The global health ingredient supplier launched six conceptsย containing a range of Howaru probiotics, botanicals, vitamins and minerals, aiming to cover the main symptoms of menopause,ย all backed byย GenMโs โM-Tickโโย menopause friendly symbol.
โWe launched our partnership with GenM lat last yearโs Vitafoods, and this year we see many customers understand this opportunity,โ Vanessa Azevedo, IFFโs global product innovation marketing manager, told NutraIngredients. โGenM has conducted a lot of research into consumer needs so that we can advise customers on products they could position to these customers.โ
She explained that GenMโs research suggests that awareness of menopause symptoms are growing but has not yet translated to a better lived experience.
โEven though women know more about the symptoms and are more open to discussing them, itโs unfortunate that the mindset is often โitโs OKโ, or โitโs manageableโ or โit could be worseโ,” she said.ย โThat is not good enoughโwhy should customers be left unsatisfied?โ
1 billion women will face menopause by 2025 (GenM)
87% of those in menopause feel overlooked by brands (GenM)
44% of menopausal women in the UK want to avoid hormonal therapy (Forbes)
1% of the total supplements launched in EMEA in the last decade addressed menopause (Mintel)
The concept line-up on show in Geneva included: The Wise with probiotics, ashwagandha and vitamin B6 for mood swing support; The Mystric with probiotics, SoyLife, lemon balm and vitamin B6 for hot flashes and night sweats; The Queen withย Neuravena green oat extractโ, ginseng and vitamin C for brain fog; The Warrior with probiotics, green mate and vitamin B6 for weight management; The Healer with probiotics, keraGEN-IV keratin, Grow C vitamin C and zinc for skin, hair and nails; and The Guardian with probiotics,ย Go-Less pumpkin seed extractโย and vitamin B2 for vaginal and bladder health.
Azevedo explained that the turnkey solutions allow customers to act quickly and launch products for this market immediately, with the backing of the M-Tick.
Free to Age Your Wayโ
Addressing the lack of consumer interest in age-focused health solutions, IFF also launched its Free to Age Your Way campaign with a range of concepts to support consumers through common age-related health issues but advising brands not to use traditional โanti-agingโ messaging.
โMany of our customers were telling us they donโt get the traction with healthy aging products, and they are trying to understand whatโs their mistake,โ Azevedo said.
โOur main tip is donโt talk about aging! Some people are 50 but feel absolutely fine, while some are the same age and feel old, so age is irrelevant. Itโs about thinking about the signs of aging that they might be aware ofโalthough arenโt necessarily putting down to their ageโand then providing solutions for those issues.โ
This is in keeping with recent market insights provided by Nutrition Integratedโ, stating that there has been a societal paradigm shift in the way people view age, with most rallying against it and refusing to be defined by their birth year.
40% of EU population will be 55 or older by 2050 (EC Europa)
55% of 18 to 25 year olds globally rate healthy aging as โextremely of very importantโ (Mintel)
2% of food, drink & supplement launches globally have been positions for health aging (Innova Market Insights)
Azevedo further noted that a sizable 48% of 18 to 25 year olds say they are taking action or will soon take action toward better health, while only 7% of those between the ages of 46 and 55 say they did this when they were 20 (IFF), showing โhealthy agingโ is no longer just for those 65 and older.
IFFโs probiotic and botanical concepts on show at Vitafoods centered around three key pillarsโbuild, maintain and enjoyโto fit the needs of the younger, middle-aged and older consumers. For each pillar, the supplier provided product concepts in support of common health concerns of those life stages.
Suggested formulas within the ‘build’ pillar focused on beauty (B. lactisโ BI-04, keraGEN-IV, Grow C and zinc), vitality (B. lactisโ BI-04, Green Mate extract and vitamin B6) and relax/sleep (L. paracaseiโ Lpc-37, Passiflora and biotin).
โMaintainโ formulas focused on gut comfort (blend of Howaru GI Complete probiotics), metabolic harmony (B. lactisโย B420, CitrOlive, and Chromium) and bladder support (Go-Less, vitamins B2 and D).
And โenjoyโ concepts focused on mobility ease (NovaSOL curcumin and UniK), mind power (Sharp-PS, ginkgo extract and biotin), and gut shield (B. lactisโ HN019 and vitamin B6).
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