What's Up with Supps Announces 2025 Expo West Event

The 2025 Natural Products Expo West is less than two months away and participants are already gearing up for another record-setting event in Anaheim, CA. Part of the festivities will be hosted by the What's Up with Supps team at their AI Hype "Artificial Insanity" affair taking place on March 6 at Heat Ultra Lounge. Attendees will be transported into a world combining AI with health and wellness in an over-the-top way. 

“We are excited to create an event that showcases AI’s impact on health and wellness alongside inviting attendees to explore and think differently about the future of our industry,” shared Diana Morgan, Founder at What’s Up with Supps. “This is more than just a networking event – it is an experience designer to provoke and inspire what is possible in the future for our industry.”

For more on the upcoming event, please visit What's Up with Supps.

Non-GMO Project Unveils New Certification Program

Non-UPF verified is the latest certification program from the Non-GMO Project. Developed under the Food Integrity Collective, the initiative goes beyond GMO avoidance to tackle the widespread dominance of ultra processed foods (UPFs) within Western countries (accounts for over 50 percent of calories consumed) and the global food supply. Research has shown the serious health impacts caused by UPF which includes depression, disrupted sleep patterns and hormonal imbalances to increased risks of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer. "The Standard American Diet has become one of the leading risk factors for death worldwide, yet navigating today's food landscape can feel like an impossible task," explained Megan Westgate, Founder & CEO of the Non-GMO Project and the Food Integrity Collective. "This isn't by accident. When tobacco companies acquired major food manufacturers in the 1980s, they deliberately applied their expertise in addiction science to food engineering. The result was a new generation of ultra processed foods designed with the same precision as cigarettes to trigger cravings and override our body's natural satiety signals."

Launching its pilot phase in spring 2025, the Non-UPF Verified program will set clear standards and encourage food manufacturers to offer more minimally processed options and be an addition to the Butterfly seal which helps consumers choose foods that promote human and environmental health. 

Whole Foods Market Accelerator Program Now Open

Application submissions are now open for Whole Foods Market 2025 Local and Emerging Accelerator program (LEAP). The six-month program, which is open to creative, local, emerging brands, promotes mentorship for cohort members with Whole Foods Market experts, supplies tailored educational opportunities, offers the potential for direct financial support, and results in products from members to be considered for shelf placement at select Whole Foods Market stores. 

Similarly, the LEAP Early Growth cohort is a 12-week educational curriculum initiative offing the potential for a $25,000 equity investment from a donor-advised fund managed by the Austin Community Foundation. Participant products will also be considered for placement on the grocer's shelves in their home city or area. “Whole Foods Market is seeking 10 passionate and creative founders of innovative brands to join our fourth LEAP Early Growth cohort,” said Alyssa Vescio, Senior Vice President of Center Store, Sourcing and Product Development at Whole Foods Market. “Encouraging emerging brands and giving them the necessary tools to reach success through this program creates a dynamic platform for innovation and enriches the shopping experience for customers who are just as passionate about taste and discovery as we are.”

"On the Verge" is a second LEAP cohort aiming to foster growth with local and emerging suppliers already found in select Whole Foods Market stores. Participants that have officially been selected for the 2025 cohort include: 

"Our 2025 On the Verge cohort participants have truly impressed the Whole Foods Market team with their dedication and vision, and we’re thrilled to help them explore the next phase of their brand growth,” shared Kelly Landrieu, Principal Planner for Local & Emerging Brands.

CRN Forms Sports and Active Nutrition Forum

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has formed the Sports and Nutrition Forum (SANF), a dedicated platform for the enhanced collaboration among sports and active nutrition CRN members. The forum is an evolution of CRN's Sports Nutrition Working Group and will look to enhance CRN's commitment to the sports and active nutrition sector through education, advocacy, self-regulation, and legal initiatives.

CRN President & CEO Steve Mister shared his thoughts on the significance of the platforms launch, "The launch of the Sports and Active Nutrition Forum represents a significant milestone in CRN's ongoing efforts to support this dynamic industry. This forum will not only amplify our current initiatives but also provide a focused environment for addressing the unique challenges and opportunities within sports and active nutrition."

The SANF has a history of supplying the industry with key resources such as education on significant topics to the sector, highlighting voluntary guidelines, and safety alerts on substances like SARMs. This new iteration is chaired by Simon Sum, DCN, RDN, ACSM-CPT, ACSM-EIM, FAND, director, scientific affairs, R&D, Herbalife, vice-chair Blake Stanhouse, director of regulatory affairs, Onnit, vice president Luke Huber, N.D., MBA, scientific and regulatory affairs, and Ed Wyszumiala, senior director, membership development, and will hold its first webinar on Tuesday, January 28 from 3 - 4 pm EST, discussing “The GLP-1 Effect: Impact on the Dietary Supplement & Functional Food Market – Domestic, International, and Retail Perspectives.”

The webinar is free for CRN members and available for $249 for non-members.

New Quality Assurance Program Available from Sirio Pharma

Global nutraceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), Sirio Pharma (Sirio), has started offering a new complete quality control program that provides efficacy and effectiveness assurances for nutrition product brand owners and their customers. The SirioSure program will combine sweeping quality assurance and quality control activities ranging from thorough supplier vetting, expertise-driven formulation development, detailed ingredient shelf-life analyses and production line data collection ensuring long-term product efficacy.

Sirio Pharma recently announced its plans to procure a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) system, which in addition to the SirioSure program, will further enhance the company's foreign particle detection and analysis capabilities. “Since Sirio was originally a pharmaceutical company, we’ve always brought a pharma-grade approach to quality assurance and control,” explained Sara Lesina, General Manager Sirio Europe & Americas. “We pride ourselves on developing and manufacturing products that include what their labels say they include – and perform how their brand owners promise they’ll perform. To accomplish this amid an ever-expanding global marketplace, our SirioSure quality management protocols are constantly evolving to meet and exceed various regional regulations and customer requirements.”

Canomiks Using Genomics and AI to Validate Botanicals

Canomiks' genomics and AI-based product and ingredient validation platforms are helping companies within the food and beverage, dietary supplement, and skin care industries obtain scientific validation for the efficacy of their functional ingredients and formulations. With funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Canomiks developed their genomics and AI technology to expand new botanical ingredient standards. The technology tests the biological effect of each ingredient to reduce the challenges related to batch-to-batch variation due to different suppliers, crop strains, harvest times, or extraction methods and is used to create a customized analysis of how functional ingredients in proprietary formulations impact over 20,000 genes. Companies can use the lab-based solution to identify new health and wellness indications, discover mechanisms of action, support existing claims, and create science-based evidence for formulations and ingredients. 

The company is currently providing two cutting-edge scientific solutions to aid companies in the wellness industry create proven effective products. “Given the sometimes-nebulous standards and oversights in the supplements industry, it’s no wonder that consumers are more discerning about their choices and deserving of unbiased and completely trustworthy product and ingredient testing information than ever before. Our goal at Canomiks is highly ambitious but eminently achievable – to give manufacturers a seal of approval they can highlight and market, and to give consumers the tools they need to make the best purchasing choices for themselves and their loved ones. After all, a well-informed consumer is a happier and healthier consumer. We look forward to being the definitive CanTRUST resource in the industry for many years to come," explained CEO and co-founder, Dr. Leena Pradhan-Nabzdyk. 

MAGSHAPE Ranks as Most Palate-Pleasing Option

MAGSHAPE, has passed the palate-pleasing test in a new consumer study. In a blind taste test, 100 individuals scored the microencapsulated magnesium favorably for texture, balanced sourness, and rating it as the tastiest powder with the lowest tendency to leave an unpleasant aftertaste and lowest bitterness intensity. Recently, Lubrizol, manufacturers of MAGSHAPE, introduced a small 1.5 g sachet of orosoluble powder delivering 250mg magnesium in a low-dose powder that can be taken directly or used in a wide range of on-the-go delivery formats without the need to previously dilute it in water. This makes the product ideal for consumption for those on the go, looking for a post-work solution to help relax the mind and muscles and for a restful sleep.

“While magnesium is emerging as a popular go-to for the proactive health-conscious consumer, we identified the most common complaints associated with this mineral via an AI-driven search,” explained Isabel Gómez, Global Marketing Manager for Lubrizol Nutraceutical business. “The main consumer complaints about magnesium supplementation include the tendency to leave a long, lingering unpleasant aftertaste and the need to swallow large or multiple pills to obtain the daily required dose. Both can affect consumers’ commitment to the daily routine. Additional complaints include digestive upsets, poor solubility and gritty texture.”

The research consisted of testing five orosoluble powder formulations containing 250 mg of magnesium. The only difference amongst the formulations was the source of magnesium. MAGSHAPE was compared to commonly used magnesium salts like magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, magnesium bicarbonate, and magnesium bisglycinate. Participants validated their acceptance and preference of the different orosoluble magnesium powders on numerous aspects of each product’s sensory properties and ranked each product based on their overall preference.

Nutriterra Receives Health Canada Approval

Health Canada's Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate (NNHPD) has approved Nutriterra Total omega-3 as an ingredient in dietary supplements. One hectare of Nussed omega-3 canola produces as much DHA as 10,000 one kg wild caught fish. Omega-3 Canola helps bridge the gap between how much long-chain omega-3 is needed to support human health and how little the ocean can actually provide. The product license, Natural Product Number 9NPN) 80136254, authorizes marketing and sales as a novel, canola-based total omega-3 oil with the health claims of:

  • Supports heart health and cardiovascular function
  • Supports normal brain function
  • Source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for maintaining good health
  • Source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) for maintaining good health
  • Source of an essential fatty acid for the maintenance of good health
  • Source of omega-3 fatty acids for the maintenance of good health

The Health Canada approval is the latest compliance for Nutriterra who also owns New Dietary Ingredient status from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and food and feed approvals in Australia, New Zealand, the US, and Canada. "Health Canada’s approval recognizes Nutriterra’s ability to support heart and brain health and provides a new option to meet the growing demand for plant-based total omega-3 with DHA, EPA, and ALA," explained Nufarm Nutritional general manager, Benita Boettner.

The Organic Center, OTA, Attend 21st IFOAM Organic World Congress

The Organic Center and The Organic Trade Association (OTA) joined the 21st IFOAM - Organics International's Organic World Congress event in Chiayi County, Taiwan. The December event gathered organic farmers, researchers, businesses, trade groups, civil society, and other stakeholders focused on making organic the foundation of agriculture across the world. The three-day event kicked off with The Organic Center’s Director of Science Programs Dr. Amber Sciligo giving an inspiring keynote “Cultivating Organic Solutions for True Sustainability,” which spotlighted the United States efforts to amplify the positive message of organic. On day 2, the gathering featured thoughtful sessions focused on knowledge sharing, best practices, opportunities and challenges faced with expanding organic markets and policies to scale organic agriculture globally. The final day of the event wrapped up with a milestone moment as Dr. Sciligo from The Organic Center was elected to represent North American interests on the board. Other newly appointed World Board members included Karen Mapusua, Marco Schlüter, Sarah Compson, Shamika Mone, Boyet Uchida, Mag, Paul Holmbeck, Amber Sciligo, Julia Lernoud, and Bablu.

Takeaways from the 21st Organic World Congress included:

  • Younger generations with growing purchasing power, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are prioritizing and paying for organic products, seeing it as a solution to current challenges.  
  • From the U.S. to Kenya, organic farmers face significant hurdles in getting their products to market, which highlights the critical need for investment in organic supply chains.
  • Opportunities in trade shows: Global trade shows like BIOFACH play a pivotal role in fostering conversations and enabling market discovery for organic producers. It’s inspiring to see the global organic community united in driving meaningful progress.

The next Organic World Congress will take place in the Negros Occidental Province of the Philippines in 2027.

Vitaquest Declares Lychee Supplement Flavor of 2025

Contract development and manufacturing organization, Vitaquest International, has named Lychee as the Supplement Flavor of the Year for 2025. The small, round fruit with a unique red shell and sweet, juicy flesh, is best known for its floral taste similar to rosewater and strawberries is emerging as a standout flavor in the supplement industry. Its unique blend of fruity and herbal floral notes is gaining popularity amongst hydration, energy, and functional beverage products. "Lychee has become a commercial success, particularly in hydration products, and we’re seeing a lot more experimentation with this versatile flavor," shared Patrick Brueggman, CEO of Vitaquest. "Its distinctive floral notes really set it apart from more common fruit flavors, giving consumers a new and refreshing aromatic experience that resonates well with current trends."

According to Datassential, the number of lychee items on US menus grew by 24% from 2020 to 2024. From cocktails like lychee martinis to desserts and proteins, lychee's blend of floral and fruity flavors give it a unique advantage over traditional fruit flavors like orange and strawberry as it pairs perfectly with hydration, greens, and energy products.

Evolution Fresh Expands Distribution

Organic, cold-pressed, premium juice brand, Evolution Fresh, has expanded the distribution of its non-GMO, Gluten Free, Vegan, Kosher, Real Fruit Soda to more than 500 Whole Foods Market locations across the country. Made from organic, never from concentrate, freshly squeezed fruit juice, each can contains zero added sugar, prebiotic fiber, probiotics, antioxidant Vitamin C to support digestive and immune health, and only 35-45 calories. Shoppers will have access to a wide variety of flavors including:

  • Tropical Mango
  • Strawberry Vanilla
  • Lemon Lime
  • Orange Squeeze

“While many consumers are becoming very conscious of the ingredients in the products that they ingest, they still crave their guilty pleasures, like soda,” commented Alice Nelen, Vice President of Marketing at Evolution Fresh. “As they seek out wellness-oriented alternatives that they can incorporate into their routines, we can proudly offer a simple option that also tastes delicious. We’re confident that Evolution Fresh Real Fruit Soda is going to resonate with Whole Foods Market shoppers given its vibrant, real fruit flavors.”

Vintera Ushers in Next-Generation Nutrition

Sourcing sustainable functional ingredients has been a constant challenge for the food industry. Vintera grape extract is a unique solution that improves the health of consumers and the planet by making use of the skin and seed of the grapes (byproducts) of wine production while delivering catechins and resveratrol, the same polyphenols present in wine, which are potent antioxidant properties that enhance HDL cholesterol "good cholesterol" when consumed moderately. As distributors continue to seek out solutions that cater to consumers need for more nutritional benefits, heart health related products, and items that protect the health of the planet, upcycling ingredients creates a smaller environmental impact products that makes efficient use of the natural resources being consumed.  

Consuming fewer resources whenever possible has always been touted as the primary sustainability solution from the food industry, innovative companies can offer new solutions by turning byproducts of food production into value-adding functional ingredients. Vintera offers a solution that prevents food waste from being sent to landfills while unlocking proven health benefits that can be used by companies to make science-backed claims about their products.

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