About us

Umara was founded in 2013 by biomedical students Tommy Ivarsson, MSc, and Simon Gustavsson, BSc, who were studying Biomedicine with a focus on nutrition and the body's ability to perform. Both of us are avid athletes with an understanding of sports, as we are runners, cyclists, skiers, triathletes, swimrunners, etc., making us true multisport athletes.

We specialize in nutrition/energy for endurance sports. With the help of science, experiences from athletes, and our own ability to blend theory with practice, we develop optimized sports nutrition to help you perform at your individual peak. Everyone can reach the next level where nutrition is one of many crucial tools.

Vision

"We believe everyone benefits from physical activity with sports goals that inspire. We think people are inspired to activity through a sense of control, that they have what it takes to achieve their goals.

We get more people active by helping them perform better with knowledge, inspiration, and scientifically-based products.

We develop sports nutrition and educate on how to reach our highest potential as athletes. We communicate directly through digital education in the form of podcasts, videos, and articles, and through wonderful ambassadors. We practice what we preach and strive to be the best example we can by practicing what we advocate."

Product Development

Umara's product development team today includes not only Simon and Tommy but several biomedical-educated individuals and athletes passionate about performance. When discussing new products and their development, expert advice is readily available. We always aim for optimization, because when it comes to performance, we believe only the best is good enough.

IT & Media

In IT and web, we have in-house expertise through our triathlete Erik Arenhill, who develops and oversees most digital areas. Known as a full-stack software engineer within the IT sphere, he is expert at coding. Johan Linhart, also a triathlete and cyclist, ensures all content is top-notch. Besides being an awesome photographer, Johan is also highly skilled in project management, ensuring Umara stays on track with what's most important at the moment.

Ambassadors, Marketing & Content

Here we have the cyclist and sports scientist David Hansson. He works on writing articles, product information, planning events, and generally enhancing Umara's visibility nationwide. He holds a master's degree in sports science and performance, fitting in perfectly with his expertise and passion.

Logistics & Order

Albin Andersson handles your orders here. He manages our warehouse and keeps a close watch on deliveries, customers, boxes, and much more. Albin is one of Sweden's fastest orienteers, even the fastest in middle-distance in western Sweden. With that experience, he is exceptionally proficient in navigating and packing quickly in the warehouse. Hanna Andersson also works in the warehouse, known for her stability and adventurous spirit, with the Vasaloppet, Cykelvasa, and Ultravasa under her belt, she definitely has the stamina to get your order out on time ;)

Retailers & Clubs

Elite cyclist Richard Larsén manages retailer and clubs collaborations for Umara. Alongside his own cycling career and coaching business, his career includes becoming a Swedish champion!

Why the name Umara?

Umara is an abbreviation of Taraumara (they call themselves Rarámuri), a population group in Mexico renowned for their seemingly superhuman capacity. There are tales of feats, practically barefoot, where they have run up to 700 km in just over 48 hours. A quick calculation shows that this speed would require the athlete to cover about 350 km per day. In comparison, the recorded world record is 309.4 km in 24 hours, which is truly remarkable, averaging about 46 minutes per 10 km, constant for 24h!

Regardless of how real their performances are, the Taraumara have maintained a tradition for hundreds of years of traveling on foot, regardless of age or gender, running as a way of life. They have their own sports drink called Iskiate, which they consume during their long runs. Legend has it that Iskiate mainly consists of cornmeal, honey, cinnamon, and chia seeds, which provide energy.

Taraumara reminds us why we love Umara. We forge our own path, viewing energy as a tool to move from point A to B faster than before.

Environment & Production

As a company, we continuously work to ensure the highest quality of our products while aiming to leave the smallest possible climate footprint. Below are some areas we are particularly proud of.

Production
Our products are developed here in Sweden. All our nutritional products are manufactured according to HACCP & GMP standards, ensuring top-class quality and safety. All products that can be made in Sweden are manufactured here (e.g., all powder-based products and also pre-mixed products, pills, capsules, protein bars). Other products are made within the EU, except for Specialized Purist bottles manufactured in the USA and some accessories like Racebelt, which are designed by us and then directly imported from China.

Environment
Umara compensates for climate impact from daily operations, production, and transport to us at 100% through ZeroMission. We use eco-friendly shipping for deliveries to your home and plant a tree for each Eco Shipment, which even results in a net positive effect on the climate, also a benefit for you as a customer. In product development, environmental considerations are always included, and for each new product, we turn and twist different models to minimize our climate footprint. Examples of recently completed projects: Bottles made from sugarcane, polypropylene plastic that is 100% recyclable in our containers, maximized fill levels in products to minimize shipped air, and tailored packaging for maximized fill levels, using paper filling materials when necessary.

Together, we all drive Umara forward, continuously working in line with our vision of packaging performance for you as an athlete. Through education, community, and nutrition optimized for your performance.