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Contact: Sarah O’Neill Job title: Marketing Manager, Nutrition Company: Carbery Contact: marketing@carbery.com Visit us: www.carbery.com
1How has the sports nutrition, or active nutrition, category changed in the last two years, and how have you responded to those changes?
The active nutrition category has expanded significantly over the past number of years, particularly as more people are looking to improve their overall well-being, from short-term goals of weight management and mental wellness to long-term proactive steps towards healthy aging.
In a recent FMCG Active nutrition survey that surveyed over 26,000 adults globally, 100% of survey respondents described their approach to health as proactive, with 61% exercising more now than they had in the last two-year period. In fact, 67% of those surveyed are exercising more than 4 times a week, with an increase in app-based and high intensity exercise. Due to the fact that gym and sporting centers were closed, and outdoor sporting activities were reduced, there was also significant growth in the number of home gyms and home work-outs.
This opens the market for products targeted towards new active nutrition consumers, who are looking for convenient, functional foods and beverages to add to their daily routines that help support their overall physical and mental well-being, with key areas such as immunity, digestive health and building strength highlighted by respondents as highly important.
At Carbery, we are responding to evolving consumer needs by ensuring that our ingredients are suitable for use in a wide array of products beyond typical powdered supplements, meeting the high taste bar of the active nutrition consumer and delivering health benefits that reach beyond supporting muscle growth and maintenance.
2What type of ingredient(s) do you offer that meet the needs of consumers seeking support for their active lifestyles and sports activities?
We produce high quality whey protein hydrolysates, isolates and fermented whey proteins, using milk from grass-fed cows. We focus on maximising the nutritional and health benefits of whey across a wide range of applications including powdered supplements, ready to drink (RTD) beverages, gels, bars and gummies. Because our ingredients have excellent dispersion, solubility and sensory characteristics, you can include them in a wide range of products.
Currently, on-the-go snack products, and confectionery that are positioned around supporting a healthy lifestyle rank as top formats for active nutrition consumers. As many active consumers have also increased their exercise levels, protein bars and RTDs remain as the ideal on the go format, combining convenience with balanced macros, and higher protein levels of 20g-30g per serving.
While the plant-based protein market has witnessed significant growth over the last number of years, the demand for dairy-based protein has also increased year on year.
There are many factors driving the growth of both segments, with many consumers stating that they are concerned about the aftertaste of high protein snacks. This is an area where dairy protein has a competitive advantage, by delivering a protein base with less problematic off notes and taste challenges than many of the emerging plant-based sources.
3How can your ingredient(s) be incorporated into different types of applications, and what differentiates these offerings from others on the market?
We have a long history of protein manufacture and research, and we partner with customers in over 30 countries worldwide to develop the best protein ingredients for their products and consumers. Our range includes ingredients that deliver softer texture in bars over shelf-life, highly heat stable whey protein for RTD beverages and hot beverages such as coffees. Our latest ingredient Optipep® 4Power has been clinically proven to support enhanced performance in high intensity exercise.
We have recently begun utilising a peptide profiling/fingerprinting technology, that can identify potential bioactivity in our whey protein hydrolysate range. This is an exciting development that we feel will appeal to consumers, as we develop ingredients that can target priority health areas.
We work closely with our flavour division, Synergy, to combine our knowledge of whey protein with their flavour expertise. This unique combination of expertise means we have unrivalled ability to develop products that strike the perfect balance of great taste and performance. For example, when we manufacture extensively hydrolysed protein, we can pair the protein with Synergy’s bitterness masker and dairy enhancer range to help eliminate bitterness in the final product.
4What type of support do you offer around product development and go-to-market strategy for your customers?
We strive to find solutions to the global challenges our customers face every day. By thinking outside the box and co-creating with our customers, they gain access to our global experts across the value chain, from market research and consumer insights to protein science, applications know-how and process technology. Whether it’s improving the eating experience of a protein bar, creating a challenging high protein beverage, or launching a performance nutrition protein supplement with clinically proven ingredients, we’re here to accelerate our customers product development and optimise their chances of success.
Source: *FMCG - Global & Regional - Active Nutrition survey -Q3 2021 - Global survey 26,000 adults
5How has the sports and active nutrition market evolved, and what are the key considerations for companies looking to enter this space?
Will McCormack Senior Business Development Manager at Synergy Flavors, part of the Carbery Group
Training with low carbohydrate stores (“train low”) is a popular strategy to enhance the metabolic adaptations to training. This is because pre and/or post-exercise carbohydrate intake has been shown to blunt some of the beneficial adaptations to endurance training
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Contact: Dr. Binu T Kuruvilla Job title: Chief Innovation Officer Company: Arjuna Natural PVT Ltd Contact: connect@arjunanatural.com Visit us: www.arjunanatural.com
While sports nutrition takes care of the ones who are actively involved in sports, active nutrition is considered by ones who seek products with a health halo, typically associated with athleticism as part of their day-to-day routine. The line between these 2 categories seem to be fading off with the new trends that advocate sports nutrition that are not limited to sport enthusiasts but also for the ones that seek more active life and are health conscious.
People seek performance products that offer anti-inflammatory effects or support for cognitive, vision, or bone and joint health. Rising expenses on treatments and medicines have also turned people towards healthier living.
Today’s Nutraceutical has become more than simple dietary supplements bridging nutrition gaps, but have evolved into evidence-based health support to protect and manage health conditions. In this regard, Nutraceutical are here to stay and grow.
Arjuna Natural Pvt. Ltd. extracts are derived from natural, plant based ingredients that are translated into easy-to-use extracts ideal for most formulations.
One of the biggest worries for someone engaged in an active lifestyle would be musculoskeletal pain from exercise. This is not just common, but affects mobility, quality of life and also work, besides affecting pursuing an active lifestyle, even if temporary. The ‘go-to’ for this condition are usually OTC products which are synthetic and effective, but have limitations for continuous use and in the case of some users , may not be recommended at all due to side effects.
Till date, this was not an area where natural safe remedies were there as relief was needed in hours and not days. Arjuna has come up with a revolutionary new product, Rhuleave-K® which is 100% natural and is clinically proven to provide fast pain relief within 3 hours. What differentiates Rhuleave-K® is the new SPEEDTECH which creates this fast action.
Another leading product is OXYSTORM®, which is derived from Amaranthus and is standardized for Nitrates and offers vasodilation under hypoxic conditions. The health of the cardiovascular system is key for an active lifestyle and OXYSTORM® has been clinically proven and trusted across the world. 100% safe and water soluble, OXYSTORM® can easily be incorporated into various forms of delivery to create consumer friendly products individually or with other components.
An all-round development of health is essential for all and Turmeric Extract (Curcumin) has been an all-time favourite for many years now. Arjuna’s BCM-95® (CURCUGREEN®) 100% turmeric extract for all round wellness, and has been incorporated into many wellness products. BCM-95® has been proven effective and is very effective in boosting the body’s anti-inflammatory response as well as an immunomodulator.
Each product is uniquely placed with respect to its usage pattern. However, here Arjuna Natural’s innovation team can help each customer by working together to find appropriate mechanisms to adapt our product to the application challenge. For example many products are available in water soluble or oil dispersible forms which lend itself well to quick market adoption.
Arjuna’s key strength has always been its innovation pipeline and the product support. The products Arjuna has put forward has always been thoroughly researched and proven clinically. We are able to provide comprehensive validation on product effectiveness and safety. Our products have a range of certifications and we have been open to working together with customers to meet each customer’s particular market requirements.
Recovering from pain quickly, naturally
Sports injury is a widely used term to refer to issues occurring from minor exercise to professional sports exercise. The type of injuries are not limited to sports alone. They can be work related or something from everyday activity; but, the term encompasses injuries that one gets when ‘stretching’ the body beyond normal limits...
Contact: Tony Gay Job title: Head of Technical Sales & NPD, Nutrition Company: Prinova Europe Limited Contact: info@prinovaglobal.com Visit us: www.prinovaglobal.com
Sports nutrition brands are increasingly utilising plant-based proteins, which are not only vegan-friendly but often much more sustainable than animal proteins. At Prinova, we’ve seen volumes continue to increase on the key plant proteins, particularly pea, and that’s across a wide variety of applications, from food products to protein powders. Our range of plant-based proteins has grown as well. Beyond the usual suspects like pea, rice and soy, we’re now big on fava bean. Fava bean’s on-trend because its texture and mouthfeel make it an excellent option from a formulation perspective and it also has good nutritional values.
Meal replacement products are evolving, too. They’re moving away from the traditional focus on weight loss and into the sports nutrition and health and wellness spaces – it’s about providing convenient, good quality nutrition. We have a strong portfolio of ingredients for meal replacement products, including specialist carbohydrates such as Carb10; fat powders like sunflower oil, flaxseed and MCTs; proteins; and premixes with all the essential vitamins and minerals.
In total, we offer more than 2,000 ingredients. We’re the biggest global distributor of amino acids, including fermentation grades that are also applicable to the vegan consumer. These are freeform amino acids that offer excellent bioavailability, so you can consume them pre- or intra-workout and initiate recovery immediately. Our branched-chain and essential amino acid blends can be used to enhance plant protein products as well – it’s possible to create vegan-friendly blends that are nutritionally superior to whey.
In the pre-workout space, we can provide stimulants including caffeine plus natural alternatives like guarana, green coffee and green tea. We also offer energy-boosting nutrients such as vitamin B complex and magnesium. We utilise these ingredients a lot in distribution, but we can also deliver market-ready blends and premixes.
Prinova has vast experience providing blends and premixes for different applications, from powders and bars to baked goods and UHT drinks. Our blends and premixes are tailored to each individual application. Our experts understand what kind of overages are required for different processing conditions, ensuring the end product has the nutritional values that are stated on the label. We also make sure there is limited impact on flavour so products deliver the right sensory experience.
Another advantage of working with Prinova is our sourcing expertise. We’ve built up strong networks over several decades that mean we can guarantee quality, stability and reliability. Whether customers want premixes and blends or just ingredients, we can provide security of supply and lock in long-term pricing. We hold significant inventory levels on the core raw materials to ensure our customers get the ingredients they need when they want them.
Prinova is renowned as one of the world’s leading distributors of many key raw materials in the sports nutrition space, but we’re much more than that – we’re very service-oriented. We offer a range of value-added capabilities, including formulation and product development services, plus we have excellent knowledge on the latest market trends.
Top trends in sports nutrition, from plant-based to low sugar
The sports nutrition sector is growing rapidly. In an increasingly crowded field, it’s vital to offer products that deliver on consumer expectations. Let’s explore some of biggest trends in sports nutrition and how brands can maximise their chances of success.