NutraIngredients-USA Awards: Meet the Products of the Year!
Read on to meet the winners:
Product of the year: Botanical
This year’s winner, Korean Red Ginseng Extract, 240 mg, from Korea Ginseng Group, is a highly concentrated form of ginseng in a venerable delivery form.
Our judges were impressed by the quality of the product and the manufacturing protocols in place for its production.
“We are so honored to have Korean Red Ginseng Extract be recognized as product of the Year in the Botanical’s category by the NutraIngredients-USA Awards. This award validates our growing influence and entry into the US market, as well as the quality and attention to detail we pour out into our products. Our mission is pure and simple: to bring you superb ginseng tailored to your very needs and preferences. Thank you to all our consumers and hard-working KGC team members," said Henry Chae, KGC Marketing Director.
Product of the Year: Immune Support
CV Defense is an entry from CV Sciences, one of the leading companies in teh hemp/CBD space. In branching out from that product category, the company introduced CV Defense, which features PEA (palmitoylethanolamide) as its principal active ingredient.
Discovered in 1993, PEA is known to regulate certain immune cells in parallel with the endocannabinoid system. Some companies have looked to the molecule as one of the ways to affect this system in the body without having to open the regulatory Pandora’s box of using an actual cannabinoid ingredient.
CV Defense also includes vitamins A and D, selenium, zinc and a beta glucan ingredient, all of which are designed to support immune health. For PEA, the company claims that six clinical trials including more than 3,000 subjects have demonstrated it has clear immune health benefits.
“We are honored to be recognized for our innovation in a category that has been top of mind for consumers all year: immune health. Such recognition would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our expert staff, scientists, and advisors – who are the heart of who we are as a wellness company,” said Joseph Dowling, CEO of CV Sciences Inc.
“This award also validates our strategic decision to expand our product portfolio beyond the hemp-derived CBD category that we pioneered. There is much more to come as we continue to diversify our offerings to meet consumer demand for innovative wellness products backed by nature and science,” he added.
Product of the Year: Omega-3s
This year’s winner comes from ChildLife Essentials, whose ChildLife Essentials Omega-3 DHA + Choline SoftMelts provide essential nutrients children need for the healthy development of their brain and nervous system. The product provides DHA and EPA, choline and vitamin D3 in a patented chewable from that enhances compliance.
The judges noted that the enhanced bioavailability of an emulsified fish oil in a gel matrix is supported by research.
“ChildLife is thrilled to have won the NutraIngredients-USA 2021 award. We are extremely proud of our ChildLife Essentials Omega-3 DHA + Choline SoftMelts. The success of this product is due to a combination of innovation, collaboration with great partners, and hard work from our team. This recognition inspires us to keep raising our bar on innovation and continue providing our customers with the best children's supplements on the market.” said Karyn McCarthy, VP Sales & Marketing.
Product of the Year: Probiotic
This year’s winner, Omni-Biotic Stress Release from Allergosan USA, is a multi strain probiotic supplement that contains 7.5 billion CFU in a mixture of nine different strains of probiotic organisms. All of the strains are characterized to the strain level. The company characterizes the product as a ‘psychobiotic,’ with impressive research backing the product’s ability to support cognitive functioning during times of stress.
“It’s an honor to have Omni-Biotic Stress Release recognized as the Probiotic of the Year. We are committed to the highest quality and efficacy by investing deeply in strain characterization, formulation stability, and human clinical trials. This has allowed us to create Omni-Biotic Stress Release, a highly effective psychobiotic. We are gratified that the judges recognize our commitment to science, clinical evidence, efficacy, and the importance of indication-specific probiotics. Omni-Biotic is well established in Europe. We are thrilled to be recognized as best-in-class in the US and look forward to elevating Omni-Biotic’s visibility to many more healthcare providers and patients,” said Allergosan CEO Klaus Kleinfeld.
Winner of the Year: Sports Nutrition
Health Currancy UK Ltd is the source of this year’s winner, CurraNZ. The product, which adopts a ‘superfood’ positioning, relies on the antioxidant benefits of the source material, blackcurrants grown in New Zealand. The island country’s growing conditions, which include cold winters and high UV levels because of its proximity to the seasonal thinning of the ozone layer over the South Pole, result in a higher expression of anthocyanins in the raw material.
“When I started on this journey with New Zealand blackcurrant extract, little was known about its properties. We identified that scientific evaluation would be crucial to the product gaining traction and acceptance in the international sports nutrition sector,” said Fleur Cushman, CEO of Allergosan USA.
“We are therefore thrilled with the progress we’ve made and delighted to share this success with everyone who has contributed to the scientific breakthroughs that have elevated the product to the big stage. Thank you to Nutra Ingredients-USA for this wonderful accolade.
“The research groups in the UK and New Zealand have made extraordinary strides in advancing our scientific understanding of this polyphenol-rich berry,” Cushman added.
