Australia focus: Pharmacy retail strategies, kava, new ad code in spotlight

Insider info: Pharmacist reveals Australia’s bestselling supplement categories…and where innovation should head​

A veteran pharmacist has revealed​ the trending categories in Australia’s supplements sector and also proposed how innovation could better follow the path of the latest medical developments.

Immune health, heart health, and products for stress and mental health are the top-three trending categories, according to George Tambassis, who has been running pharmacies for over 35 years.

Tambassis currently owns shares of three different pharmacies, namely Tullamarine Pharmacy and Vermont South Pharmacy – both located at the south of Melbourne metropolitan area – and a Priceline Pharmacy in Cowes.  He is also a non-executive director of the Australian Pharmaceuticals Industries (API). 

‘Exciting formats, high margins’: Australia’s Wellnex Life on retail strategies for nutrition and supplement portfolios ​

Novel formats and high profit margins are some of the key areas ​that Wellnex Life will focus on as it expands the presence of its nutrition and supplement products across major retailers in Australia.

The ASX-listed company earlier on announced that its supplement brands ‘Wakey Wakey’ and ‘The Iron Company’ were stocked in Chemist Warehouse – Australia’s largest pharmacy retail chain.

In addition, products from the two brands are available in national supermarket chains such as Coles, Woolworths, as well as Terry White Chemmart, Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API), and Symbion.

Better-for-you candy: Australia’s Funday outlines domestic and international expansion strategy ​

Australia start-up Funday Natural Sweets is on a mission to increase its presence from 1,000 outlets to 3,000 next year, in addition to unveiling plans to expand internationally.

The brand first launched in March 2020 manufacturing prebiotic lollies, and the products are now available at Woolworths, Chemist Warehouse, health food stores and online in Australia.

According to the founder Daniel Kitay​, the firm is in discussions with other independent supermarket chains, petrol and convenience outlets to grow its presence in Australia.

Regulations boost: Fiji Kava anticipates strong demand from South Pacific Island communities in Australia ​

ASX-listed Fiji Kava says it is anticipating strong demand​ for its kava drinking powder following a lift on the import ban into country, first imposed in 2007.

The firm recently received approval to commercially import its drinking kava to Australia, and a listing on Coles and FijiKava.com is expected in January 2022, with pre-orders now open on the website.

Anthony Noble, CEO at Fiji Kava told NutraIngredients-Asia​ its first batch of imports to Australia is around 2.5 tonnes, “We will be importing very frequently between two and five tonnes per shipment to fulfil the demand in the market​.”

‘Simple, plain English’: Aussie industry body says new ad code is a step forward ​

Australia’s complementary medicines industry body said that a new advertising code introduced by the national regulator would be a step forward​ but was still awaiting clarifications on some key sections.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced that the new code, known as the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code 2021​, will come into effect on January 1, 2022.

Several changes have been made under the new code which was finalised after 18 months of public consultation.