Tā Energy unveils its new fruit gel, co-created with Anaïs Quemener

“ Peach-apricot really is something special. I can’t wait for everyone to try it, because this gel means a great deal to me,” Anaïs Quemener said into the microphone, visibly moved to see the project come to life. The new gel she co-created arrives during Pink October, a significant time for her. Diagnosed with breast cancer at 24, the Meute Running athlete never stopped running and even returned to the highest level, setting a personal best of 2:28:43 in the marathon in Seville in 2024. Her passion for running, zest for life and resilience continue to inspire countless women as she begins a new chapter, having become a mother just eight months ago. “It’s huge to have their support,” she explains, because what makes it so powerful is that this is a brand that never let me down, even during my pregnancy. We continued co-creating throughout that period to make sure the project would work.”

A collaboration shaped by many voices

Anaïs Quemener has been working with Tā Energy for nearly a year. The brand was launched in 2018 by Mike Walker, an athlete and former chef who wanted to create products that were both great-tasting and effective, designed to meet the demands of the toughest races with the help of laboratories and nutritionists. Yet when she first took on the marathon, in 2013, the distance runner was not a fan of energy gels. “I didn’t take anything, but I could feel that from around 30 to 35K, I had no energy left. I was inexperienced and had to learn. Little by little, I started taking an interest in nutrition. I tried small brands here and there, then began working with a nutritionist who helped me a lot. With her, I understood how important nutrition is in sport and competition. It changed everything. ”

She now takes seven gels during a race: one in the half-hour before the start and six during the event, roughly every 6 to 7K. She has even made a habit of taking them over shorter distances. “For Paris-Versailles, I take two. Over 20K, it’s also two, or even three. It’s something I take with me to every race. ” The effect on her performance is clear: she no longer experiences an energy dip. She mainly alternates between her two favourite gels, the coffee flavour and, of course, her “favourite”, the peach-apricot flavour co-created over several months.

That is how one of France’s leading marathoners, pregnant with her first child, found herself embarking on a multisensory adventure last December, with flavour as the starting point for the creative process. More than a dozen recipes came to mind. Three of them, “mango passion fruit”, “cherry” and “peach-apricot”, were shortlisted and presented to the running community online and at major events such as the Paris Marathon and the Annecy Marathon. The few hundred participants had the final say, choosing the sweet, fruity peach-apricot flavour, now available on the website. “It was really important that the community made the choice, because I wanted it to be a shared decision that everyone would enjoy,” Anaïs says, as inspiring as she is effervescent.

The gel’s visual identity, in other words its packaging, was developed by Marie, a graphic designer at Tā Energy, as part of the Pink October campaign, again with Anaïs’s approval. She helped choose the colours, proposed a signature for the product and played a central role in the design process. “They really did everything with Pink October in mind. There’s the little pink ribbon and the glitter, because I often wear glitter when I compete,” she explains.

© Kenzo Mabeno

© Kenzo Mabeno

© Kenzo Mabeno

© Kenzo Mabeno

© Kenzo Mabeno

© Kenzo Mabeno

© Kenzo Mabeno

© Kenzo Mabeno

An athlete-led project at the heart of Pink October

The date of October 1 was no coincidence. It falls during Pink October, a month dedicated to breast cancer awareness. Nine members of Casiopeea, an association that will receive 15% of the gel’s sales, were there to strengthen the connection between Anaïs’s experience and the product launch. She served as the association’s sponsor for six years and is now an honorary member. “Anaïs discovered the association right at the start and has always been there for us, from the very first event. She immediately embraced Casiopeea’s values. And since then, she has never let us down. She is always with us, in our hearts,” says Magalie Toutain. Anaïs joined the association in its early days, almost ten years ago: “The association will celebrate its anniversary next month! Pink October speaks to me personally because, despite having no known family history, living a healthy life, looking after myself and already doing plenty of sport, I had breast cancer at 24. Above all, what I want to highlight this month is prevention. It’s important to check yourself and talk about it with everyone. It doesn’t only happen to other people, and it doesn’t only happen after 45 or 50.”

For the third consecutive year, Casiopeea, whose mission is to help women who have had cancer rebuild their confidence through sport, will be out in force overnight from October 4 to 5 at the Marathon Rose, a 100-woman event where Anaïs Quemener will fire the starting gun. The association will also take part in the Rando Vélo Rose on October 19. Tā Energy will have stands at both events, giving participants the chance to try Anaïs’s gel during exercise. Each participant will also leave with a goodie bag containing a Ta gel. “We know that sport can be seen as medicine. It helps you escape, get some fresh air, get out of the house, meet people and, in this context, talk to women who have been through the same thing,” said the association’s president, Magalie. Other tailored physical support programmes and group challenges are also available. One of its flagship initiatives, the “Remise en Selle” programme, helps women in remission gradually return to supervised physical activity. The exclusive evening brought sport and health together, while supporting Casiopeea during Pink October.

It was really important that the community made the choice, because I wanted it to be a shared decision that everyone would enjoy.

An evening marking Anaïs’s return to competition

Back racing this weekend at Paris-Versailles, where she finished second, eight months after giving birth, two-time French marathon champion Anaïs Quemener, who won in Tours in 2016 and Deauville in 2022, is already setting her sights on 2026 and beyond. As she builds back gradually, she will first line up for the 20K de Paris on October 12, then make her long-awaited return to the marathon distance in Valencia on December 7, bringing 2025 to a close in style.

The year 2026 is already taking shape around new goals, provided the end of 2025 goes to plan. “First, I’ll try to get back to my level. It’s encouraging because I ran faster at Paris-Versailles than I did three years ago. The 20K de Paris will be a bit of a surprise. It will show me where I stand compared with the other women and the times, because two years ago I was in really great shape,” she says, already delighted to “be able to put my running shoes back on, race again and have such great support.”

Looking further ahead, Anaïs is thinking as far as 2028 and says, with stars in her eyes, that her goal is to compete at the Olympic Games. “Two years ago, I didn’t make the qualifying standard. I was a minute and a half short. But that’s okay, I’m still hungry. I really want to make it. I want my little one to be proud of me. I’ll give everything to get there and make my loved ones proud, because they’ve been there from the very beginning. Sport teaches beautiful values. For him to grow up around that would make me proud.”

✔ Find out more about Tā Energy.

Bringing together creativity, nutrition and a passion for running, the launch evening for the peach-apricot gel marked the start of a new chapter for Anaïs Quemener and Tā Energy. The product grew from an authentic collaboration, with the community given a say, and is set to support runners through every performance.