Speaking with us at the recent SupplySide West show in Las Vegas, Samy Jandali, VP of BASF Nutrition & Health, North America, said that the company has come up with a ‘consumer health capability suite’ that combines its know-how in the nutrition and pharma sectors to support innovation for OTC and dietary supplements.
“There are changes in healthcare and consumers taking health management into their own hands,” he said. “We’re tapping into the expertise we have in nutrition and pharma to innovate the next generation of dietary supplement.”
“There is a market opportunity around delivery forms,” added Ludger Eilers, Director, Human Nutrition, BASF North America. “The surveys tell us that two thirds of Americans take dietary supplements, but one third of these are not regular consumers, and that’s because the products are not consumer friendly.”
The problem is especially acute in seniors who need a reduction in dosage sizes or just want to take less product, added Eilers.
The company has focused on three areas, he said:
Consumers – “We’re innovating around convenience,” he added, with an example being the orally disintegrating tablets (ODIs) BASF showcased in Las Vegas.
Release patterns – Release of nutrients from formulations can be instant, sustained, or targeted, he said.
Sensory appeal – many nutritional ingredients have taste issues, so masking any unpleasant flavors is important for boosting acceptance, he explained.
‘More Power to You’ & the ‘Fear of Getting Older’
BASF showcased a number of concepts of its new approach in Las Vegas, including an omega "Cardio-Pack" (melt-in-your-mouth flavored stick packs), an omega-3 "Vitality Swirl" (a spoonable emulsion for those who have difficulty swallowing pills. “We’re convinced these kinds of products will grow,” said Eilers, “because the deliver form fits well with the trend of helping compliance”), and a caffeine-containing ODIs that the company was calling "More Power to You" tablets.
“A recent survey found that 87% of Americans have at least one fear when they think about getting older,” he noted, “and these include physical declines, memory loss, getting a chronic disease, and running out of money. And all these ranked higher in the survey than the actual fear of dying!” In response to such data, the company presented a juice concept for seniors formulated lycopene, omega-3s, beta-carotene and vitamins A, C, D and E that it was calling the "FOGO (Fear of Getting Older)" Tropical Drink.
No talk about delivery formats would be complete without gummies. “One third of growth in the vitamin, mineral, and supplements category is driven by gummies,” explained Eilers. “Also, data shows that about 37%o f adult supplement uses have used a gummy/soft chew formats, while another 35% would be interested, which would potentially lead to an even larger growth in the gummy vitamin sector.” For its part, the company had a sterol-containing "Young at Heart" gummy at SupplySide West.
“These innovations are exactly what the dietary supplement industry needs,” said Eilers. “They tap new segments and strengthen the bond with existing consumers.”
Free-to-attend Healthy Ageing Forum: October 28
Insights into the global healthy ageing markets will be discussed and debated in a free online forum on October 28.
The discussion with leading experts will explore the actions of the food, drink and supplement brand leaders, the formulations, the science and regulatory environment in an unmissable forum that spans demographics as it does all elements of the healthy foods and supplements sectors.
Sign up here.