China Focus: BYHEALTH’s sales performance, longevity coffee, electrolyte drinks, prenatal folic acid supplements, omega-3 for diabetics
'High base' impact: BYHEALTH’s Q1 sales suffer from lower demand for immune health products
China dietary supplement giant BYHEALTH reported a nearly 15 per cent slide in its Q1 revenue, which was mainly due to the reduced demand for immune health products as compared to the same time last year.
The decline was uniform across its other flagship brands.
Another reason for the lower revenue, BYHEALTH said, was due to increased investment in promotional activities, the company added.
It said that year 2024 was the start of its new three-year plan, where it would focus on strengthening its technology and brand strategies in launching new scientifically backed products.
Coffee fix? UDA targets China growth for relaunched longevity brew designed to help reverse ageing
A “longevity” coffee product formulated with NMN, quercetin, ashwagandha, alpha-ketoglutarate and more is on a mission to crack the lucrative China market.
The brainchild of tech entrepreneur Kevin Yang and biomedical scientist Dr Avi Roy, the product is launched under the brand UDA – also the short form for UnDoAge.
Instead of designing a supplement, the company believes that it makes more sense to incorporate ingredients with anti-ageing benefits into coffee, since it is something many reach out to first thing in the morning.
‘The right moment’: Unilever’s Liquid I.V. capitalising on China’s thriving electrolyte drinks sector
Unilever says the launch of its hydration brand Liquid I.V. into China earlier this year came at “the right moment”, citing recent rapid growth in the country’s electrolyte beverage sector as a key factor.
The products are sold via cross-border e-commerce on Tmall Global and Douyin (TikTok) flagship stores.
Against the back of a thriving category, the China National Food Industry Association (CNFIA) is planning to set industry standards by laying down technical, manufacturing, testing, and packaging requirements.
Prenatal folic acid supplementation linked to lower birth defect risk: China study
Supplementing with folic acid during pregnancy could lead to a reduced risk of birth defects, say researchers in China.
Periconception folic acid supplementation is a primary measure in preventing birth defects, particularly neural tube defects (NTDs). Early randomised controlled studies (RCTs) and cohort studies have underscored the efficacy of this intervention but there remains a need for informed understanding of the benefits of folic acid supplementation in primary care.
As such, this prospective cohort study serves as an optimal platform for evaluating the protective association of periconception folic acid supplements, providing valuable insights for public health policymakers in formulating strategies aimed at improving birth outcomes and quality of life for offspring.
Omega-3 could help achieve desirable levels of blood sugar among diabetics – China study
Daily intake of 0.4g of omega-3 could help more than 95% of diabetics achieve desirable blood sugar levels, according to a Chinese study.
The findings indicated that as the intake of omega-3 fatty acids increased, there was a dose-dependent decrease in HbA1c levels. HbA1c is the average blood glucose levels for the last two to three months.
