Personalized nutrition amid COVID-19: Persona CEO flags “tremendous” growth opportunities

04 May 2020 --- COVID-19 will “forever change the health and wellness sector” from a business point of view, as more people seek to cut through the nutrition clutter and have a trusted voice of authority. This is according to Jason Brown, Founder and CEO of Persona Nutrition, which provides consumers with personalized vitamin and mineral packs and became part of Nestlé Health Science (NHSc) in 2019. Brown tells NutritionInsight that the pandemic is set to have a lasting impact on tailored nutrition and flags growth opportunities in telehealth.

“The pandemic has made consumers more aware of their health and wellness, and specifically their immunity. The brands that can help consumers navigate complicated nutrition science and deliver products that are truly customized to a variety of lifestyle factors will prevail as trusted partners in the wellness journey,” he states.

Consumers who may not have thought twice about the foods they eat and the nutritional supplements they take are now asking questions and looking for options that fit their lifestyle. Brown adds that there is a “tremendous” growth opportunity in personalized nutrition because people want to feel they are doing everything they possibly can to stay healthy – whether it's social distancing or taking daily vitamins to support immunity.

Last month, NutritionInsight reported that COVID-19 is spurring the rapid personalization of sports nutrition as gyms around the world are increasingly shut and sporting gatherings are banned. Meanwhile, a study from Cell Science Systems stated that blood tests can reveal micronutrient and antioxidant deficiencies and allow a personalized way to bolster immunity and protect the body’s cells.

“In addition, as more and more people are turning to telehealth appointments to meet with their doctors, there is a major pivot in health care that has tentacles to personalized nutrition. Individuals who were reluctant to share more about their health and wellness goals and needs through the web are now becoming familiarized with telehealth and the ability to trust remote access to health care,” he explains.

Brown adds that this area of telehealth is where personalized nutrition will see growth. This is because people will feel more inclined to share their personal information through online nutritional assessments to get personalized nutrition recommendations. 

This has been seen at Persona Nutrition already, which has experienced more organic traffic to its free nutritional assessment and a greater conversion of people who then become customers. Other members of the nutrition industry have reported similar increased interest in their products, with Probi reporting a clear increase in interest in its immunity products. 

Meanwhile, Virun Nutra-Biosciences told NutritionInsight that now is a “great time to start a new brand in the supplement space.” This coincides with a study review calling for supplementation to be included as part of public health recommendations fighting against COVID-19.

While many other companies have flagged supply chain issues throughout the pandemic, Brown states that Persona has been able to manage its supply chain process in a quick and efficient way, given its strong supply chain with sourcing relationships. As a result, it has avoided being out of stock of vitamins and nutritional supplements, and is continuing to ship on time to its customers. However, the company did need to reevaluate its shipping partners to ensure that customers could receive their monthly supply within two days of placing an order.

Identifying key markets
In addition to experiencing a spike in its traffic as a result of COVID-19, Persona is also seeing more people over the age of 35 who are subscribing to the personalized nutrition service, as well as sticking with it month after month. Brown explains that personalized nutrition appeals to men and women who are already health-conscious but want to go beyond a “cookie-cutter” multivitamin or supplement found on store shelves.

He also flags an area of need in people who are already taking prescription medication. A Persona survey found that nearly 40 percent of people who are taking prescription medications and dietary supplements simultaneously don’t know about drug-nutrient interactions.

“This is a real concern as prescription medications can add nutrients to the body or deplete nutrients, so it’s important that medications and daily vitamins and supplements live in harmony without unwanted side effects. By using a personalized nutrition company that cross-references prescription medications before recommending supplements, consumers are more protected and informed about what’s happening inside their bodies. Persona can now cross-reference more than 2,500 prescription medications before curating a customized vitamin program,” he further explains. 

Since joining NHSc last year, Persona has been able to leverage the corporation’s weight to grow globally. In February, Persona added ChromaDex’s Tru Niagen supplement to its portfolio. This collaboration came on the heels of Nestlé’s yearly financial overview, which pointed to Persona as a profitable e-commerce asset.

“We are now shipping to 62 countries and will continue to expand worldwide. We’ve hired experts in key geographical areas where we see personalized nutrition taking off. There are more demands for collaboration with other NHSc businesses, but it’s something I’ve really enjoyed,” concludes Brown. 

By Katherine Durrell