‘Fuss-free alternative’: Australia’s Vmores to enter China with freeze-dried supplements

The company says it is currently the first and only firm in Australia using the freeze-drying technology to make supplements.

Vmores, part of Sydney’s Health Sharing Group, will sell its supplements on e-commerce sites in China. In Australia, they are currently available at selected Priceline Pharmacies, Terry White chemists and independent pharmacies.

Best-seller​

The company has three products, Snap (hair, skin and nails), Max (women’s multi-vitamin) and Dash (10 billion probiotics).

According to the company’s R&D and compliance manager, John Peverill, Snap is the best-seller in Australia.

The ingredients within Snap include collagen, silica, vitamin C, biotin, and resveratrol antioxidant to support skin elasticity, prevents hair loss/ thinning and the ability to neutralise free radical skin damage.

“Beauty supplements, and in particular collagen supplements are growing in popularity amongst consumers as customers want to look good (and young) from the inside out,​” Peverill said.

He added: “Vmores Snap also steps away from the traditional tablet/capsule supplement and instead comes in the form of a 'take daily and chew directly' supplement, which features a delicious blend of yoghurt and fresh fruits - it's tasty and fuss free.​”

Snap retails for AU$39.95 (US$27.64).

Freeze drying technology​

The company uses a technology similar to NASA’s freeze-dried meals for astronauts. Freeze drying is a dehydration process where water is removed from ingredients by using a low temperature vacuum. According to Vmores, freeze drying technology was also used in World War II to make penicillin.

The technology is now mainly used in the pharmaceutical industry for antibiotics, protein, hormones, viruses and collagen sponges for transplants, as well as in the food industry such as vitamins, vegetables, herbs and milk derivatives.

Vmores said all its procedures are carried out under 40°C and while freeze drying is not the most economical or fastest production method, scientific studies have revealed the freeze-drying method provides optimal nutrient retention locking in 95 to 100% of the original ingredient nutrients.

For instance, ingredients such as vitamin C and collagen are sensitive to heat and cannot be subjected to conventional manufacturing method of using heat to evaporate water. In addition, freeze drying helps living organisms such as probiotics survive better compared to other dehydration methods.

According to Peverill: “Freeze-dry protects active and live ingredients from deteriorating so you’ll get a much longer shelf life, on top of the other benefits​.” The company’s supplements have a shelf life of two years.

Peverill said the company took three years of research, with each product taking between six months to one year of R&D.

Vmores is currently working on product development with new flavours and functions.