Anna Sward is brand director at Protein Works.
She joined Protein Works in 2021 following her 10-year tenure as CEO and founder of Protein Pow, which secured listings in Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Holland Barrett.
Her mission for Protein Works, which began with her work through Protein Pow, is positioning the brand beyond the confines of sports and nutrition and towards the broader realm of food.
From entering the world of brand to what she loves – and doesn’t love – about her job, Sward shares her career journey and words of advice…
How did you first get into the industry?
My dad was really into strength training, so I grew up surrounded by protein powders and developed an interest in health and nutrition early on. By the time I was 16, I started experimenting with protein powders in recipes: making nutrient-packed cakes, muffins, and all kinds of creative treats. I’ve always thought of protein powders as more than just a supplement, using them instead as an ingredient for boosting the nutritional value of my recipes. This was in the late 90’s and early 2000s, so it involved a lot of experimentation given that, back then, protein powders were largely advertised as muscle-building supplements for men who go to the gym!
While finishing my PhD, my growing passion for nutrition and protein powder cooking led me to launch my own business (Protein Pow) and become an internally published author writing about cooking with protein powders years before this became the trend you now see on social media. Apparently you can ChatGPT my name, or my previous business, and the machine knows me, which is a bit disturbing! It just hasn’t been looped into the fact that I joined Protein Works in 2021 and Protein Works acquired Protein Pow’s digital catalogue, so you can now find both me and hundreds of Protein Pow’s recipes at proteinworks.com. Maybe this article will help update the machine!
What do you love about your job?
The pace of innovation! Before joining Protein Works, I had my own business – a start-up, and while our team worked hard to turn novel ideas into new products and launch these into supermarkets and national retail chains, ‘making a splash’ without the size, power, and vertical integration was challenging.
At Protein Works, in comparison, we are much bigger, much stronger, much faster. We are a global and forward-thinking brand that innovates at record speed and we innovate using an incredibly rich amount of data that we’ve amassed over the years and continue to build on. This allows us to react to consumer trends quickly, conceive and manufacture new products in-house, and offer our customers a unique range of products to meet their needs. And we do this globally. What’s not to love!?
Who – or what – inspired you in your career?
I’ve always been very mission focused and have a strong passion for changing people’s views on – and usage of – protein powders, as well as eliminating misinformation and the smoke and mirrors inherent in the world of nutrition and supplements! What I love about Protein Works is the fact that I understand, first-hand, how important it is to create products that taste amazing and provide consumers with a genuinely enjoyable experience, one that enables them to build – and maintain – healthier habits. I also love that we position protein powders as exactly what they are: not as a quick means to get a six-pack, build muscle, or get ‘lean’, but simply as a convenient, tasty – and extremely versatile – source of nutritious food. Emphasis on food.
What are the biggest challenges about your job?
There are still elements of misinformation in the world of protein, where – after years and years of protein powders being portrayed as something conducive to ‘gains’ or muscle – a lot of people think protein powders are ‘not for them’. Which is not ideal, especially when it comes to older people as research has shown that they are often deficient in their intake of protein! While this has started to change in the last five years, thanks to brands like Protein Works celebrating protein as the food and versatile nutrient that it is, there is still much for us to do.
What skills have been most crucial to you succeeding in your career so far?
My entrepreneurial background has made me adaptable and focused on efficiency, which is why I approach challenges with a practical, results-driven mindset. This is especially important at Protein Works, where, despite being a global multi million-pound business, we pride ourselves on staying agile and efficient. Personally too, I thrive on thinking outside the box and finding innovative solutions to problems, embracing challenges, and turning unexpected situations into opportunities for growth.
At the same time, I’m very detail oriented and see this as essential to ensuring that our brand connects with our audience in a meaningful, impactful way. This means understanding the needs and preferences of our customers, carefully crafting messages that resonate with them, and delivering consistent, high-quality experiences across all brand touchpoints.
What education and training would be most useful for someone looking to follow your career path?
Well, I have an MA(Hons) in Psychology, and an MA and PhD rooted heavily in migration studies and sociolinguistics, none of which directly translate to my existing career! That said, I believe pursuing any career with passion is of greatest value, and – if/when possible – not settling. If you want to diverge from the road you’re on, e.g. if you’re thinking of leaving academia because you’ve always itched to start your own business, or if you want to go the other way and become a student in an area you are passionate about after years spent working in a business you perhaps don’t enjoy as much: don’t be scared! Trust yourself. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks. Life is short! Pursue your passions and go after an area you genuinely love; one that fulfills you. That’s what I did!
What advice would you have for someone looking to follow your career path?
The best advice I can give is to be brave and unapologetic in following a path you’re genuinely passionate about. Your career path doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s. My journey from PhD graduate to cookbook author, founder of a small business, and now to brand director at a multi-award winning £50 million brand has certainly been anything but conventional!
I recommend learning as much as you can from every experience, whether it’s a success or a setback. Don’t be afraid to take risks and step outside your comfort zone, because that’s where growth happens. Think creatively; think boldly! And if you’re passionate about something, dive in with conviction, even if it is a detour, or is unconventional, or feels like a big leap. Above all though: trust yourself, because the journey you carve for yourself is uniquely yours for the taking.
