Catch up on the top 10 most read stories in September, including the adult functional gummies sector, developments in the infant formula industry, The Vitamin Shoppe's Asia expansion, and how beta-glucans could control biomarkers of COVID-19 severity and more.
Breastmilk substitute (BMS) companies in Vietnam have been accused of circumventing the restrictions of infant formula marketing by using products for pregnant and lactating women as an "entry point" to influence the purchase of infant formulas, according to academics.
A pilot study in India has reported that intake of two strains of beta glucans can lower cytokine storm and coagulopathy biomarkers in COVID-19 patients.
The a2 Milk Company is banking on offline and local e-commerce retail in China to make up for its losses in daigou and cross-border e-commerce due to COVID-19, after seeing overall revenues slump by 30 per cent and profits by 79 per cent.
Australia's nutraceutical brand Nature's Way is on track to expand its adult gummy products in China, believing that the category is now well-established due to a slew of new market entrants in the past year.
US retailer The Vitamin Shoppe says it is eyeing omnichannel expansion in Asia, after making its first steps into South Korea and Vietnam this year.
Interest in functional foods and nutraceuticals targeted for sleep support is gaining traction in Asia-Pacific, but some firms have cited challenges in marketing these products.
Danone is studying how the consumption of an infant formula with a novel lipid structure could affect babies' long-term growth, especially on their metabolic health.
Functional gummies are not only for kids, with Swisse and Power Gummies developing products for adults and emphasising how a twist in formats can evoke a sense of 'happiness' and make consumers look forward to their daily dose of nutraceuticals.
BioGaia has partnered with Abbott to distribute two of its probiotic products to medical professionals in Singapore.
E-commerce company Limitless Technology has expanded the product range for its women's supplement brand LYLA, with new items targeting stress relief and skin health.
