Everyone loves to snack, and while too much snacking used to be viewed as lacking self-control, and bad for you, the development of better-for-you options has made snacking a much more accepted part of our diets. In fact, people are snacking 

According to Mondelez International’s Fourth Annual State of Snacking report published this January, 64% of consumers surveyed across 12 countries in 2022 reported preferring to eat many small meals throughout the day as opposed to eating fewer larger meals. In some cases, snacking can replace typical meals. According to the same report, there was a 42% increase in morning snacking and a 22% increase in afternoon snacking, with 40% of consumers saying they skipped at least one meal the previous day in 2021, compared to 30% saying the same thing in 2013. Breakfast was the most frequently skipped meal. Overall, there was a 6% increase in the number of snacks consumed each day.

The demand for snacks is so big that the Kellogg Company split its business up into three companies focusing separately on snacks, cereals, and plant-based foods.

 According to Kellogg’s, snacks made up 80% of its sales in 2021, amounting to $11.4 billion. The rationale for the new corporate structure, according to Kellogg’s CEO Steve Cahillane, was to allow the new separate business units to focus on their own products instead of competing for resources with the high-growth snack category. Actions like this demonstrate just how profitable the snack category can be.

Because snacking is becoming a bigger and more desirable aspect of daily life, consumers are getting more selective about their snacks. According to the Mondelez report, in 2022 84% of consumers felt that snacks should meet the nutritional needs of different consumers, and 68% said they check nutrition labels on snacks before buying them. For example, offering snacks that target specific diets can boost sales. According to market researcher SPINS, Paleo-positioned products experienced 18.6% sales growth, and products with a grain-free label claim grew 15.9%, based on data from the 52 weeks ending October 2, 2022.

When it comes to reading nutrition labels, protein content is still super relevant and important to consumers. According to SPINS, for example, cookies and snack bars with more than 20 grams of protein saw 589% year-over-year sales growth in 2022. For vegans or vegetarians, protein content can be particularly important, but plant-based label claims continue to attract a wider audience, too. The Mondelez report states that 54% of consumers are making an effort to eat more plant-based snacks and that 70% of consumers believe that plant-based snacks are better for the future of the planet. That means that a large number of consumers are either flexitarian or actively vegan or vegetarian.

That is not to say that consumers are exclusively looking for healthy snack options. Consumers may be more mindful of how they eat, but they are still willing to indulge, says the Mondelez report. It states that 63% of consumers say they are less restrictive in their eating habits than they have been in the past, with mood and other factors guiding their food choices. Additionally, 78% say they are more likely to take the time to savor indulgent snacks, with 8 in 10 consumers stating they are more selective when choosing an indulgent snack. Therefore, it appears that many consumers are very discerning and are making highly informed decisions about their snacking choices.

Krawiec, S. Kellogg’s to Split Business in Three Companies that Focus on Snacks, Cereal, and Plant-Based Foods. 

. July 21, 2022. Accessed February 13, 2022. 

https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/kellogg-to-split-business-in-three-companies-that-focus-on-snacks-cereal-and-plant-based-foods

. December 20, 2022. Accessed February 13, 2022. 

https://www.spins.com/7-trends-to-watch-in-2023/

Articles

Consumers are treating snacking like another meal leading them to make more deliberate and balanced choices.

Consumers are snacking more frequently, becoming more discerning about their snack options

In a supplement landscape abloom with products pinpointing specific conditions, leveraging AI for personalization, or even delivering the goods via platforms as novel as stick packs and “super coffees,” how relevant can a run-of-the-mill multivitamin be?

And that would be a real problem for industry if “run of the mill” captured the essence of the modern multinutrient supplement. But because savvy brands are evolving their multis in concert with evolving technologies, trends, and nutrition science, the multivitamins on shelves today give run-of-the-mill a run for its money.

Evidence of the multivitamin’s staying power is everywhere. One need look no further than the fact that despite near-exponential diversification within the VMS space, multivitamins still make up its largest category, notes Francis Lau, PhD, FACN, director of scientific affairs at Olly. “And that,” he says, “in itself demonstrates strength.”

Lau attributes that strength to “the breadth of multivitamin options available”—among other factors—and points out that “regardless of age, gender, or format preference, there’s a multivitamin out there that can be the foundation of a vitamin regimen.”

And don’t discount the power of the pandemic in boosting multis’ profile, adds Susan Mitmesser, PhD, vice president of science and technology at Pharmavite LLC. But while she acknowledges that the spread of COVID-19 undoubtedly focused attention on multivitamins’ preventive potential, she doesn’t think it tells the whole story.

“Multivitamins are absolutely still an important part of consumers’ health-and-wellness regimens,” she explains, “and while we can attribute this partially to the self-care and wellness booms of COVID-19, we can also credit multivitamins’ ability to ensure adequate micronutrient status—and we know for a fact that adequate micronutrient status leads to better long-term and short-term health outcomes.”

Supplement users know this, too, and as their appreciation for the interplay between nutrition and health grows, so does their interest in fine-tuning their supplementation strategies to optimize desired outcomes or attenuate pressing concerns.

That interest has begat a golden age of condition-specific supplements, with formulations aimed at increasingly precise wellness goals like improved sports and cognitive performance, or cellular health, women’s health, digestive support, and more.

Consumers are buying in with zeal—which is a plus for industry—but the rise of condition-specific supplements raises questions about where broad-based multivitamins fit into an evermore-segmented supplement shelf.

“With the heightened focus on health and wellness among VMS consumers, it makes sense that condition-specific supplements have become popular,” observes Jeff Wong, vice president, marketing, at SmartyPants Vitamins. “The more individuals learn about their personal health needs, the more they want to cultivate more tailored supplement regimens.”

“But condition-specific formulations,” he continues, “are just that: 

 While these can complement multis, they may not contain all the nutrients that multis do to help with whole-body health.”

Rachel Jones, MS, RDN, senior vice president and chief product innovation and science officer at GNC, agrees.

“Multivitamins have been a central part of wellness routines for years because of their efficacy and ability to help consumers set a baseline—providing an array of vitamins and minerals that fill nutrient gaps that may be present in an everyday diet.”

And while avid supplement users may not consider “baseline” enough, “That doesn’t negate the positive impact a traditional multi can have on overall wellness,” she insists.

Moreover, argues Wong, consumers shouldn’t have to build an elaborate supplement stack just to ground themselves in the basics. Rather, “We believe they should be able to opt for a quality daily multivitamin, and then opt for a condition-specific formulation on an as-needed basis.”

And to the extent that specific conditions like poor energy, high stress, or fractured sleep are products of nutrient gaps—as they often are—“Filling those gaps with a multivitamin can typically support common condition-specific needs, too,” argues Erin Barrett, PhD, director of product innovation and scientific affairs at Shaklee.

Finally, in an inflationary era, the multivitamin’s knack for multitasking is invaluable.

As Lau puts it, “When the economy takes a downturn, consumers often cut back on things that are ‘nice to have.’ But multis aren’t typically viewed as nice-to-haves, and many consider them essential. Their advantage in this environment is that they really are a staple of good health support.”

Jones even calls the multivitamin “one wellness product that budget-conscious consumers should be willing to purchase. It’s a foundational first step nearly everyone can benefit from, and it’s typically more economical than buying solutions separately and layering them together.”

Best of all, this multi-versus-specific debate needn’t be a debate at all: Consumers can have the best of both supplementation strategies.

“Often we’re looking at an ‘and’ instead of an ‘or’ when comparing condition-specific products to multivitamins,” Mitmesser says. “Multivitamins are easy, low entry points into foundational health and wellness, but for those with specific health concerns, condition-specific products packing a bigger punch can complement multivitamins.”

She considers both insurance policies, concluding that, “Effectively, consumers can’t go wrong using either multivitamins alone or stacking them alongside condition-specific products. What’s important is that they account for their goals and lifestyle considerations.”

And, it’s worth noting, for their diets.

“I want to add to the conversation that food is always first,” says Erin Stokes, medical director at MegaFood. “As a naturopathic doctor and mom, I believe in healthy food’s power to deliver essential vitamins and minerals. But there are real gaps in people’s diets, and we need a little help covering them.”

So when she discusses multivitamins, “I often invite people—myself included—to think about everything we’ve eaten in the last 24 hours,” she says. “This simple exercise generally reveals that while most of us are doing our best, our diets are definitely not perfect.”

And even if they were, she continues, “There’s clear evidence for the declining nutrient composition of food.” A study published in the 

Journal of the American College of Nutrition

 measured changes in the nutrient composition of 43 garden crops from 1950 to 1999 and found that, on the whole, the foods analyzed displayed declines in protein, calcium, potassium, iron, riboflavin, and ascorbic acid.

No wonder that “despite our best efforts to eat healthily,” Barrett says, “up to 90% of us don’t get the key nutrients we need from food.” And with more of us adopting restrictive “lifestyle diets”—think keto, paleo, gluten-free, intermittent fasting, et al.—nutritional equilibrium can tilt even further out of whack.

Thus, says Barrett, there’s still plenty of need for multivitamins that “help bring balance back to people’s diets by filling nutrition gaps.”

It helps if they can do so conveniently. As Wong points out, today’s multi users are “busy people who want the option best-suited to their needs without having to spend too much time, or money, investing in an entire cabinet’s worth of supplements. Fundamentally, they’re seeking the same thing they always have: the best option to help support their health and that of their families.”

But “best” means different things to different bodies, and, as Jones points out, “Regardless of where the consumer is on their wellness journey, they have higher expectations for the multivitamin. They want cleaner ingredients and expect claims such as vegan, plant-based, whole-food-sourced, gluten-free, and organic.”

They also expect an enjoyable experience. “It’s important to have solutions for people who prefer alternative delivery forms or struggle to swallow tablets or capsules,” Barrett emphasizes, noting that 40% of the general population counts themselves as part of the latter.

To answer these needs, Shaklee developed a multivitamin drink mix with 17 essential vitamins and minerals, most of which appear at 100% or more of their daily requirement. The company also designed a comprehensive prenatal supplement system comprising a multivitamin drink, “a tiny tablet to deliver strong-tasting minerals,” Barrett says, and a “gelly”—think “squishable gummy”—packed with omega-3s. “No more ‘horse pills’ that make compliance hard for the pregnant mama-to-be and her sensitive tummy,” she declares.

Wong notes that SmartyPants was among the first brands to offer gummy multivitamins and that the company is now zeroing in on the growing need for sugar-free gummy multivitamins with its late-March retail launch of a new line of sugar-free gummy multis in kids’, women’s, and prenatal formulations.

The products contain neither sugar nor sugar alcohols, relying instead on monk fruit and allulose for sweetness. With more than half of consumers actively trying to limit or avoid sugar, Wong reports, “This is an important white space that will have a significant long-term impact in the industry.”

Lau adds that Olly strives to deliver nutrients “in formats that are fun, easy to take, and so delightful that consumers actually look forward to taking them and can stick to the habit over time.” And for the traditionalists in their fan base, old-school platforms like softgels remain in the lineup.

“We’re keeping up with the ever-changing market by exploring new formats and ingredients, and when it comes to ingredients we’re keeping our eye on nootropics, adaptogens, and mushrooms,” Lau continues.

The company also sneaks some plays from the condition-specific space by formulating not just the essentials into their multis but “nutrients that address top health benefits for the intended end user,” too, Lau explains. They introduce this element of personalization by building a multi base that’s suited to everyone—men, women, teens, kids, prenatal, and gender-neutral users—and then adding nutrient “boosts” atop it as appropriate. So their women’s multi includes biotin for hair, skin, and nail support, Lau explains, while their men’s multi boasts B vitamins for cellular energy.

And as Melina Baxter, chief marketing officer at Shaklee, notes, “We understand that a multi isn’t a one-size-fits-all product, and that everyone’s unique.” In other words, “You can have two 30-year-old women who have very different nutrition needs, and a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for them.”

Shaklee’s answer is Meology, which Baxter describes as “a personalized nutrition system that targets what you and only you need to thrive.”

Launched in 2020, the system takes users through a short diet and lifestyle questionnaire and then runs it through a back-end algorithm that cooks up “an essential program of core nutrients—a 21st-century multi—specifically for you,” Barrett explains. So while most contemporary multivitamins supply all the essential vitamins and minerals at levels near 100% of their daily values, she says, this system tailors both nutrient choice and level to a user’s specific needs as per age, gender, health status, food preferences, activity levels, and more.

It’s a tech-forward development that hints at a nutritional future we may already be living in.

Then again, technology—and science—have always underpinned responsible supplement development. For example, says Jones, “At GNC, research informs everything we do.” The company even conducted a clinical study on the multivitamin blend in the GNC Mega Men and GNC Women’s brands and found that participants improved their levels of key B vitamins and oxidative-defense nutrients compared to those receiving the placebo, she says, adding that their formulations “worked better than a basic multi at increasing levels of several nutrients.”

Meanwhile, Wong claims that SmartyPants always consults the latest science to determine whether or not to include hot new nutrients or benefits in their formulations. “‘Science-backed’ is the key point,” he says. “We’re looking for clear evidence, never reacting to trends.”

Their in-house nutrition-science team and scientific advisory board use NHANES data to understand nutrient gaps in demographics “so that we can formulate to fill them,” he explains. They also update and revise formulations to reflect the latest science and “ensure we’re giving consumers the most efficacious products we can.” Thus their products often contain not just the essentials but also nutrients “not commonly found in other multivitamins, like omega-3s, or vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin,” he says. “This all-in-one approach helps to effectively address a variety of deficiencies in one daily supplement serving.”

And that matters. “With 92% of American adults experiencing some form of nutrient deficiency,” Wong concludes, “the most important thing we can do is offer an accessible way for them to enter the category and start addressing those gaps.” If consumers graduate to condition-specific supplementation, great; if not, that’s great, too. “Thankfully,” he says, “they don’t have to choose.”

Davis, D.R.; Epp, M.D.; Riordan, H.D. Changes in USDA Food Composition Data for 43 Garden Crops, 1950 to 1999. 

Leading supplement brands explain how today’s multivitamins meet modern needs. 

How do you modernize the multivitamin?

One way to improve one’s quality of life—and, in turn, one’s health—is to reduce the stress in our lives. Stress can have a domino effect, causing one to eat too much or too little, develop bad habits such as tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption, reduce motivation to be active and to exercise, as well as impact our interpersonal relationship because of irritability and anger.

According to Mintel’s Global Consumer Trends for 2023, a survey of 2,000 U.S. internet users above the age of 18 found that 49% of respondents reported experiencing stress in the last year, 38% reported feeling anxiety, 22% reported feeling mental exhaustion, and 20% reported feeling burnt out. In a survey of 1,537 internet users above the age of 18 in the UK that have experienced stress in the past year, 71% reported that managing diet and exercise was important for managing stress.

A proper diet and an active lifestyle can have an immense impact on one’s mental health, but consumers are always looking for an edge: that product that helps them meet their health goals. Dietary supplements that support cognitive health and reduce stress can offer the assistance consumers are looking for, but a novel approach of targeting the gut-brain axis may be the future of stress- and mood-supporting products.

reported in our January/February 2023 Ingredients to Watch issue, the use of 

 continues to grow. As our understanding of the microbiome becomes more sophisticated, so, too, are the products, which may benefit from taking on a targeted approach—in this case, brain health via the microbiome.

Formulating products that target the gut-brain axis can be an effective way to not only leverage the desire of consumers to improve their mental health but also the demand for microbiome-supporting products.

The idea that brain health is interconnected with digestive health has been posited for years, and while our understanding of the mechanisms behind these connections is still limited, knowledge on the topic is growing rapidly as researchers strive to solve the puzzle. And it indeed is a puzzle. To put things into perspective, the human gut has the highest cell densities documented for any ecosystem, containing around 10

 bacteria, with a diversity of at least 1,000 species.

The gut-brain axis is defined as the interaction between the enteric nervous system (ENS) that exists within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and the central nervous system. The ENS is even referred to as the second brain because it contains as many nerves as the spinal cord, is involved in the regulation of basic gut functions, and has similar neurotransmitters and signaling molecules as the brain.

A crucial neural pathway for the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain is the vagus nerve, which has an influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is responsible for our adaptive stress response.

 Another pathway through which the gut and the brain communicate involves direct or indirect signaling via chemical transmitters such as microbial metabolites, and hormones or neurotransmitters which are directly synthesized or modulated by gut microbiota.

Metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are very important for GI health by maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, mucus production, and controlling inflammation, but they also play a role in the gut-brain axis. For example, SCFAs control the production of peptides by enteroendocrine cells that stimulate the synthesis of serotonin derived the from the gut.

 spp., also play a role in the production of neurotransmitters that control our cognitive functions. Namely, these bacteria are involved in the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), acetylcholine, noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin.

Connecting the Gut Microbiome to Mental Health

We’re all familiar with the “butterflies in our stomach” cliché and have experienced GI symptoms in times of high stress. The idea of our guts and minds being linked is therefore somewhat intuitive. However, understanding these connections is more complicated, especially when they’re linked to serious diseases.

Researchers have found a correlation between our gut microbiome and neurological disorders.

Recently, the largest analysis to date investigating the association between the gut microbiome and depression was published in 

 The study investigated the relationship between fecal microbiome diversity and composition with depressive symptoms across 2593 individuals. Researchers identified 13 microbial taxa associated with depressive symptoms that included 12 genera and one microbial family, namely: 

Lachnoclostridium, Hungatella, Coprococcus, Lachnospiraceae

Sellimonas, Eggerthella, Lachnoclostridium,

 were more abundant in subjects with higher depressive symptoms, while all other taxa were depleted in those with higher depressive symptoms. These results are consistent with previous research. Bacteria such as 

 which were depleted in subjects with higher depressive symptoms, are known to be involved with butyrate production (a SCFA), and 

 has been found to be more abundant in those with an omega-3–rich diet.

 Omega-3s are also known to have a beneficial effect on cognitive health.

New findings from the study include the associations with genera 

Sellimonas, Lachnoclostridium, Hungatella, Eubacterium ventriosum, Lachnospiraceae

 for example, was positively associated with depressive symptoms. This is significant because it belongs to the family 

 are increased in those with inflammatory diseases. Higher abundance of 

 has also been observed after dysbiosis—the imbalance in the gut microbiome in which the gut is colonized with more harmful bacteria. 

 for its part, was found to be depleted with increased depressive symptoms, and previous animal studies showed it to be depleted in mice after traumatic brain injury.

 This is consistent because depression is known to be a symptom of traumatic brain injury.

Most of the microbiota identified in the study have an involvement with the synthesis of glutamate and butyrate. The researchers explain that glutamate is widely distributed in the brain and acts as a major excitatory synaptic neurotransmitter known to be involved with the regulation of neuroplasticity, learning, and memory. Low levels of glutamate have been associated in previous research with mood and psychotic disorders, and increasing glutamate levels is becoming a novel therapeutic target for treating depressive disorders.

Butyrate is a SCFA that modulates biological responses of host gastrointestinal health and can affect the gut-brain axis by enhancing “cholinergic neurons via epigenetic mechanisms” while also being able to cross the blood-brain barrier and activate the vagus nerve and hypothalamus, explain the researchers.

Other research has found associations between alterations in gut microbiome with neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

 For example, Alzheimer’s disease patients, when compared to age- and gender-matched controls not suffering from the disease, were found to have decreased levels of bacteria known to be butyrate producers. Similarly, patients with Parkinson’s disease were also found to have a lower abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria and lower SCFAs overall compared to age-matched controls.

While consumers should not turn to dietary supplements to treat serious neurological conditions, this research demonstrates the relationship between our brains and microbiomes, and therefore offers a possible solution for consumers experiencing stress in their daily lives. Consumers are already looking for ways to reduce stress through dietary intervention, and dietary supplements can be a useful tool to this end.

Naturally, consumers looking for brain health solutions via the gut will turn to probiotics. Some probiotic manufacturers have already begun marketing strains for brain health and have clinical validation. IFF (New York City), for example, offers its Howaru 

Lpc-37 ingredient for stress support. One study found that 120 subjects given the probiotic for five weeks experienced significant reductions in perceived exhaustion, fatigue, and stress compared to those taking placebo. The reduction was particularly pronounced among women, whom the researchers noted had higher stress and sleep disruption compared to the men in the study.

Another probiotic strain, from Lallemand Health Solutions (Mirabel, QC, Canada)—

 HA-114—was found in a recent study to significantly impact eating behaviors and mood-related factors, compared to placebo.

 In the study, 152 adults were given a dietary intervention with the addition of either placebo or the probiotic strain. Both groups experienced reductions in their weight from the dietary intervention, but only the probiotic group experienced decreases in binge-eating tendencies, disinhibition, and food cravings. Lallemand has also recently announced that its Rosell Institute for Microbiome and Probiotics received a $1.6 million research grant from the Weston Family to study this same probiotic strain for its impact on ALS.

A probiotic blend from AB-Biotics (Barcelona, Spain), consisting of 

 KABP 023 (CECT 7485), was found to help subjects with stress-induced gastric distress.

 While the study was small, results showed that subjects taking the probiotic blend experienced improvements in mental health scores and saw significant improvements in diarrhea-related problems that led to better overall work habits, including less missed work and improved productivity. The researchers observed that improvements in gastric issues coincided with increased abundance of 

Based on these studies, modulating the gut microbiome with probiotics can have real-world impacts on people’s mental health, potentially improving their health in numerous other ways. Weight management, for example, can be a controversial category, but offering a product that bolsters a healthy diet and exercise by reducing disinhibited eating can be a real game changer, especially when you consider how many people use food as comfort during stressful situations. Similarly, stress-induced gastrointestinal issues can have real negative impacts on our personal and professional lives, compounding the stress one experiences. If probiotics can help alleviate stress and related issues, that, too, can have an immense positive impact on consumers.

Prebiotics, a well-known complement to probiotics, may help support the gut-brain axis as well. Defined as carbohydrates that are selectively fermented by gut microbiota, thus modulating the composition of the microbiome, prebiotics may help in the production of SCFAs like butyrate, which we’ve established confer numerous benefits, including potential brain-health benefits.

 SCFAs produced by microbes may also influence the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which in turn supports the growth of new neurons and the survival of existing neurons.

 A recent preclinical study found that supplementation with a proprietary galactooligosaccharide (GOS) ingredient from Clasado Biosciences (Reading, UK) may reduce unfavorable metabolites while increasing healthy metabolites such as the SCFA butyrate.

 There may not yet be enough research to directly link prebiotics to the gut-brain axis, but the potential is there to elucidate their relationship with our brain.

Benefits to the gut-brain axis may not be isolated to pre- and probiotics either. Herbs known to support brain health may in fact have gut-modulating mechanisms. For example, 

to increase butyrate-producing bacteria and significantly alter the composition of gut microbiota.

 Once again, more research is necessary to understand this relationship, but in the future, the gut-brain axis may be another way to communicate the benefits of brain health–supporting herbs.

Concepts like the gut-brain axis provide a framework for understanding the interconnectedness of our bodies’ systems, which can be attractive to consumers who seek a more holistic approach to their health. Stress is also a universal experience that we all seek to avoid or minimize in our daily lives, and unfortunately, the ways people seek to alleviate stress are not always healthy and productive. Dietary supplements can offer a safer way to improve people’s quality of life.

The fact that microbiome-supporting products like pre- and probiotics are likely to be a part of consumers’ existing supplement regimen makes supporting the gut-brain axis a relatively easy sell. Researchers are still working out the details of the gut-brain relationship, but there is a growing acceptance of the concept, and study results are making their way to mainstream audiences. For example, the results of the 

 The gut-brain axis may not be mainstream quite yet, but now may be the time to start developing products that target the gut-brain axis, gaining a foothold in the category while boosting awareness and educating consumers.

Stress Symptoms: Effects on Your Body and Behavior. 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987

Krawiec, S. Look Beyond the Gut and Take Advantage of the Growing Microbiome Space: 2023 Ingredient Trends for Food, Drinks, Dietary Supplements, and Natural Products. 

. January 31, 2023. Accessed February 10, 2023. 

https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/look-beyond-the-gut-and-take-advantage-of-the-growing-microbiome-space-2023-ingredient-trends-for-food-drinks-dietary-supplements-and-natural-products

Peterson, C.T. Dysfunction of the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Neurodegenerative Disease: The Promise of Therapeutic Modulation With Prebiotics, Medicinal Herbs, Probiotics, and Synbiotics.

Pferchy-Wenzig, E.M.; Pausan, M.R.; Adjomand-Woelkart, K; Röck, S.; Ammar, R.M.; Kelber, O.; Moisel-Eichinger, C.; Bauer, R. Medicinal Plants and Their Impact on the Gut Microbiome in Mental Health: A Systematic Review. 

Radjabzadeh, D.; Bosch, J.A.; Uitterlinden, A.G.; Zwinderman, A.H.; et al. Gut Microbiome-Wide Association Study of Depressive Symptoms. 

Patterson, E.; Griffin, S.M.; Ibarra, A.; Ellsiepen, E.; Hellhammer, J. 

Lpc-37® Improves Psychological and Physiological Markers of Stress and Anxiety in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled and Parallel Clinical Trial (the Sisu Study). 

Choi, B.S-Y.; Brunelle, L.; Pilon, G.; Cautela B.G.; Tompkins, T.A.; Drapeau, V.; Marette, A.; Tremblay, A.

 HA-114 Improves Eating Behaviors and Mood-Related Factors in Adults With Overweight During Weight Loss: A Randomized Controlled Trial. 

Grebow, J. Lallemand’s Probiotic to Be Studied for Effects on Lou Gehrig’s Disease. 

. February 25, 2022. Accessed February 10, 2023. 

https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/lallemand-s-probiotic-to-be-studied-for-effects-on-lou-gehrig-s-disease

Sato, T.; Honda, S.; Tominaga, Y.; Miyakoshi, Y.; Ueda, T.; Sawashita, J. A Probiotic Blend Improves Defecation, Mental Health, and Productivity in Healthy Japanese Volunteers Under Stressful Situations. 

Marzorati, M.; Ghyselinck, J.; Van den Abbeele, P.; Maruszak, A.; Harthoorn, L. Galactooligosaccharide (GOS) Reduces Branched Short-Chain Fatty Acids, Ammonium, and pH in a Short-Term Colonic Fermentation Model. 

Wapner, J. The Link Between Our Food, Gut Microbiome and Depression. 

. January 31, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2023. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/01/31/gut-microbiome-anxiety-depression/

Emerging research highlights the nuanced connection between our brains and our guts, creating new opportunities for product development in the brain health and stress-support category. 

The gut-brain axis and what it means for the brain health category

Nothing focuses the mind like a good global supply-chain crisis—nothing, that is, except a good global supply-chain crisis 

And it’s amidst that confluence of calamities that wellness brands and suppliers now find themselves. In response, they’re reevaluating priorities in a bid to do more—more innovating, more R&D, more appealing to nervous consumers—with surprisingly less in the way of purchasing power, certainty, and resources in reserve for the next surprise.

So where does that leave any commitments to sustainability that brands and suppliers made in flusher times? In fact, far from taking a backseat until balance returns, sustainability initiatives are turning out to be savvy strategies for weathering not just this supply-chain storm but the storms to come, as well.

Recent events have given everyone in the supplement industry a crash course in supply-chain management, notes Wilson Lau, president, Nuherbs (San Leandro, CA). And as far as he can guess, those newfound skills will come in handy whenever the next disaster descends.

“‘Supply chain’ may have meant a container shortage over the previous two years,” he reflects, “but now it’s an energy crisis on top of economic and geopolitical uncertainty. So what will it look like next? Whatever it is, we’re transitioning from a ‘Get it at any cost because we needed it a month ago’ mindset to a situation where there’s still a lot of noise and uncertainty. And that makes demand planning and forecasting hard.”

“Basic warehousing and shipping costs are rising,” observes Jeff Chilton, founder and president, Nammex (Gibsons, BC, Canada). “That puts greater pressure on smaller customers who can’t amortize these costs with increased quantities of product purchased. So they’re the businesses most impacted by the current inflation.”

And from her perspective heading a botanical-supplement brand, Beth Lambert, CEO of Herbalist & Alchemist, notes that rising costs on her end mean that downstream prices for consumers “have had to increase accordingly.”

While she’s grateful that raw materials remain available—at least for now—she’s noticed a dismaying trend among botanical suppliers, and wild-crafters in particular, toward retirement. “And the next generation is currently not quite as reliable,” she adds diplomatically.

That alone paints the sector’s long-term sustainability in a murky light. But it’s not the only risk that supplement products—especially botanical ones—face.

Even setting aside the immediate threats of inflation, recession, and continued supply-chain and logistical hiccups, natural wellness products and their constituent ingredients are uniquely vulnerable to the consequences of climate change.

This is hardly news to sector insiders. As Chilton says, “Given that all reports show we’re farther down the climate-change road than was estimated, sustainability initiatives should be a priority for all. For those of us working with agricultural products, this has been clear for some time.”

Yet it’s just as clear that sustainability initiatives impose upfront costs that sting even more in today’s economic environment.

Nevertheless, the conclusion most companies draw is that sticking to their sustainability guns is worth the price. As Muhammed Majeed, PhD, founder and group chairman, Sami-Sabinsa Group (Bengaluru, Karnataka, India), stresses, “It would be devastating to abandon sustainability projects based on current business cycles. Corporate governance must continue despite temporary setbacks.”

In fact, some argue, it should continue precisely 

 of those setbacks. As Alison Taylor, chief sustainability officer, ADM (Chicago), notes, “The disruptions our customers now face actually increase the importance of programs that maintain continuity across the food and agriculture value chains.”

In other words, building resiliency against supply-chain challenges 

 against the challenges of climate change are two sides of the same coin.

As wellness brands are discovering, ensuring sustainability against the latter can actually save money.

“Tighter budgets mean we all have to operate more sustainably,” Lau states, “because we have less to work with. Besides their being the right things to do, practicing environmental stewardship and operating sustainability will be metrics for all companies in all industries as formerly externalized costs become internalized.”

Chilton goes so far as to see running his company sustainably not just as a responsibility but as an opportunity to review practices and consider smarter methods. “We’re always looking to streamline, simplify, and create more practical operational systems,” he says, “which in the end are the most sustainable ones.”

Chilton’s even found that addressing supply-chain troubles has led to solutions that further Nammex’s sustainability goals. “For example,” he explains, “we consolidate different production lots as much as possible so they ship together from factory to port. One ocean shipment means one customs entry and one transfer from the receiving port to our LA warehouse. This not only cuts fuel use but offers savings.”

All of which adds up, in Lambert’s view. “Our sustainability choices have to make good business sense,” she says. “Otherwise, they’re not sustainable.”

That being the case, Herbalist & Alchemist continues to reduce energy use, minimize packaging, and reuse or repurpose boxes and barrels before recycling. They’re also maintaining their commitment to purchase certified-organic and ethically harvested botanicals, she says, while also seeking organic certification for single-extract products and broadening and diversifying their supplier network in the face of weather uncertainties.

But Lambert cautions against economizing on price. Case in point: It might seem cheaper to receive raw materials in powdered form, but by sourcing whole, organic botanicals—as Herbalist & Alchemist does—company staff can macroscopically identify the product rather than outsource identity testing to a lab. “And if the ingredients aren’t organic,” Lambert adds, “that adds pesticide-testing costs.”

Ann Armbrecht, PhD, director of the Sustainable Herbs Program, American Botanical Council (Austin, TX), notes that research

 has associated investments made into sustainable, long-term supplier relationships, contracts, and fair pay for harvesters with higher-quality raw material than one would find on the open market. And higher quality, she adds, translates into “less raw material in the finished product. So even in the immediate term, investing in these initiatives helps ensure the quality of the products you bring to market.”

The relationship among quality, sustainability, and…well, 

 underscores a key feature of “Sustainability 2.0”—namely, that the concept goes beyond mere carbon and climate to encompass communities, too.

“Since many naturally occurring plants are located in the wild,” Majeed explains, “any sustainability program must also assist the communities there, improving their standard of living without compromising their sustainable way of life.”

Majeed has found the farming and wild-crafting communities that Sami-Sabinsa works with to be quite willing to participate in conservation efforts, he adds, especially when those efforts help “safeguard the environment for future generations and prevent the extinction of species.”

Finally, Majeed notes that the company’s conservation programs—which include the recent planting and cultivation of such rare and endangered species as 

 in the Himalayas—align with the goals of India’s Biological Diversity Act of 2002, conserving biological resources, sustainably managing their use, and promoting the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits they provide with local communities.

Lau notes that supply-chain challenges helped inspire Nuherbs’s new grower partnership for sourcing organic hibiscus from Mexico. With most hibiscus originating in Sudan and Nigeria, stopping in Egypt or Europe for processing and only thereafter arriving at U.S. facilities, he explains, “We designed our vertical integration to avoid the supply-chain vulnerabilities inherent to obtaining most hibiscus raw material this way, while also reducing hibiscus’s carbon footprint for North American users. The disruptions of the past few years were all the motivation we needed to build our supply chain closer to home.”

And Herbalist & Alchemist supports organic farmers and sustainable wild-crafters, Lambert insists, giving preference to local suppliers whenever possible. “Many are friends from the farming, herbalist, and permaculture communities,” she adds, “and we’re proud of the long-term relationships we’ve nurtured through fair, honest business practices. Sourcing this way ensures that our botanicals, the farmers who grow them, and the crafters who harvest them will be around in the future.”

And that makes sense to Armbrecht. “To my mind, you can’t separate sustainability from the practice of botanical sourcing,” she says. “By investing in programs to ensure that plants aren’t overharvested, people are paid fairly, and soils are healthy, you’re investing in the conditions that ensure a continued—and sustainable—supply of the raw materials on which your company depends.”

Such relationships aren’t the sole province of the botanical sector, either. Major ingredient suppliers are also keen to support their growers’ efforts to farm more sustainably—and not just for the farmers’ or the planet’s sake, but to please increasingly exacting customers.

“More than ever, our customers are coming to us with a sense of urgency to act on their sustainability commitments,” claims Gurneesh Bhandal, customer sustainability leader, global partners, Cargill (Minneapolis). Cargill thus launched its RegenConnect program last summer as a “voluntary, market-based regenerative-agriculture program” to offer domestic farmers a “simple, flexible, and transparent” portal through which to enter the carbon marketplace.

Specifically, Cargill will offer one-crop-year contracts to producers in eligible states to sequester carbon via regenerative-agriculture practices like cover crops, no-till or reduced-till farming, and more. Meanwhile, carbon that the program sequesters will contribute not only to Cargill’s Scope 3 climate commitment but to the ability of downstream customers to meet their carbon-reduction goals.

Bhandal is quick to note that the program’s “farmer-centric” approach helps these essential players in the supply chain navigate “incredibly disruptive global market conditions.” The upshot, she says: The program builds soil health and strengthens supplies against climate change and other disruptions.

“We believe profitability and positive environmental impacts can work together,” Bhandal concludes. “Anything we do together to reduce emissions and improve soil health should also improve partners’ businesses while yielding long-term dividends for us all.”

Similarly, a partnership that ADM’s entered into with USDA, the agency’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation allows the company to invest $20 million to support the widespread, voluntary adoption of cover crops in corn, soy, and wheat systems across the Midwest, Taylor notes.

As part of the effort, ADM’s partner growers can enroll in public and private programs that help mitigate the risks attendant upon adopting sustainable practices like cover-cropping. As Taylor says, “We understand that to avoid vulnerability, on-the-ground partners need support and financial empowerment.”

The company’s also joined with global farmer-to-farmer network and ag-tech innovator Farmers Business Network (FBN) to grant access to Gradable, FBN’s farm-business-management platform, to 55,000 North American grain growers in ADM’s family—“empowering them with a digital solution to manage their business and track sustainable production data,” Taylor says.

In addition to helping farmers farm more efficiently—always a sustainability and cost-savings win—participation includes agronomic guidance and help maintaining regenerative-farming records essential to qualifying for ADM incentives. “Programs like these prove that implementing sustainable-agriculture initiatives helps all parties along the supply chain thrive, leaving less room for weaknesses in future disruptions,” Taylor declares.

And whether we like it or not, those disruptions will come. We’ll just be better prepared for them when they do.

Blog post. “How Sourcing Botanicals Impacts Product Quality.” Sustainable Herbs Program website. Posted November 25, 2021. 

https://sustainableherbsprogram.org/quality/

Far from taking a backseat, sustainability initiatives are turning out to be savvy strategies for weathering not just this supply-chain storm but the storms to come, as well.

Sustaining interest: Keeping sustainability top of mind, even during crises

By now, consumers are confident shopping online. They’re finding that online retail brings a convenience that in-store shopping can’t replicate. Consumers are also seeking out more information online, making online retail a prime opportunity for health and wellness brands to educate consumers with scientific and product information.

Emerging technology is rapidly changing the ecommerce landscape. Artificial intelligence, personalization, and content marketing each play a role in giving shoppers more convenient ways to research, compare, and buy products. Retailers and brands are harnessing these tools to improve customer convenience and brand loyalty.

Supplement brands are investing not only in ecommerce solutions but also in content marketing.

Scott Saeger, senior vice president and chief information officer at GNC, says GNC is first off doubling down on its own digital transformation with a refreshed, optimized website and a new mobile app to provide easy access to GNC’s resources. “Consumers’ comfort and confidence in purchasing supplements online is improving,” Saeger says. “This shift is driven by several factors, including more convenient shopping experiences, a wide selection of products, and being able to easily make a purchase online.”

In addition to investing in ecommerce technology, the company is strengthening its educational and scientific initiatives. Providing information about wellness and nutrition not only helps consumers but also builds their loyalty to a brand. GNC is currently using its online 

Ecommerce is more immersive and personalized today. Emerging technologies like virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and digital live selling enable retailers to create more touchpoints with shoppers than ever before, Saeger says.

“Virtual and augmented reality can allow consumers to explore brands and products in an entirely new way through better access to a curated assortment [of products],” he explains. “Knowing that consumers are hyperfocused on finding science-based educational content to inform their wellness goals, offering innovative digital venues to bring the in-store experience to consumers allows GNC to stand out in a crowded market.”

GNC is finding new ways to create a unique customer experience. For instance, consumers own multiple devices, meaning that there’s a unique opportunity to engage those devices in a cross-functional manner, Saeger says. Last year, GNC announced the launch of voice-activated online ordering for Amazon Alexa users. Retailers and brands that can leverage these kinds of technologies will find entirely new ways of helping customers shop.

Saeger says personalization will be vital for brands to thrive this year. While personalizing the ecommerce experience can be challenging, artificial intelligence is making the task easier, he says. With AI, brands can make customized product recommendations based on browsing and purchase history while simultaneously using other sources of data to create a more engaging online shopping experience.

Experts explain what’s shaping online retail.

Nutritional Outlook Vol. 26 No. 2

Consumers are snacking more frequently, becoming more discerning about their snack options

How do you modernize the multivitamin?

The gut-brain axis and what it means for the brain health category

Sustaining interest: Keeping sustainability top of mind, even during crises

How is ecommerce for dietary supplements advancing in 2023?

Has CBD officially entered the mainstream?