PALS Simon Ashburner, Ben Lewis and Nick Bildner have clinched a deal with FA Cup favourites Chelsea to supply energy bars to stars like striker Didier Drogba.

The trio launched a wholefood snacks business a couple of years ago after initially going their separate ways after graduating.

Bisley-born Simon, Stroudie Ben and Nick, who lives in Clifton, always enjoyed devising meals after lectures at Bristol Uni and even talked about running their own business one day.

They decided to give up their careers and set up Pulsin', which started with them experimenting with recipes in a friend's kitchen.

Now Ben, 29, Simon and Nick, both 30, have a factory in the county producing 6,000 healthy snacks a day, including energy and sports recovery bars.

They have four staff, as well as casual labour when necessary, and the snacks are sold in more than 200 stores in the UK.

Sales director Nick said: "We were pleased when Chelsea came to us to ask if we could produce their own brand of bar. The club's nutritionist had tried one of ours in London."

The pals developed a recipe for the club over three months. They now hope to expand and get into more places in Europe.

Before setting up the company, Nick was a psychologist, Simon was a management consultant and is now commercial director and Ben was a nutritionist.