Supplier news: Spotlight on Sami-Sabinsa, PhytoGaia, Synbio Tech, Kaneka

Anju and Shaheen Majeed to lead Sami-Sabinsa Group​

Sami-Sabinsa Group is now handed over to Shaheen Majeed, who will serve as the CEO, and Dr Anju Majeed, who will serve as the group executive chairperson following the passing of their father Dr Muhammed Majeed on March 13 from surgery-related complications. 

Specialising in the Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine backed by modern science, Sami-Sabinsa has grown into a global leader, manufacturer and supplier of standardized herbal extracts, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical ingredients, probiotics, minerals, enzymes and specialty and fine chemicals. 

Previously serving as Sami-Sabinsa Group director and senior scientist, Dr Anju Majeed had worked closely with analytical and formulation scientists and across global manufacturing, R&D, pre-formulation and plant operations teams, while Shaheen Majeed brings with him 25 years of experience at Sabinsa in sales, supply chain, manufacturing and global marketing, and as the  president worldwide. 

Hydration for sports: Glycerol ‘could drive NPD’ in market dominated by electrolytes drinks​

Glycerol could offer a point of differentiation for beverages designed for hydration purposes in a sector currently dominated by electrolytes drinks, says China functional ingredients supplier Innobio. 

Interest in glycerol largely came from the US and the UK companies, as they sought new ingredients to differentiate their sports nutrition supplements, Wang Ting Ting, director of branding and marketing department told NutraIngredients-Asia.​

She explained that combining glycerol with branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) could help consumers achieve hydration and build muscles at the same time. 

Weight management and multi-carotenoids: PhytoGaia seeks joint research in uncovering more evidence​

PhytoGaia said it was planning to conduct joint research in the use of multi-carotenoids for weight management, on the back of emerging scientific evidence in this area.

The Malaysia-headquartered supplier firm specialises in palm-based products, such as natural palm-mixed carotene complex consisting of both alpha- and beta- carotenes trademarked CaroGaia^TM.​

“Our interest is to carry out a multi-carotenoid study based on what has been published, formulate a product, and conduct joint research – a RCT involving subjects who are on an adjusted lifestyle, such as a healthy diet and exercise and one group without and one group on the intervention and the other on placebo,”​ said Bryan See, vice president, PhytoGaia.

South Korea, Brazil fastest growing markets for sports nutrition probiotics – Synbio Tech​​  ​

South Korea has become the fastest growing markets in APAC for incorporating probiotics into sports nutrition products, said supplier firm Synbio Tech known for its probiotic strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum TWK10.

In South Korea, the strain, isolated from Taiwan fermented cabbage, is allowed to make the claim “may help to improve endurance of exercise performance capability.”​​

One example of a recent product launch was CJ Wellcare’s BYOcore Power Up Lactobacillus, a capsule product which contains 10 billion CFU of TWK10, pantothenic acid, and selenium.

From COVID-19 to Chemist Warehouse: Kaneka breaks down factors driving uptake of ubiquinol in China, Australia​

Ubiquinol, the active form of co-enzyme Q10, has been seeing strong uptake in China and Australia, said supplier Kaneka.

In China, sales of the ingredient were driven by consumers seeking relief from COVID-19 symptoms, especially for heart health post infection, according to Tsuyoshi Takakuwa, head of marketing and sales team (APAC), Supplemental Nutrition Business Division, Kaneka Corporation.

Elsewhere in Australia, more brands are paying interest in ubiquinol following the endorsement from major pharmacy chain Chemist Warehouse in the years preceding COVID-19.