The Dublin-based European headquarters of a US e-dieting firm has struck a deal with Lycos Europe to offer online subscription-based weight loss, nutrition programmes and professional advice to internet users across Europe, beginning with the UK.
eDiets Europe is a sister company to eDiets.com, a successful weight loss and fitness company based in Florida. Its European headquarters is in Dublin, and is headed by Ciaran McCourt, former managing director of Unislim. eDiets.com came to Europe on the back of a joint venture with Unislim Ireland, to help expand its operations into the UK and onto mainland Europe.
Lycos Europe will drive traffic to the co-branded site, featuring eDiets’ unique mix of content and capabilities, such as personalised diet programmes and customisable meals plans, including cook-at-home, convenience and fast food options, backed by 24×7 professional support. Subscribers to the site will receive an indivudal diet and fitness programme that includes personalised weekly meal plans, recipes, shopping lists, nutritional advice and fitness tips. Additional support comes through message boards, topical emails, a telephone help line, online chats and meetings with eDiets experts.
“The arrangement with Lycos Europe extends our reach into new and exciting markets,” explained McCourt. “It also validates our belief that online dieting is poised for huge expansion. People, wherever they are, want diet and fitness options matched with privacy, personalisation and convenience, and that’s exactly what we offer.”
While the internet is international, food tastes and fitness habits vary by region. That’s why eDiets already has dieticians in the UK, Germany and other countries creating original recipes that follow eDiets’ guidelines, meal plans and fitness programmes developed for subscribers to the new site in local flavours. “Now we are able to present a premium, high quality diet service to our customers throughout Europe,” said Lycos’ head of European business development, Michael Rowhoski.
By John Kennedy