While product development teams have historically struggled to source many ingredients, particularly certified organic vitamins and minerals, this quest is becoming less and less of a barrier to innovation. Dietary supplement brand marketers can now readily meet the consumer demand for products that are certified organic with naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, and nutraceuticals found in organically grown botanicals.
The term “wholesome” is trending upward with consumers who are more actively rejecting what they perceive to be artificially modified ingredients. Vidya Herbs Inc.’s newest addition to its line of organic ingredients includes vitamins and minerals, building upon its robust catalog of botanical extracts, and creating opportunities for new organic products that brand marketers and consumers alike can feel good about.
Organic is swiftly becoming the norm and preferred. The most common reason consumers select organic products is that they perceive them to be healthier, according to one market intelligence report.1 Interestingly, the third most common reason cited is because purchasing organic products “was convenient.” This is a critical point in that it shows how plentiful organic products are in the market, which makes it clear that organic products are here to stay.
Cost barriers have been largely dismantled, as Nielsen research shows. According to Nielsen analyst Julia Wilson, Vice President of Global Responsibility & Sustainability,
“The top attributes that more than one-third of consumers were willing to pay more for included [in ascending order]: cruelty free (31%), farm raised (32%), organic farming (33%) and environmentally friendly (33.5%).”2
Supplement brands have ripe opportunities to create organic supplements now more than ever, with ingredients that provide necessary vitamins, minerals and other health-promoting, bioactive, plant-derived constituents. According to a report by the Organic Trade Association on sales from 2019, “Organic dietary supplements also were a standout, with sales up just over 10 percent to a record $1.7 billion.”3
Organic, for Vidya Herbs, is not a growing trend but an instilled way of life that is reflected in its ingredients. Headquartered in India with extensive R&D and production capabilities, the company has forged and sustained longstanding relationships with a vast array of organic farms throughout India.
“We are capable of customized extracts to meet customers’ specifications and due to our perpetually growing production capabilities, we are well positioned to meet the needs of customers both large and small,” said K Shyam Prasad, Vidya Herbs’ Founder and Managing Director.
“As a manufacturer that directly sources the raw materials, we have excellent traceability and can provide customers with added value in terms of story and marketing content surrounding the harvest and production of these herbal extracts,” said Steve Geiger, VP/GM of Sales and Operations for Vidya Herbs USA. “This ability helps to captivate our customers’ consumers who are deeply intrigued about the origins of the ingredients they consume.”
Imagine providing consumers with wholesome, organic vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, folic acid, zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium. Vidya Herbs achieves standardized extracts for these vitamins and minerals from botanicals including amla, lemon, guava, curry leaf, sesame and lantana, respectively.
Other widely consumed dietary supplements consumers seek are also available from organic sources such as curcuminoids from turmeric, gingerols from ginger, as well as caffeine and chlorogenic acid from green coffee, among others. “Our plant-based vitamins and minerals are a timely addition to our organic product line as consumers are heavily invested in taking staple supplements like vitamins and minerals,” Geiger commented.
For example, a survey of almost 3,500 adults ages 60 and older found that 39% use a multivitamin or mineral.4 In 2017, the Council for Responsible Nutrition found in its survey that 98% of supplement users take vitamins and minerals.5
“The service provided by Vidya Herbs doesn’t end with production and delivery of raw materials” said Christopher Bailey, Director of Scientific Affairs for Vidya Herbs USA. “We are committed to driving customer success through providing samples, formulation concepts, and third-party testing.”
Vidya, which means “science, learning, philosophy, knowledge and scholarship” in Sanskrit, is not just our name, but what we provide along with our ingredients.
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References
1 “Reasons consumers purchased fresh or packaged organic food in the last 30 days in the United States as of June 2017.” 12-01-2016, Statista
2 Wilson J, “Brands Increase Trust – And Prices – Through Sustainability” 7-11-2019, Nielsen
3 McNeil M, “COVID-19 will shape organic industry in 2020 after banner year in 2019” 6-9-2020, Organic Trade Association
4 Gahche J.J. et al. “Dietary Supplement Use Was Very High among Older Adults in the United States in 2011–2014.” J Nutr. 147(10):1968-1976.
5 “2017 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements” Council for Responsible Nutrition
