New York, NY—In both the cognitive and immune health markets, functional beverages are emerging as major opportunities for brands, according to new research from Kyowa Hakko. Nearly one-third of supplement consumers said they feel underserved and unsatisfied with the current market for both immune- and cognitive-boosting drinks.

“Our surveys are telling us that beverages are a major white space for product development, as consumers look for more opportunities to get functional ingredients into their bodies through their diets,” said Karen Todd, MBA, RD, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing, Kyowa Hakko USA, Inc., in a press release.

Immune and cognitive health represent two of the brightest opportunities for product development in the supplement space, the consumer surveys from Kyowa Hakko indicate. The company launched two white papers, Exploring the Evolving Consumer Attitudes About Immunity Support and New Survey Reveals What’s Driving Consumers to Energy Drinks and Supplements, both of which share the results of two proprietary consumer surveys.

Consumer surveys from Kyowa Hakko indicate:

• 40% of U.S. consumers surveyed (n=503) reported taking supplements to support immunity in the past 12 months.
• Of that 40%, more than three in four do so as part of their regimen for long-term immune support.
• Among U.S. supplement consumers (n=501), four in five said it is important to their quality of life to have mental focus, mental energy, and the ability to concentrate.
• Consumers highly value branded or trademarked ingredients like Cognizin and IMMUSE, which are closely linked with trust and clinical studies, according to a study Kyowa  conducted with Ipsos (n=3,016).
• Awareness of Cognizin and IMMUSE among brain or immune supplement users is higher than competitors.

“So many of us experience a number of different stressors throughout our day that are jeopardizing our ability to focus, think clearly, and keep our mental energy up,” Todd said. “Consumers want more products that include ingredients that are clinically researched to help us overcome those challenges and improve brain health, like Cognizin citicoline.”

“This renewed focus on immune health indicates that consumers are looking for new solutions to ensure they’re feeling and performing their best every day,” said Todd. “That’s where ingredients like our IMMUSE postbiotic come into play, those that present a new mechanism of action for immune health and are backed by numerous clinical studies.”

Related: Functional Beverages: Immune Health Top Priority
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