Brand New: The latest on sports nutrition in China, hemp supplements in Australia, and probiotics in Japan
More flavours: aland seeks to ramp up sports nutrition initiatives in 2019
Chinese dietary supplement firm aland is planning to introduce more flavours for its sports nutrition alandv bars this year.
The alandv sports nutrition products include 1) protein bars 2) cereal power bars 3) whey protein and 4) muscle building powder.
Currently, its protein bars come in chocolate and strawberry yogurt flavours. The product comes in a 30g packet, selling at RMB$120 (US$17.50) for a box of 12 on its JD online order site.
Energised potential: Indian start-up intent on shaking up country's energy supplement sector
Functional beverage start-up Triquetrus Essentials is looking to fill India's energy supplement space, which its founder Rahul Manek says is "a wide space, with nobody currently occupying it".
Manek describes the Mumbai-based firm's aim as producing beverages for 'hardworking Indians', and is drawing on his experience as a private equity investor to drive its first launch, an energy supplement brand called FYRE.
Manek's interest in energy-boosting supplements was piqued in South Africa, where he observed that drivers relied on energy gel sachets to keep them awake on long drives.
CBD and nootropics boom: Bod Australia reveals record revenue and expansion aims
Australian firm Bod Australia reported a record US$872,240 (A$1.22m) revenue for Q4 2018, due largely to portfolio expansion and new distribution agreements.
The company's Q4 revenue included US$547,760 (A$766,000) in sales — a 260% increase from its Q1 results.
Indeed, CBD-based products have been contributing significantly to Bod's growth. The company first announced its plans to develop its CBD supplement business last year, with then-newly appointed executive chairman George Livery to drive its medical cannabis strategy.
Better than DHA and EPA? Japanese supplement firm claims silk peptide is a superior memory booster
Japan Central Pharma is producing silk peptide supplements which it claims are a better memory booster than DHA and EPA.
Branded Memory Keep Ex, Hisao Nakajima, the CEO of Japan Central Pharm (JCP) told NutraIngredients-Asia that the product marketing efforts were directed at parents, who would hopefully purchase the product for their children who are preparing for university entrance exams.
"The consumers usually buy our product six months before the university entrance exam," Nakajima said.
From Cup Noodles to nutricosmetics: Japan's Nissin launches probiotic and collagen beauty drink
Japanese food firm Nissin, best known for its Cup Noodles, is venturing into the nutricosmetics scene with the launch of its beauty beverage, Fermented Hyalmoist Lactobacillus Drink.
The first beauty product by the company, Hyalmoist claims to provide moisturising benefits, reduce skin damage from UV rays, and decrease melanin production.
The product has been available for sale since Monday, January 28. Hyalmoist lactobacillus (Lactobacillus Gasseri N320), which is the probiotic ingredient present in the product, was selected after the firm had screened 1,000 different bacteria strains.