Elaine and Robert Ellis are the driving force behind Sentro Labs, which produces supplements to address specific wellness issues such as stress, poor sleep, menopause and low testosterone.
The couple have always been interested in fitness and strength training, but this took a back seat when the financial crash here prompted them to move to Australia. They subsequently set up an interiors business in Perth and started a family and all was going well until Elaine began experiencing debilitating health problems including anxiety and chronic fatigue.
“I was feeling overwhelmed but didn’t know where to begin to fix things. Then we added selling up and coming back to Ireland during Covid into the mix,” she says. “This took its toll and we felt as if our life was a constant balancing act between career, family and social commitments. We were always switched on, we struggled to unwind and felt overwhelmed by life’s relentless pace. To try to cope better we started researching and experimenting with different diets and supplements as well as working with experts to understand what our bodies truly needed.
“When it comes to supplements there is an oversupply of information but a massive lack of public education about a market that is vast, filled with generic products, conflicting information and little guidance,” Ellis says.
“Consumers struggle to find research-informed, tailored solutions that meet their specific health needs, and many are unsure who to trust, what works and what’s worth the cost.”
Having done the groundwork on what helped them with broken sleep and stress, the couple decided to develop and bring their own range of premium supplements to the market. It was a big decision to step into an already crowded marketplace but having started and successfully sold two businesses within 10 years, they were not intimidated by the commercial challenges that lay ahead.
Sometimes the most important thing when starting a business is guidance from someone who has already “walked the walk” and for Sentro this was Liam Salmon, the man behind the hugely successful Revive Active supplement.
“Liam’s advice was invaluable as we were on a massive learning curve. He was so generous with his time and really keen for us succeed,” says Ellis, who adds that the business was funded initially from personal savings of €25,000.
A further €27,000 has subsequently been invested to develop the product range. The company is currently in the throes of preparing an application for pre-seed funding from Enterprise Ireland.
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Sentro had its official launch towards the end of last year and there are currently three products in the line-up with more to come. Equilibrium is designed to combat stress and promote better sleep, Harmony supports women’s hormonal balance during perimenopause and menopause, and Performance boosts testosterone and vitality in men.
Robert Ellis is an engineer by background and his main focus within the business is drilling down into the research on health and nutrition to identify the most efficacious ingredients for the company’s products. He continues to work as a consulting engineer while Elaine, who has a business and marketing background, is full-time in Sentro which employs two people full-time and three freelance staff.
The company’s products are made in Ireland, they are pitched at the premium end of the market and meet the requirements of regulatory bodies such as the European and Irish food safety authorities.
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At present, Sentro sells direct but the plan is to extend distribution to pharmacies and health food stores. Elaine Ellis is estimating full-year sales at about €1 million in 2025 and says that for now the company is content to grow organically. “We are open to the right investor but are in no hurry. At the moment we’re focused on developing the Irish market, but we may pursue investment more actively when we start pushing into the UK,” she says.
