Circana Rolls Out Liquid AI
Consumer behavior advisor, Circana, has launched Liquid AI, the next phase of Liquid Data designed to help clients use AI to make quicker and more informed decisions. The new tech platform enhances operational efficiencies, drastically reduces complex tasks completion times, and gathers market, consumer, frequent shopper, media, supply chain, and other data to provide brands and retail stores with insightful action steps. Liquid AI, available through Circana's Unify+ software, is an evolution of the brands first digital teammate program launched in 2019, Emiri. Ash Patel, Chief Technology and Transformation Officer at Circana, said, “Emiri came first and now we’re partnering with clients to harness our collective knowledge to generate prescriptive recommendations, deliver efficiencies and drive growth. Liquid AI is the culmination of years of training, tuning and development, designed to help our clients leverage the power of AI to make optimal decisions."
Kyowa's Karen Todd Honored with Prestigious Award
Vice President of Global Brand Marketing at Kyowa Hakko, Karen E. Todd, RD, CSCS, EP-C, CISSN, participated in two roundtable discussions during the MM+M Awards in New York City. The first event, a seven-member panel conversation on "The Importance of Female Representation in Health” deliberated the strengthening of female representation in medical research, building cultural awareness in marketing and bringing up the next-gen of female leaders. “Effective Ways to Thrive in the Hybrid Office Environment" focused on the challenges and opportunities brought on by the new normal of corporate life on women leaders. Each panelist shared their experiences with adapting to remote work environment.
In addition to her speaking engagements, Todd received the MM+M Women of Distinction Award, a program that celebrates marketers, strategists, and creators who have impacted the healthcare marketing business during their careers. Todd shared, “I’m deeply honored to receive the MM+M Women of Distinction Award. It’s a testament to the team effort and innovation at Kyowa Hakko as we strive for excellence and meaningful contributions to the industry."
NOW & Protocol for Life Balance Join Sonoran Education Program
NOW and its practitioner brand, Protocol for Life Balance (PFLB), are joining the Sonoran University of Health Sciences Student Vendor Representative Program, a career-building initiative aimed at helping students with their professional development. Debbi Taylor, Career Services Manager for Sonoran University, explained the significance of the program: “Sonoran University’s Student Vendor Program creates valuable partnerships between the University and leading natural products companies as well as provides students—who serve as ambassadors of these companies—with professional development through training, networking, marketing, product knowledge, and income.”
As part of its participation, NOW will have a dedicated sales representative at the university providing information on Protocol for Life Balance and NOW products, which will also be available in the school's dispensary. “We hope that this partnership, and being able to educate students and faculty alike about our brands and our high-quality products, will be fruitful for years to come," shared NOW Director of Science and Nutrition, Yalda Shokooh, PharmD, Ph.D.
Sabinsa's LactoSpore is Safe for Kids
Sabinsa has had another clinical study, titled “Weizmannia coagulans MTCC 5856 as adjunct therapy in children's acute diarrhea—a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study” published in the peer-reviewed journal, Frontiers in Pediatrics. In January of this year, LactoSpore was analyzed in 110 non-hospitalized children between the ages of 1 and 10 with acute diarrhea. Each participant received LactoSpore (400 million spores per day, N = 54) in addition to an oral hydration solution (ORS) and zinc (ZN) or a placebo (N = 56) plus ORS and Zn for 5 days. The result, LactoSpore supplementation along with ORS and Zn resulted in significantly faster recovery from diarrhea in children. "All age groups need beneficial bacteria in their gut, and kids especially, so it’s important to add to the range of clinical research for common childhood conditions,” said Shaheen Majeed, Sabinsa Global CEO & Managing Director.
PEAK ATP Receives Informed Ingredient Certification
PEAK ATP, a non stimulant energy source for muscles and for powering the body's movement, has been given LGC Informed Ingredient Certification confirming it is free of impurities and substances currently banned in sports nutrition products. The TSI Group pre-workout ingredient is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), non-GMO, certified kosher, vegan, gluten-free, and vegetarian friendly, and a clinically validated and patented form of Adenosine 5’-Triphosphate (ATP) Disodium which is a highly bioavailable energy source that has shown to boost muscle power output and improve blood flow. “In addition to boosting cellular energy and improving exercise performance, we have science-backed data confirming PEAK ATP’s ability to improve cognition, reaction time and accuracy. It may also be beneficial to athletes who need to maintain their focus throughout a match or game. ” commented TSI Group President, Larry Kolb.
Benicaros Wins Award for Ingredient of the Year
NutriLeads' precision prebiotic, Benicaros, has won the award for Ingredient of the Year: Microbiome Modulation, at the 2024 NutraIngredients-USA ceremony in Chicago. The annual awards ceremony, currently in its 7th year, spotlights innovation, long-term market success, and cutting-edge research within the nutrition and dietary supplements industry. Benicaros, a clinically proven, soluble, and upcycled plant-based precision prebiotic is used to fortify foods, beverages and dietary supplements with immune and gut health benefits. NutriLeads Chief Executive Officer, Joana Carneiro-Wakefield, Ph.D., spoke on the significance of receiving the award, “This award underscores the innovative nature of Benicaros in improving immune health and the gut microbiota composition robustly and consistently, despite interpersonal differences in gut microbiome environments. It’s also a testament to the hard work the team at NutriLeads has put into the science backing Benicaros and it validates our commitment to helping our customers innovate with an upcycled, prebiotic ingredient that improves human health via the gut, naturally."
Natural Remedies Receives USP Recognition
Natural Remedies has been recognized by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Donor Recognition Program (DRP) for its significant contributions to the improvement of the global public health through the development and implementation of rigorous quality standards. Since 2010, the company has made steady contributions to the DRP including New and Modernized Monograph Submissions and Bulk Reference Material Submissions. The international botanical healthcare company is dedicated to scientific research-driven solutions that maintain the highest quality standards throughout its initiatives. " We are deeply honored to be recognized by the USP for our unwavering commitment to elevating public health through scientifically validated botanical ingredients," shared Suresh Lakshmikanthan, Chief Business Officer at Natural Remedies.
TraceGains Announces Two New Partnerships
Food and beverage industry compliance, quality, and innovation network solutions provider, TraceGains, is partnering with DitchCarbon to help TraceGains network ecosystem customers raise the visibility and manageability of their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts through a cost-effective, state-of-the-art solution that can be easily integrated into an existing sourcing, compliance, and product development workflow. With almost 50% of food & beverage companies expressing disappointment in meeting their ESG initiatives, the partnership between TraceGains' supplier management and new product development offerings and DitchCarbon's carbon intelligence solutions will enable companies to build sustainable supply chains from the ground up, develop precise supplier sustainability dashboards and reports, and facilitate long-term improvement against climate objectives.
Other key features from the partnership include:
- Supplier Sustainability Rankings: Evaluate supplier participation in initiatives like CDP, UN Global Compact, and SBTI.
- Emission Measurements: Detailed breakdowns of total emissions, Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, and greenhouse gas data.
- Regional Impact Scores: Compare the carbon intensity of energy grids globally.
A second collaboration, with premier platform for sustainable product development through detailed lifecycle analysis—Sustained, was also announced by the company. The merger looks to set a new standard for compliance and innovation while helping companies avoid disruptions to their product launches and go-to-market efforts through the unification of Sustained' product and ingredient lifecycle analysis tools with TraceGains' complete solutions suite, making for unparalleled transparency, sustainability, and efficiency. Companies will also be able to measure the environmental footprint of individual ingredients and products through the partnerships offerings. “The industry demands streamlined sustainability decision-making. TraceGains has always excelled at consolidating global data into a powerful platform. This partnership with Sustained extends that capability, delivering against industry demands of streamlined decision making and transforming sustainability into a seamless, everyday practice,” commented Gary Iles, SVP of Marketing for TraceGains.
KD Pharma Group Acquires Lipids Business
Pharmaceutical and nutritional lipids CDMO, KD Pharma Group, has purchased dsm-firmenich’s Marine Lipids business in exchange for a minority stake in the company. The deal will finalize in the coming months, subject to customary regulatory approvals, and includes the acquisition of dsm-firmenich’s Marine Lipids fish oil omega-3 business for the Food & Beverage, Dietary Supplement and Pharma markets, as well as the MEG-3 brand and production facilities in Piura, Peru and Mulgrave, Canada.
The diversification strategy of both companies will look to combine their respective expertise to create a well-equipped market player within the Marine Lipids industry. “We are thrilled to welcome dsm-firmenich’s Marine Lipids portfolio into the KD Pharma Group, a move that aligns perfectly with our strategic vision of being technology leaders in lipids and enhancing our ability to innovate and deliver exceptional value to our customers," stated CEO of the KD Pharma Group, Oscar Groet.
Roquette Foundation Partners with Decathlon Foundation on Joint Project
The Decathlon Foundation and the Roquette Foundation have come together to promote access to healthy food and adapted physical activity for individuals found in vulnerable situations such as precariousness, disability, illness, and disadvantaged neighborhoods. In March of 2024, the joint initiative conducted a search in France, Brazil, and India for projects that supported actions in favor of sports and nutrition. From almost 100 participants, five associations, the Marca institution in Brazil, the Shreeja association in India, the Apprentis d'Auteuil, Comme Les Autres, and Enfance, Adolescence et Diabète associations in France, were selected as the equal parts winners of a 160,000 + Euro donation provided by both companies. Recipients will use their allocated prize money to construct or renovate sports facilities, cover personnel costs related to sports (sports educator for the implementation of the program's roadmap), the purchase of food, and personnel costs related to healthier eating (dietician, nutritionist).
Asiros Nordic Launches New Berry Product
Danish grower, manufacturer, and supplier of farm-to-finish Nordic berries, Asiros Nordic, launched its new prebiotic berry juice powders which are authenticated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology. “We believe that these NMR-authenticated powders will be a valuable addition to the dietary supplement and functional food-and-beverage markets,” said Jan Kuhlmann CEO of Asiros Nordic.
Asiros Nordic's prebiotic berry juice powders are available in a wide selection of conventional and organic options, including elderberry, tart cherry, aronia, lingonberry, red and black currant. They are non-GMO, gluten-free and vegan, and suitable for a wide range of dietary needs. With control over quality from field to finished product, Asiros Nordic is able to offer complete transparency and traceability for its products. Its berry juice ingredients are polyphenol-fingerprinted using NMR, which, according to many research scientists, is the most accurate analytical tool used for botanical identification testing to ensure purity, authenticity and consistency to defend against adulteration.
Lycored Debuts New Colorant at IFT
Lycored debuted a new nature-based colorant, ResilientRed BF, at IFT First in Chicago. The new carotenoid is the latest addition to the naturally derived lycopene-based ResilientRed shades sourced from tomatoes. Its vivid shade at lower doses offers brands greater value and efficiency benefits, the company says. ResilientRed BF is provides resiliency and stability across pH, light and heat extremes, and is ideal for UHT dairy and plant-based beverages, plant-based meat alternatives, and surimi seafood. Caroline Schroeder, Head of Global Marketing for Lycored, said the company is "confident that this new nature-based colorant will satisfy the growing number of consumers who desire premium, clean-label products."
Sweegen Previews Taste Tool at IFT FIRST
Sweegen welcomed IFT FIRST guests to its word of wellness, functional ingredients technologies with less sugar and more flavor. On display was Tastecode Natural Flavors for Taste Modulation—a taste tool to help brands better understand consumer taste profile preferences by addressing specific taste challenges and develop sensory experiences at the molecular level. Also exhibited, Sweetensify Taste Modulation Flavors with Sweet Protein Brazzein, Nature-Based Signature Sweetener Systems, and Sensegen's Bio-Based Fantasy Flavors. The Beverages with Benefits prototypes, Sweet Protein Joubli – No-Added-Sugar Peach Mango Sweet Iced Tea, Lavender Haze – Reduced-Sugar Lemonade, Rest & Restore – No-Added-Sugar Raspberry Rose Mocktail, Mystical Mirage – No-Added-Sugar Energy Elixir, LazerFocus – No-Added-Sugar Lychee Mental Clarity Boost, and Hydration Oasis – No-Added-Sugar Yuzu Hydration Elevation Drink, all unique concoctions featuring Sensegen's bio-based flavors & Sweegen's distinct sugar-reduction and taste optimization technologies to create better-for-you products.
Leprino Foods Commercializes Non-Animal Casein
Leprino Foods and Fooditive Group have entered an exclusive, long-term licensing partnership deal to commercialize Fooditive's non-animal casein. Leprino will have worldwide rights to market, distribute, and produce the non-animal casein using Fooditive's proprietary precision fermentation platform. The brand's casein can be used in any application where animal casein is utilized including cheese, beverages, yogurts, desserts, coffee creamers, snack bars, sports nutrition products, while offering consumers a sustainable alternative with similar functionalities and taste of animal-derived casein. Moayad Abushokhedim, CEO of Fooditive Group, shared his thoughts on the collaboration: “We are beyond excited to partner with Leprino Foods in bringing our revolutionary non-animal casein to the global market. This collaboration not only underscores our commitment to sustainability and showcases the incredible potential of our precision fermentation technology but also our commitment to partnerships."
Cabot Creamery Receives Top Honors
Certified B-Corp, farmer-owned cooperative, Cabot Creamery, has received recognition for its products from two contest, The American Cheese Society and the International Cheese and Dairy Awards. At the American Cheese Society Awards, which were held in Buffalo, NY, Cabot won:
First Place Awards
- Extra Sharp Cheddar
- White Oak Cheddar
- Monterey Jack
- Salted Butter
Second Place Awards
- Alpine Cheddar
- New York Sharp Cheddar
Third Place Awards
- Unsalted Butter
England's International Cheese and Dairy Awards received 5,500 entries from companies all across the world and recognized Cabot for:
Gold
- White Oak Cheddar (USA)
Silver
- Alpine Cheddar (USA)
- Salted Butter (USA)
- 10% Plain Greek Yogurt (All Countries)
Bronze
- Pimento Cheese Spread (All Countries)
- Sharp Cheddar (USA)
- Alpine Cheddar (USA)
Jason Martin, SVP, Operations, spoke on the significance of the awards for the company, “These achievements belong to our entire team, from the farmers who supply the milk, to our dedicated production crew, and our diligent supply chain employees. Their care and craftsmanship are the true foundation of our success."
Confetti Snacks Makes its European Debut
Plant-based, grab-and-go snacks brand, Confetti Snacks, has partnered with TJ Maxx and HomeSense to expand its distribution into Europe. Currently, the crunchy, colorful, nutrient-dense vegetable fruit chips are made from upcycled imperfect produce are available in almost 1,000 TJ Maxx and HomeSense stores across the U.K., Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Poland. “The early success of our products in Europe is just one more testament to the fact that consumers all over the world want snacks that are better for them and better for the planet, but still have that ‘wow’ factor when it comes to taste,” shared brand creator, Betty Lu.
Confetti Snacks is a woman- and minority-owned brand dedicated to fighting world hunger and addressing food waste. They work with global humanitarian organizations to donate a portion of their high fiber, nutrient-dense chips to communities in need.
