Silver care: South Korean giant Huons embarks on NPD drive for senior population
It has in its pipeline a health functional food for improving prostate gland health in men, which is already under registration with the authorities.
The ingredient used is the seed extract of Quisqualis indica, also known as Chinese honeysuckle.
The company has conducted a number of animal and in vitro studies on the ingredient.
One of its latest published studies showed that the extract could ameliorate lower urinary tract symptoms in rats induced with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Aside from men, the company already has in its “silver care” portfolio a probiotic for helping menopausal women’s health.
Launched last April, the product, known as Elruby, contains the probiotic strain Lactobacillus acidophilus YT1 trademarked Menolacto – also the first probiotics recognised for improving women’s menopausal health in South Korea.
In a report by South Korean investment bank KB Securities released this month, Elruby was said to drive sales growth for the company via home shopping retail and online retail via Elruby’s official website.
This is despite it being a premium product that costs KRW$198k (US$175) per box for a three-month supply, KB Securities analyst Suk Yung Lee, author of the report noted.
In February, it was reported that Huons’ sales of its health functional foods products had skyrocketed by 1,121 per cent as compared to the same period last year, largely driven by the success of its probiotics, including Menolacto.
In contrast, its pharmaceutical and antibiotics business contracted by 53.5 per cent and 37.8 per cent.
The KOSDAQ-listed firm told investors that its upcoming NPD pipeline also includes health functional foods for improving sleep quality, reducing body fat, and ingredients for improving joint health and cognitive function.
For body fat reduction, the company’s perilla leaf extract has already gained the individually approved functional ingredient status.
The ageing population in South Korea reached a new high in 2019.
The number of individuals aged 65 and above accounted for 15.5 per cent of the country’s population in 2019, according to national agency Statistics Korea. In 2018, this figure was 14.8 per cent.
Beauty-from-within
On the other hand, the company is continuing to expand its beauty-from-within portfolio launched under the brand “Innerset”.
It said on March 4 that it had launched a low molecular collagen product and a goat milk protein product under the brand.
Coming in a powder form, the collagen peptide product is said to use “ultra-low-molecular weight” fish collagen extracted only from fish scales and also vitamin C to aid collagen synthesis.
As for the goat milk protein powder, it contains seven types of postbiotics developed in-house. The company said adding postbiotics into the goat milk protein powder could aid bowel movement. The powder could be added into drinks, yogurt, or even salad.
