It may feel like an age ago but believe it or not, it’s only been three weeks since Vitafoods 2024 closed its doors. As always, there was an amazing range of companies exhibiting a wide range of ingredient, manufacturing and tech solutions, as well as a brilliantly insightful content programme that sparked both conversation and debate.
Probably unsurprisingly, two of the biggest areas we noticed were previous trends that are showing no signs of slowing down: gummies and agelessness. While we’ve spoken about both at length, their positioning and the conversations surrounding them raised questions which we haven’t necessarily touched on before.
The efficacy of gummies and the need for a collective guardianship
We all know gummies are going nowhere. The US is leading the way, with Europe following close behind and a huge opportunity for companies in both regions.
We also all know that the reason gummies have been so successful is because they drive accessibility and make taking vitamins a much more enjoyable experience for consumers.
However, one of the difficulties of gummies is achieving the same dosage of an active ingredient as you can with a tablet or capsule. So what we see happening is that one serving is actually multiple gummies – a dive into our data shows us that most often one serving is two gummies (54.5%), but sometimes three (4.2%), four (4.4%) or more. And this varies between categories. Within women’s health gummies, 20% of products have a serving size of four gummies.
We also see the same thing with botanicals; they’re added and listed front of pack, but not necessarily at a level where they make a difference.
As well as the consideration of when accessible becomes inaccessible – is four gummies a realistic daily habit, and what are the cost implications of having to purchase bigger pack sizes, for example – there are other considerations too.
If the efficacy isn’t enough to make a difference, there’s a real risk of undermining or undervaluing what’s being delivered, as well as a moral question that arises: should these products even be sold if the doses aren’t high enough to be effective?
I’m confident when I say there’s a balance here that can be quite comfortably struck. It’s just as gummies become more established and consumer usage, awareness and knowledge increases even further, we as an industry need to make sure it doesn’t go in the wrong direction. With this kind of collective guardianship, the future of gummies remains bright.
The age of agelessness
Agelessness – that is, reframing anti-ageing into a more positive concept whereby age no longer defines who we are – continues to dominate the conversation and is moving forward at pace.
While collagen may still be the hero ingredient, the understanding of its potential has moved on from simply helping reduce visual signs of age.
Take, for example, the case study presented by Shiloah Kviatkovksy, Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Reyhan Nergiz Unal, Health and Nutrition Science Lead at PB Leiner. Appearing in Vitafoods’ Conference Theatre, the research looked at how collagen peptides supplementation can support healthy ageing by reducing joint pain and improving mental health.
The point of agelessness then, isn’t about trying to cheat ageing, instead it’s about trying to live a healthier life for longer.
It’s also promising to see the conversation moving beyond collagen. This year’s Vitafoods saw a lot of discussions and products focusing on prevention medicine, such as reducing a person’s risk of cardiovascular or metabolic disease.
And it’s not just the ground breaking functional ingredients that play a role here either. Something as simple as an on-pack claim such as low sugar or low fat can have an impact on a person’s purchasing decision and their attempts to improve their health.
So the opportunity to connect with agelessness is huge.
But back to collagen because yes, it’s everywhere, and we’re only scratching the surface when it comes to understanding its potential. But there’s still a lot of work to be done to better help consumers (and even those of us who work within the industry) navigate the types, technologies, bioavailability, dose. It’s not something we say lightly, but the phrase 'carnage of collagen' springs to mind as everyone rushes to offer it.
Despite this, though, there’s still so much scope for brands to really establish a leadership position within the collagen space – but it needs to be presented well with concepts that resonate concepts and, fundamentally, help consumers with the basics.
Never underestimate what people don't know!
So where do we go from here?
As with anything, there is no silver bullet. However, I’m a firm believer there is one thing that can help brands both navigate these rapidly evolving landscapes and remain on the moral high ground: knowledge.
By properly understanding the category they’re operating in, whether that’s dosage, serving size, on-pack claims or myriad other considerations, brands can be confident that they’re creating products that offer truly effective solutions.
And as for my gut feeling about it all? Let’s just continue to have these conversations, without judgement, and work together to build true value in our products and industry.
