Vitamins and minerals: Blurring lines between supplements and functional F&B

26 May 2021 --- The pandemic has driven vitamins and minerals to the top of consumers’ minds, with new delivery formats proliferating.

As pill fatigue sweeps the nutraceutical sector, innovative delivery formats are piquing consumers’ interest. But when do the lines begin to blur between supplements and functional F&B, and what are the consequences thereof?

NutritionInsight sheds light on this topic with experts from SternVitamin, Dr. Paul Lohmann, Lubrizol Life Science, Health and others.

“While vitamins have been in high demand over the years, minerals are specifically gaining notable attention, due to the prevalent deficiencies experienced by the population,” says Núria Jiménez, nutraceutical ingredients marketing specialist at Lubrizol Life Science, Health. 

“We do not see a decline in demand post-COVID, as the pandemic has given preventive nutrition a much greater priority,” adds Dr. Christina Mesch, product manager at SternVitamin.

Dr. Paul Lohmann’s Magnesium Citrate Malate has recently received EU approval for food supplements fortification.Vitamins and minerals top of mind
Initially, interest in certain vitamins or minerals during the pandemic were heavily influenced by media coverage, according to Aurélie Siffre, a self-employed French doctor of pharmacy. “For example, during the first wave of SARS-COV-2, pharmacies were raided for vitamin C, but now vitamin D is the preferred choice.” 

Vitamin D has seen “its sales soar,” she continues, noting a surge in vitamin D product innovation throughout the pandemic. “This craze for vitamin D will persist over time, to a lesser extent perhaps, unlike the demand for zinc,” Siffre predicts.

Vitamins and minerals are indeed projected to remain relevant post-pandemic as well. Dr. Sonja John, product manager food at Dr. Paul Lohmann, expects supplements and ingredients that can boost the immune system or “after-Covid-concepts” enhancing mood to stay significant. 

In 2020, vitamin C was the leading ingredient among the minerals and vitamins tracked (39 percent), followed by magnesium (37 percent) and vitamin B6 (30 percent).

Exciting delivery formats
Pill fatigue is shaping the supplements sector. Consumers are increasingly disenchanted by standard capsules and tablets, giving rise to innovative delivery formats. Innovation in this sector is branching out to hard candies and jelly beans, for example.

“As a supplement innovator, I want to help people take their vitamins,” muses Mary Berry founder and CEO of Cosmos Vita.

“I know we all remember being kids and really looking forward to our Flinstone vitamins. Why can’t we have that as adults?”

Novel delivery formats are indeed targeting consumers both young and old. Children and seniors often struggle with swallowing difficulties, for instance, where powders can come in handy. 

Customized supplements are attractive to specific consumer groups, with Cosmos VIta delivering vitamin gummies to the astrology-interested community.Weighing gummy pros and cons
Even before the pandemic, gummies in particular began garnering industry attention. According to Innova Market Insights data (2019), 19 percent of EMEA consumers preferred tablets and capsules, followed by functional food (13 percent) and functional drinks (11 percent). However,7 percent preferred gummies specifically.

SternVitamin has seen requests for gummy supplement premixes steadily increase in the last 18 months. 

“Gummies are my favorite because they have an amazing texture,” says Berry. Cosmos Vita is a new vitamin wellness brand, formulated to deliver vitamin D3 and C, as well as zinc and calcium in colorful gummy formats.

Furthermore, Dr. Paul Lohmann and Lubrizol both view gummies as attractive for on-the-go consumers, as soft chewables address their simplicity demands.

However, before supplement manufacturers can seal the deal on gummies, Mesch points out gummy supplements are more expensive to produce than classic formats. In addition, manufacturers have to purchase new equipment. 

Siffre adds gummies may be easy to chew, tasty and fun, but the drawbacks are that some gummies may contain too much sugar – depending on the brand – which can lead to overconsumption.

Mesch from SternVitamin found the vitamin-enriched Nespresso-compatible drink pods “very innovative” (Credit: Rejuvenation Water).Lucrative liquids 
Jiménez highlights that liquids are also finding favor with on-the-go consumers, with delivery formats ranging from syrups to shots and oil drops. 

“Forms delivering full sensory potential are on the rise. The entire user experience has never been more present and demanded, emphasizing look, smell and taste,” she flags.

Mesch views vitamins in drinking capsule format as “very innovative.” For example, Rejuvenation Water offers Nespresso-compatible pods packed with vitamins C and D, as well as prebiotic fibers and L-glutamine.

Supplements’ blurred lines
Simultaneously, however, the Rejuvenation Water pods could be seen more as a functional food than an innovative supplement format, says Mesch.

“It is becoming difficult to draw a line between innovative supplement formats and functional food,” she continues. 

“The line might be the recommended daily dose of a supplement and its intended function, whether to compensate for nutritional deficiencies, maintain an appropriate intake of certain nutrients or support specific physiological functions.”

The blurring becomes especially problematic in terms of when it comes to the daily dose. “If a product tastes good and has a pleasant mouthfeel, there is a risk of consuming too much of a new supplement format if it seems to be a functional food,” Mesch flags.

Last month, SternVitamin launched micronutrient premixes that can be incorporated into everyday food and beverages, such as plant-based alternative drinks and ice cream. 

Why pill formats remain relevant
Over-consumption of vitamins and minerals is less of an issue for the standard pill format. SternVitamin, for example, does not yet see a real move away from the classic formats. “A form that is too innovative can give a product a ‘gadget’ image,” adds Siffre.

“I think that the “classic” form of administration, such as powders, ampoules and tablets, remains a guarantee of the seriousness and effectiveness of a product for consumers and patients,” she notes.

These traditional formats, also including capsules or effervescent products, “still play a major role” in the market and continue to show a stable growth, according to John at Dr. Paul Lohmann.

Siffre echoes that oral tablets, capsules and soft-gel forms remain predominant in pharmacies, as they can efficiently protect some active ingredients and mask potentially displeasing tastes. 

While standard pills may not be as “fun” as gummies, Siffre highlights they offer a strong guarantee of product effectiveness.Keeping vitamins and minerals ahead
Regardless of which delivery format, consumer compliance will remain strategic to supplement manufacturers. “Keeping up” or even “being ahead” of the latest health and wellness trends are reportedly key.

Supplement players should keep vitamins interesting by providing clinical backing and ingredient provenance, says Jiménez from Lubrizol. John adds that consumer education is “very important” regarding mineral functionality in food supplements and the human body.

“We also need, in addition to our constantly expanding technical expertise, the latest scientific perspective on raw materials and raw material combinations to offer customers ways to add value to their products,” adds Mesch from SternVitamin.

“We need to be communicating with our fans and pivoting when necessary. If a brand comes out with a product and their customers don’t love it, they need to listen to that feedback and pivot quickly,” says Berry from Cosmos Vita. 

“Our job is to make taking supplements a delightful experience. If we are not doing that, our customers will move on to another brand,” she concludes.

By Anni Schleicher