Celebrity Health – David and Stephen Flynn

Photo © Jo Murphy www.joanne-murphy.com

David and Stephen Flynn founded The Happy Pear in their hometown of Greystones, Ireland, in 2004. What began as a small veg shop has grown into a global healthy lifestyle brand that includes a bustling café, shop and bakery, plus a four-acre regenerative organic farm. The pair, who are identical twins, have also launched a range of popular plant-based food products, published seven cookbooks, and have a social media following of almost 2 million followers. Last year they celebrated the 20th anniversary of The Happy Pear. Here, David speaks to Rude Health editor Liz Parry.

Congratulations on 20 years of The Happy Pear! How did you mark the occasion?

Thanks! We published our latest book, The Happy Pear 20, and we did a book tour to mark the occasion, with five venues across the UK and three in Ireland. It was super fun! We also hosted a local celebration in our hometown with bands, an apple pie festival and workshops. Looking back, we began as a small vegetable shop with a simple mission: to help people eat more veg. And 20 years on, that mission hasn’t changed. If anything, it’s more relevant now than ever.

What originally inspired you and Stephen to start The Happy Pear?

Well, Steve and I are identical twins, and we’ve always been very competitive. We came out of the womb competing for resources and competing for everyone’s attention from day one! Growing up, we did everything from semi-pro rugby to golf, even baseball for Ireland and some modelling. We were always chasing external validation. We ate a very typical Irish diet and drank lots of beer. After university, Steve said he wasn’t happy and wanted to go off and find something more meaningful. He went to Vancouver, and I went to South Africa. Somewhere along the way, we both started eating more plant-based, discovered real food, and became really interested in wellbeing, happiness and how food connects to that. Steve eventually said, “Hey, do you want to start a business to try to inspire people and build a community around health and wholesome living?” That’s when The Happy Pear was born, and we’re just as excited today as we were the day we started.

How has your approach to food and wellness evolved over the years?

Our core philosophy is still the same. We always come back to the five pillars. Number one would be eating more veg and whole foods. Number two is to move lots, because we’re mammals, and movement makes us feel good. Nowadays we live in a very sedentary environment so we’ve got to be intentional about moving. Prioritising relationships and community over digital experiences is also important. Then there’s sleep of course, and spending time in nature and not taking life too seriously. That’s our philosophy on health really.

If you had to pick your top five healthy foods, what would they be?

I’d say number one would be beans and legumes. So kidney beans, butter beans, chickpeas, lentils. They’re high in fibre and if you look at some of the longest-living populations on the planet, 50% of their calories come from beans and legumes. Number two would be fruit, so apples, pears, oranges and bananas. I really prioritise fruit. Number three would be whole grains, like whole wheat pasta, brown rice and oats. Four would be leafy greens. We grow tonnes of brassicas like kale, chard and broccoli on our farm. They’re the healthiest of all foods. Five would be mushrooms in all their varieties. There’s your button mushrooms and flat cap, but then there’s also the medicinal varieties, like shiitake, maitake, cordyceps, lion’s mane and reishi, which you can get in supplement form.

Do you take any supplements?

Yes, I take vitamin B12 and vitamin D3 in a spray. I also take an algae-based omega-3.

Do you keep fit through exercise as well?

Definitely. We did a 130km race last September. It took place over two days across our county, so 65km each day. We trained for months with a group of friends. We also swim in the sea every morning. We’ve been doing that for about 10 years now. We go every morning at sunrise because we live right by the sea. We’ve done yoga for decades too, mostly Ashtanga. It really helps with strength, mobility and mindfulness. Even just 10 minutes makes a difference.

Any final words of advice for our readers on improving their health and wellbeing?

Be intentional. With food, choose more whole plant foods. It’s not about veganism or vegetarianism or other labels, but about eating real, wholesome food. I’d say the same with movement. Be proactive because it’s essential for mental health, stress relief and sleep. Lastly, I’d say learn how to relax. Life doesn’t have to be so serious. When people look back over their lives they wish they hadn’t worked so hard, that they’d spent more time with loved ones, and that they’d allowed themselves to be happy. So take time to enjoy the journey, no matter what the ups and downs might be.

The Happy Pear 20: Recipes and Learnings From the First 20 Years by David and Stephen Flynn is out now.
Visit thehappypear.ie

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