/Regions/Asia-Pacific — This move is part of the company’s “National Health Project: Everyone has the right to be healthy” initiative.
Dr.Bear’s health functional foods were rolled out at 200 Daiso stores in Korea on February 24, with the products aimed at providing “comprehensive care for the whole family”.
The products are said to cater to the needs of consumers based on age, gender, and health concerns, such as liver health, eye health, blood pressure, blood sugar, blood circulation, and body fat management.
“In the era of self-medication, we planned the National Health Project with Daiso to increase accessibility so that consumers can more easily choose products that suit their health concerns, thereby contributing to public health promotion.
“We plan to set a new standard for health management by raising brand awareness of Dr.Bear among various consumer groups, and providing high-quality products containing Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s nutritional innovation know-how at reasonable prices,” Ko Seong-jae, team leader of Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s Health Functional Food Division, stated.
Specifically, the 26 products include multivitamins and minerals for overall health; milk thistle for liver health; lutein for eye health; calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) for bone and joint health; coenzyme Q10 for blood pressure management; banaba leaf extract for blood sugar management; rTG omega 3 for blood circulation; vitamin C for antioxidants; green tea catechin and garcinia for body fat management; and multivitamins and calcium for children.
“Through Daiso’s nationwide distribution network, consumers can conveniently purchase the products they need at a store near them. [The sales channel] will gradually expand to Daiso’s online mall and more stores in the future to further improve purchase accessibility.”
High-quality ingredients, reasonable prices
According to the company, all of Dr.Bear’s supplements are designed to “meet 100% or more” of the nutrient intake standards in Korea, with each product realising functionality with the optimal ingredients combination.
“For example, the ‘Dr.Bear Multivitamin Mineral Chewable’ for children contains 17 ingredients balanced to meet the recommended daily intake for ages 3 to 5. Notably, it is made with all eight types of vitamin B group, which is essential for energy metabolism.
“In addition, the lutein supplement has added vitamin A to help with eye health, while the milk thistle product contains vitamin B group to support liver health and energy production.”
Furthermore, Dr.Bear is claimed to undergo thorough quality control from the sourcing of raw materials to the manufacturing process.
“We use carefully selected raw materials, such as vitamin C from the UK, rTG Omega 3 from Norway, and black maca from Peru.
“Also, our health functional foods are produced in facilities that have received Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certifications recognised by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS).”
To ease purchase decisions, phrases such as “Are you worried about high blood pressure?” are inserted on the product packaging so that consumers can intuitively choose the products they need.
Compared to existing health functional foods in the market that would cost an average of KRW20,000 to 30,000 (USD14 to 21) per month, Dr.Bear’s products amount to about KRW3,000 to 5,000 (USD2 to 3.50) per month.
The company said that its “reasonable prices” allow more consumers to experience high-quality products without financial burden.
“This is thanks to Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s thorough preparation for one year to minimise costs throughout the entire process from raw material sourcing to mass production. We have been able to reduce ingredients that do not affect packaging and function, focusing on each ingredient’s original functionality and quality.”
Persisting despite controversy
Il-yang Pharmaceutical announced on February 28 that it will stop selling nine types of health functional foods through Daiso, although the initial stocks that have been supplied will not be withdrawn from shelves.
While the reason for the decision was not disclosed, news reports in South Korea indicated that the company was pressurised by backlash from the pharmacy sector, which has called for a boycott of companies that were supplying low-priced products to Daiso.
The price of health functional foods sold at Daiso is said to be about one-quarter of that in pharmacies and online shopping malls.
It has also been reported that Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has begun investigating whether the sale of “cheap heath functional foods” at Daiso constitutes a violation of the Fair Trade Act.
On the other hand, Daewoong Pharmaceutical and CKD Healthcare have stated that they do not plan to withdraw from Daiso due to the products’ popularity among consumers, but are continuously reviewing the situation in light of KFTC’s investigation.
Currently, CKD Healthcare is selling two types of health functional food products, Lactofit Gold and Lutein Zeaxanthin, at the retail chain.
