22 Vitamin and Mineral Dietary supplements: a renaissance class

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Vitamin and Mineral Dietary supplements: a renaissance class
Many customers recognise the significance of a wholesome, balanced weight-reduction plan that comprises a mix of meals to realize the really useful day by day allowance (RDA) of micro and macronutrients.
Nevertheless, assembly your entire dietary wants isn’t as straightforward because it sounds and that’s the place vitamin and mineral dietary supplements (VMS) are available. Whereas they’ve at all times been a staple in toilet cupboards, they’ve typically been thought-about a short-term defend towards seasonal coughs and sniffles, somewhat than long-term help for well being and wellness. More and more customers are extra receptive to incorporating dietary supplements into their day by day lives, supporting all kinds of want states.
Market Alternative
Western Europe is the third largest nutritional vitamins and dietary dietary supplements market globally, valued at USD12.3 billion in 2020 [1]. The area additionally ranks third for per capita annual spend at USD24 billion following Asia Pacific and North America.
VMS sometimes give attention to methods to advertise wholesome life by means of supporting, for instance, imaginative and prescient, mobility and mind well being. Millennial customers (born between 1981 and 1996) are driving vital development on this class.
In comparison with Child Boomers, fewer Millennials agree they’re eager about advantages for eyes, mind, bones and joints, To extend the attraction of wholesome ageing dietary supplements amongst Millennials, manufacturers ought to pair long-term, wholesome ageing advantages with the wants Millennials wish to handle in the present day. Lots of the key well being areas that Millennials wish to handle embody immune well being, improved sleep and temper, and diminished stress/anxiousness.
Acceleration of innovation and adoption
Whereas VMS have at all times been in style, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated development over the previous 12 months and, primarily based on a surge in customers’ proactive strategy to supporting their immune well being, it’s primed for additional development for the foreseeable future. Identified for his or her immune-boosting claims, the vitamins primed for brand new product growth embody nutritional vitamins C and D, zinc, probiotics, and extra acquainted family staples resembling turmeric and ginger. Analysis suggests that customers wish to preserve good well being proactively, somewhat than taking reactive responses to sickness, and a UK client well being report from Euromonitor Passport [2] means that many might be conserving inventory, ‘simply in case’. The habits that had been developed all through 2020 will contribute to the continued development of dietary supplements by means of to 2025, as customers stay involved about their immune defence.
A rising market:
It’s clear that there’s an ever-widening overlap between dietary supplements and dietary merchandise. The expansion of plant-based meals and beverage merchandise has not gone unnoticed by VMS manufacturers, and there’s a possibility for them so as to add claims round plant-based/whole-food substances to draw these customers seeking to help and improve their weight-reduction plan.
It’s fascinating to notice that millennials are almost definitely to demand so-called ‘personalised dietary supplements’. Within the UK, 70% of customers already taking VMS have proven an curiosity in a personalised plan, and an extra 68% mentioned they might be eager about house testing kits to determine deficiencies [3].
One other space for development is ‘nootropics’ – substances or dietary supplements that improve cognitive perform. Analysis on their effectiveness remains to be rising, however there was a spike in curiosity all through the pandemic as growing numbers of individuals are working from house and having to regulate to new life. There was a current surge in new product launches claiming to boost reminiscence, choice making and focus. There has additionally been a hero’ing of the function of nootropics in each the Esports and Players class.
Manufacturers wanting to achieve this market will must be clear with their substances lists and be certain that the advantages of the merchandise are made clear to customers.
Growing a style for dietary supplements:
Within the UK, over half of complement customers expressed an curiosity in attempting new codecs or thrilling flavours [Mintel], and that is mirrored in launch information – vitamin fortified gummy launches, for instance, have greater than doubled prior to now 12 months and accounted for 3.2% of launches in Europe [Mintel GNPD].
This development for brand new codecs has led to an elevated alternative inside this class for flavour innovation, with many customers preferring to drink or eat their nutritional vitamins, somewhat than swallow entire capsules.
Presently, flavour innovation on this class tends to give attention to core flavours resembling lemon, lime and different citrus, berry and fruit profiles in addition to mint.
Determine 2: High 10 VMS flavours in Europe by launches [Mintel GNPD] (click on picture to enlarge)
As customers transfer in direction of vitamin fortified drinks or foodstuffs, we count on this to vary. An identical sample emerged early within the 2010s as amino acid merchandise for sports activities vitamin moved from tablets to powdered drinks sparking a wave of thrilling flavour innovation.
Already we’re beginning to see extra unique flavours resembling tropical fruits (mango, pineapple, passionfruit), grapefruit, yuzu, peach and even botanicals resembling lavender or cherry blossom. This development is especially pronounced amongst merchandise aimed toward Millennials who’re sometimes extra adventurous of their flavour selections.
We additionally see a level of seasonality in flavours for the VMS class. For instance, a chilly and flu treatment could also be consumed sizzling, and so favour soothing flavours like honey or lavender, while merchandise for hay fever aid may be lighter and extra refreshing, like lemon and lime or pineapple.
Producers might also discover themselves confronted with style challenges when formulating for these merchandise. Customers of VMS merchandise can generally report bitter, metallic and even spicy notes brought on by the useful substances.
Utilising masking flavours, resembling these produced by Synergy, will help alleviate these off-notes, particularly when mixed with different flavours.