Thailand is a huge market for collagen products for its skin benefits, with annual sales in the market estimated at 2 billion baht (US$64m).
However, most collagen products in Thailand are available in powder formats.
Yuji Nishina, general manager of the overseas business department at Eminet, told NutraIngredients-Asia: “In Thailand's collagen market, [many products are] powder collagen that is difficult to use. While there are already bottled liquid collagen products, our product is the first bag type in Thailand.”
The product, Tenshi no RaRa, comes in a single-use liquid collagen sachet that can be stored at room temperature.
Last year, the firm told us exports were planned for October 2019 but the approval from Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration was delayed until June 2020.
Generally, it takes approximately six months to register food supplement products with Thailand FDA. Nishina said the delay was partly contributed by COVID-19.
Thailand beauty benefits
This is the firm’s first overseas market for its fish collagen supplement.
Nishina said he saw a high demand for collagen supplements in Thailand: “Thai people are highly conscious of skin and have a strong desire to whitening and beautiful skin.”
According to him, collagen supplements are consumed widely, especially among females of all age groups: “In Thailand, it seems that people are ingesting collagen from high school students to their 60s.”
He added that most consumers still sought collagen’s skin benefits, although there had been a recent growing demand for collagen’s joint health functions especially with the ageing population.
The firm’s fish collagen supplement had been previously studied in a clinical trial for its effect on increasing skin moisture and relieving redness.
Nishina said the firm is now considering a study on its supplement on hair and muscle health.
Portable versatility
The product, which does not contribute to taste or smell, can be used in both cold and hot applications such as tea, wines, fruit juice, soup and sherbets.
“It can be easily taken in addition to whatever Thai people eat or drink daily. Also, in Thai food culture where there is a lot of eating out, I think this portable pouch-type Tenshi no RaRa is very convenient.”
Each sachet contains 1000mg of collagen, and the recommended daily intake is one sachet.
The supplement will retail in September through its e-commerce stores, but the firm eventually hopes to expand into drug stores.
It retails for US$18 for one box of 10 sachets.
The company is now planning to push into Vietnam once sales start in Thailand. In addition, Singapore and Hong Kong market entry, which wee planned for this year, may be delayed due to the Covid-19 situation.
