the precise mechanisms that set CurraNZ® apart.

“This recognition affirms that the science matters. In a crowded market, approaching 70 independent peer-reviewed studies speaks louder than any marketing claim. We are enormously proud that the industry’s most respected judging panel has recognised not just a product, but a decade of uncompromising commitment to evidence-based nutrition.”