From the sports field to the corporate office – Dom Day and George Kruis are a force to be reckoned with

From the sports field to the corporate office – Dom Day and George Kruis are a force to be reckoned with
From the sports field to the corporate office - DOM Day and George Kruis are a force to be reckoned with

It’s not every day you come across two international sportsmen who are making a name for themselves in South Africa – but, that’s exactly what Dominic Day and George Kruis are doing. They’re changing the recovery game like never before.

Introducing fourfivecbd – the collective brainchild of two professional rugby players whose own personal rugby careers brought forth a need for an alternative natural supplement product which would ultimately help professional athletes and active people alike.

Dominic Day and George Kruis both suffered multiple injuries which led them to go under the surgeon’s knife 12 times, collectively, which meant they needed a more natural alternative to aid with their recovery. They turned to cbd as their answer, but due to the lack of availability they decided to take measures into their own hands and develop a range of products that would fall well within the correct guidelines and regulations. And for those who may not be familiar with cbd (cannabidiol), it is a natural compound found in hemp, which is a non-psychoactive compound.

After several months of market research their company went live to the public on 1 January 2019, and they’ve never looked back! With the UK being their home base, it was a no-brainer to set sail on those shores first, but they’ve since ventured out into the South African seas which they felt was the perfect market to add to the fourfivecbd family.

When we think of the true South African market, we think of someone who is “health conscious, active and interested in trying new things” – all the attributes that they describe as their perfect consumer.

“We definitely saw the potential in the South African cbd market and with South Africa being a sport-loving nation we were confident our products would do well in this market. Secondly, we have a few South Africans working with us on the UK side and a few South Africans that work at Saracens, so collectively we decided to launch fourfivecbd SA,” says fourfivecbd.

We caught up with George, one half of the powerful duo, in an all exclusive one-on-one with South Africa Today.

When was fourfivecbd established?

We were officially established in October 2018 but this was after several months of market research. Went live to the public on 1 January 2019 in the UK and have since brought the product into South Africa as well.

Tell us about the name fourfivecbd – what does it stand for?

It’s mine and Dom’s playing numbers on the back of our rugby jerseys. We were both playing lock at the time for Saracens. Funny enough, this wasn’t our first choice and to date probably the toughest decision we’ve had to make.

What makes your brand unique?

The fact that we a sports-focused cbd brand. We see a lot of brands out there trying to capture the market as a great whole, but for us, we wanted to focus on what we know which is sports and keeping active. By doing this we have allowed our focus to be on a specific customer base that we can relate to.

Who would you describe as your perfect consumer?

A person who is healthy conscious, active and interested in trying new things!

You recently entered the South African market – what was the decision making process behind this?

For us, it was a no-brainer. Firstly, we saw the potential in the South African cbd market and with South Africa being a sport-loving nation we were confident our products would do well in this market. Secondly, we have a few South Africans working with us on the UK side and a few South Africans that work at Saracens, so collectively we decided to launch fourfivecbd SA.

How do you decide upon your products – what is the thought process thereof?

Most importantly, it has to be a product that is going to be beneficial to our customer. Being a sports cbd brand, we focus on what products our customers would use. We see a lot of different types of cbd products these days but unfortunately, a lot of those can be gimmick products. We keep our products simple and effective but innovative.

Nowadays it’s important to be an environmentally conscious brand – how do you contribute to a greener society?

We are an environmentally conscious company. All our products and packaging are fully recyclable, natural and vegetarian friendly. We are constantly looking for ways to improve.

You have a large following in the sporting industry – how did this come about?

Between myself and Dom, we are fortunate enough to have over 25 years of professional playing years. In this time we have been able to make great friends and contacts that have been using our products and posting about them through their social channels. This has been a key factor to our following and we are extremely grateful to all those that helped us get to this point.

Your products cater to all lifestyles – why is this important to you?

If we can help someone keep active for 2 more minutes, hours or years we have done a good job.

Where do you source your ingredients?

All our ingredients are sourced from Europe and manufactured in the UK.

Two sportsmen working alongside each other – why did you decide to start a company together?

We were already involved in a business together so we knew each other on a business front. With both of us having similar experiences with cbd it was a no-brainer to start this journey together. I feel we balance each other well.

The fourfivecbd range, which consists of oils, muscle rubs, and capsules, are specifically designed with active people in mind, not just sportsmen. These products are all easy to use, easy to dose, and easy to take with you even on your busiest days.

South Africa being a sports-driven country will no doubt enjoy a product like this! And just as their slogan suggests, Rest – Recover – Rise!

For more information, visit their website or social media pages on: https://fourfivecbd.co.za/