Hot right now: Industry trends, anti-obesity honey, GNC’s new sports nutrition product trending on social media

Revealed: Industry’s five key health and nutrition consumption trends to look out for in 2020​

As 2020 gets underway, we asked leading brand owners the key consumer trends to take note of in APAC’s health and nutrition space.

The firms shed light on five key areas​: 1) probiotics, 2) functional foods, 3) sports nutrition, 4) foods for special medical purposes (FSMPs), and 5) the use of social commerce to engage the consumers

Anti-obesity honey: Malaysian professor’s ‘paradoxical’ method to tackle body fat​

The bioactives from honey could help tackle obesity​ by curbing appetite and Malaysian researchers are now making a weight controlling dietary supplement on the back of their studies.

Leading the research is associate professor Wan Iryani Wan Ismail from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

Comparing honey produced in different regions, she found out that the honey produced in Malaysia contains bioactives not present in other types of honey, such as Manuka honey and those from the Middle East.

Online health food brand Arborvitae expands brick-and-mortar presence in Australia​

Aussie supplement firm Arborvitae, which started off as an online health brand, is expanding its brick-and-mortar presence in the country​ with a listing deal for 3,400 pharmacies.

The New South Wales-based firm​ has recently sealed a deal with Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API), where two of its bestsellers, a joint health and a blood glucose and cholesterol regulating liquid supplements, will be available in API’s network of chemists.

This follows the firm’s previous deals with health foods retailers such as GoVital and more recently, with pharmacy chain Blooms the Chemist in July.

Gencor’s PEA ingredient gains TGA approval, end product to hit Australian market early this year​

Gencor has gained the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approval for its palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) for use as an active ingredient in listed medicines in Australia.

With the approval, the PEA ingredient has been added to the Australian Register of Therapeutic Substances and can claim health benefits in the area of joint care and alleviating bodily pains.

The firm will enjoy a two-year exclusivity in Australia​ for selling of the ingredient, until Dec 2021.

Endurance ambition: GNC launches Climb Fuel Gel to meet growing demand in APAC​

GNC is looking to expand the product range across its endurance brand GNC Climb in order to tap into rising demand in Australia, Singapore and the Philippines.

Launching this month, GNC Climb Fuel Gel is designed to aid in hydration and energy supply​ which are critical needs for endurance athletes to maximise sports performance.

The gel will come in two flavours (strawberry and orange mango).