Sabinsa talks health and wellness science with South Korea
The Sabinsa on Wheels seminar will be held by the US-headquartered firm on April 6, with a team of scientists delivering insight on weight management, inflammation, joint support and functional foods research.
Shaheen Majeed, marketing director at Sabinsa, said that the seminar has been held in a variety of cities but this marks the first in South Korea; a “significant and emerging” market.
“As our presence in Asia increases, it made sense to offer this [seminar] in South Korea,” Majeed told FoodNavigator-Asia.
“Sabinsa is a science-driven company, so early on we began utilising a variety of ways to communicate the science that backs our ingredients. Relatively small gatherings of key customers being informed by our top scientists, works very well for in-depth education,” he said.
‘Educating never stops’
“Every market needs educating to stay on the most recent research,” Majeed said, "educating never stops, right?"
He noted that for some of Sabinsa’s customers in South Korea the seminar would mark a first-time opportunity to received detailed information on products and research.
Majeed said that the science team will present Sabinsa’s research across the health and wellness sector and inform customers how its ingredients portfolio can fulfill market requirements and relate to health claims.
“When we present this kind of science to customers, it deepens their commitment to include our ingredients in their products and helps them communicate the benefits more effectively,” he said.
There has been a demand for further insight from current business in the country, achieved over the years through distributors, he said, but there has also been demand from companies looking to enter South Korea with new products.
“South Korea is a country that heavily depends on clinical data, not just the selling point or price of an ingredient,” he said, and so Sabinsa continuously stresses science and the impact it can have on the products and consumer.
Healthy signs in South Korea
“Health and wellness is a major concern for South Koreans,” Majeed said, with many consumers taking vitamins and dietary supplements.
Supplements are set to become mainstream in a country that was previously strong in functional beverages, he said, and “this gives our presence even greater importance, as Sabinsa caters to both markets; functional beverages and supplements.”
