Pāmu is the brand of Landcorp Farming, a state-owned enterprise of the New Zealand government, and produces premium milk, wool and meat for the local and global markets.
The brand will be launching two supplements, which will contain Pāmu’s deer milk as the main functional ingredient.
Hamish Glendinning, Landcorp’s deer milk business lead, told NutraIngredients-Asia: “The reason why we're exploring the supplement space is that we've had success in the beauty space with deer milk.”
For instance, its deer milk ingredient has been commercialised in a skin care range sold by New Origin in South Korea. In topical products, deer milk has proven to aid in skin repair and rehydration.
Based on these findings, Pāmu developed two powdered oral supplements.
The first supplement Pāmu is a combination of deer milk, collagen, vitamin C, antioxidants and vitamins to support inner beauty and skin elasticity.
The second supplement is a general wellness product targeted for the general population. It contains deer milk, Mānuka honey, DHA and other vitamins and minerals to support the mind and body.
“There’s been a big demand for health and wellness products throughout Asia, so we’re hoping our products can fulfill some consumer demand,” Glendinning said.
These supplements have been 18 months in the making, he added: “Conducting consumer and product research from abroad proved challenging at times, also conducting business without any face-to-face time. The challenges faced as part of the NPD process were mainly related to Covid-19 uncertainty.
“These challenges were overcome by establishing relationships with proven and recommended service providers in market, and also working closely with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise who have been immensely helpful.”
Vietnam entry
The supplements will launch in New Zealand and Vietnam in Q1 2022. In New Zealand, they will be available through the brand’s e-commerce store.
For Vietnam, the supplements will be available in luxury gourmet shops and premium healthcare product stores, after a distribution agreement with local partner, Ciels.
“What excites us about the Vietnamese market is that innovation is generally well received. Given the rise of alternative dairy like camel, goat, and sheep milk, consumers are now viewing deer milk as a natural extension,” said Glendinning.
China and Taiwan markets
Pāmu hopes to eventually launch the deer milk supplements into China, Taiwan and South East Asia, by Q3 2022, although registration and product launches have been challenging given the COVID-19 situation.
Glendinning said: “Our consumer research on deer milk show the markets that are the most receptive seem to be the ones that have an affinity with deer, culturally. These are markets such as China and Taiwan, so we hope to find partnerships to support sales, marketing and distribution of our products there.”
The company is also embarking on a human clinical trial to study the effect of deer milk in improving muscle strength and nutritional status in older adults.
