San Francisco, CA—Bioactives company Brightseed has released research showing that a significant subset of consumers are engaged in "a new horizon of science-based, natural solutions for health: bioactives."

Brightseed describes bioactives as "compounds that promote growth found in plants, fungi, and microbes that have the potential to reshape the nutraceutical industry and help consumers achieve their health goals." The company's study identified “Bioactivists," a consumer segment making up 27% of adults who believe “food can be as powerful as medicine.” These consumers would pay a premium for novel bioactive health solutions, the company reports. And this, Brightseed says, presents a new opportunity for functional food and beverage brands to innovate products aimed at this early adopter segment.

The Bioactivist Consumer 

In 2022, Brightseed surveyed more than 2,800 U.S. adults. The goal: to explore consumer understanding and awareness of bioactive compounds and their potential for human health. The research also measured sentiment, interest, and knowledge of health and nutrition, which is where the Bioactivist segment emerged. 

Brightseed reports that 62% of general consumers saud they are interested in learning more about bioactives. But  Bioactivists—highly motivated, health-conscious consumers who prioritize nutrition as a proactive health measure—were "significantly" more engaged. Half of Bioactivists reported being  dissatisfied with the market’s current natural solutions for health, and 52% said they would pay more for bioactive-containing products. 

“Bioactivists are seeking proactive and preventative health solutions in a very targeted manner, and their heightened awareness on health topics has a direct impact on their evaluation of products and purchasing behavior,” said Michelle Masek, Brightseed VP of Marketing, in a press release. “Our findings show these Bioactivist consumers are hungry to find bioactives on the labels of their trusted brands.” 

Opportunity for Functional Food & Beverages 

Brightseed said its findings echo industry research on how consumers are zeroing in on health as a key motivating factor driving the rise of organic, clean label, and functional food and beverage categories. 

Today's consumer is interested in products that contain healthy components. As Brightseed’s Forager A.I. technology connects plant compounds and human biology, and as clinical research validates the health benefits of bioactive compounds, academics and industry leaders are investigating bioactives’ contribution in health and nutrition and considering their role in dietary recommendations, the company shared. 

“Health-conscious consumers are trained to seek out products containing certain label claims, vitamins, minerals, or classes of antioxidants, but our findings show that there’s a huge unmet opportunity to address the needs of Bioactivists who are drilling deeper in the science,” said Alina Slotnik, Brightseed VP of Bioactives. “Bioactive ingredients are the next generation of health ingredients and a novel way to deliver differentiated benefits.”  

To better align with Bioactivists’ desires, Brightseed has debuted a new certified organic version of Brightseed Bio 01, a novel hemp fiber ingredient for gut health formulated for use in functional foods, beverages, and supplements. Derived from upcycled hemp hulls and formulated to optimize bioactive content, the company says Brightseed Bio 01 is the only dietary fiber on the market that contains two bioactive compounds, NCT and NFT, that show promise to support gut barrier integrity in preclinical studies. Certified organic version of Brightseed Bio 01 can be  integrated into cereals, granolas, nutrition bars, and functional beverages, providing organic product manufacturers a new option to deliver the benefits of dietary fiber to their consumers.