Vita Coco Partners with Achilles to Support Disability Inclusion
As a certified B Corp and Public Benefit Corporation, Vita Coco has made sustainability and social impact central to its business model. The impact strategy focuses on community health and wellbeing, and is driven by the company's Culture & Belonging groups, which provide resources and support for employees to engage in meaningful community initiatives. One of the groups, Disability Inclusion Network of Employees (DINE), has partnered with Achilles International to support disability inclusion.
In supporting community health, the goal is to remove barriers to wellness by offering financial contributions, employee volunteer time and in-kind donations. The Culture & Belonging teams also encourage partnerships that align with the broader Impact strategy—protecting natural resources, fostering thriving farming communities, and advancing health and wellness. Notable partners in this work include Achilles, More than a Meal, &Mother, and Bras for Girls, all of which have been supported through employee-led initiatives.
Step Change Innovations Launches Premier Programs
The launch of a premier private label program is designed to help independent retailers elevate their offerings and meet the growing demand for wellness solutions. Offered by Step Change Innovations, a science-backed ingredient accelerator, this program features two functional food and nutraceutical brands that feature high-quality, science-backed ingredients:
- Wellwerks™ Functional Foods: Launching now, this line of on-the-go, “better for you” snacks includes sprouted nut & fruit bars and mixes, some featuring ingredients with science-backed benefits.
- Nüwerks™ Supplements & Nutraceuticals: Set to launch in the coming months, these targeted formulations will address essential and functional health needs with premium ingredients.
"Independent grocers are the backbone of their communities, but they’ve been underserved when it comes to wellness solutions," expressed Chris Foltz, Senior Retail Strategist, Step Change Innovations. "Wellwerks and Nüwerks give them premium access to functional wellness products that attract health-conscious shoppers and drive loyalty and revenue."
Select Wellwerks and Nüwerks products will only be available to independent grocers and feature clinically studied or functional ingredients and emphasize key wellness trends like energy, immunity, rest & relaxation, exercise performance, and cognitive health. The program will also include personalized branding, turnkey merchandising tools, rapid market access resources to support retailers and their wellness strategy.
Thailand Approves Use of Vivinal MFGM
Vivinal MFGM, FrieslandCampina Ingredients' milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) ingredient, has received approval for use in infant milk formulas and other food products in Thailand. The authorization comes as a result of a three-year evaluation process conducted by Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (TFDA). The premium whey protein concentrate, which contain proteins, lipids and bioactive components like phospholipids, immunoglobulin G (IgG) and lactoferrin, supports infants' cognitive development and reduces the risk of middle ear infections. Recent studies have also shown its anti-viral effects against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
“We’re delighted that our Vivinal MFGM ingredient has received approval from Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration,” shared Sophie Nicolas, Marketing Lead APAC – Early Life Nutrition at FrieslandCampina Ingredients. “This achievement not only emphasizes our commitment to meeting rigorous safety standards but also offers brands the exciting opportunity to create premium infant milk formulas for the growing Thai market, with all the added health benefits this premium ingredient with bioactive proteins offers.”
Certified Nutraceuticals Partners on KollaJell Study
Certified Nutraceuticals Inc. and Colorado Researchers have collaborated on a new clinical study on the cognitive benefits of KollaJell. The joint project will look to validate the patented jellyfish collagen supplement as the first and only collagen-based brain health product. "CN has been at the forefront of nutritional innovation, with KollaJell standing as a testament to our commitment to science-backed health solutions. This clinical study represents a significant step toward establishing KollaJell as the only brain health supplement with academic-led clinical validation. The study will solidify the product's credibility and enhance our global market presence."
With a research team that includes Dr. G.M. Haase and Medical Program Director of the Colorado Center for Health and Sport Science, Neil Wolkodoff, Ph.D., the research will consist of a computerized cognitive assessment to evaluate memory and multitasking and include info from advanced brain imaging technologies, including electroencephalographic (EEG) scans, to measure cognitive function and brain activity before and after KollaJell supplementation. Results are expected to be published by April of this year in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
ADM Wins Innovation Award
ADM was recently presented with the 2025 BIG Innovation Award by the Business Intelligence Group. In honor of organizations and individuals pushing boundaries and advancing their industries, the recognition spotlights ADM's Regenerative Agriculture Program which has integrated advanced technologies, collaborative partnerships, and sustainable farming practices, to support the transition to a more resilient global food system. These efforts have contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving soil health while delivering measurable benefits for both farmers and the environment.
"Being recognized by the BIG Innovation Awards underscores the critical role of innovation in addressing supply chain resiliency and global sustainability challenges,” commented Greg Morris, president of ADM’s Ag Services and Oilseeds business. “Our focus has been on working collaboratively with farmers and partners to develop practical solutions that support long-term environmental health and food security. Innovation is key to making these efforts scalable and impactful, and we are committed to continuing this work.”
Oterra's Color Trends of 2025
Natural colors and color solutions producer, Oterra, has revealed its selection of the stream of colors that will dominate in 2025. Brands, marketers, R&D teams, and consultants can choose from the following four color palette trends to produce and renew their products in the new year:
- Beyond green: More than a promise: consumers want action. This trend highlights environmental and social causes with a focus on authenticity and measurable impact. While green is the global color of sustainability, Oterra suggests color palettes of Earth tones, Straw yellow and Sky blue to promote a broader, more diverse approach.
- Out of the blue: Rules are meant to be broken. Bold, unexpected color combinations challenge convention, delivering surprises that delight consumers and spark curiosity. How about Peculiar purple, Mystic Magenta or Radical green to wow more adventurous consumers?
- True colors: A spectrum of wellness. Functional, better-for-you products that nourish the body and uplift the mind, with personalization that not only meets health needs but also elevates consumers’ emotional experience. Strong emotional colors such as Powerful red, Sunny yellow or Cozy brown can match consumers’ moods and lifestyles.
- Natural reality: Technology meets nature. AI has the power to reimagine possibilities, from novel flavor combinations to groundbreaking product ideas. But it’s the richness and authenticity of real food that brings these visions to life.
“We’ve created Color Trends 2025 to empower our customers to create and revitalize their products with confidence,” said Stella Munhoz, Marketing Manager at Oterra. “This isn’t just about colors—it’s about storytelling, innovation, and creating meaningful connections with consumers.”
Resbiotic Nutrition Inks Deal with Grupo Columbia S.A. de C.V.
Resbiotic Nutrition Inc. has entered into a distribution agreement with Grupo Columbia S.A. de C.V., a probiotic supplements and innovative pharmaceuticals company in Mexico. Effective immediately, Laboratorios Columbia will commercialize resB Lug Support Probiotic across Mexico. The salesforce network and medical marketing team of Laboratorios Columbia will be assisting Resbiotic in the efforts to establish res formulas amongst a broader audience across the Mexican market.
"Building on resbiotic's remarkable brand growth in North America, expanding into Mexico and other major international markets through strategic co-branding partnerships marks an exciting milestone in our global growth and distribution strategy," said Dr. C. Vivek Lal, Founder of resbiotic. "With Laboratorios Columbia's expertise and leadership position in the region, we are confident that resB Lung Support and future resbiotic formulations will resonate with consumers seeking effective, targeted microbiome solutions for chronic conditions."
Resbiotic dietary supplements were created to promote overall health through support of a balanced microbiome. With assistance from Laboratorios Columbia the product line, which features a unique blend of science and innovation to promote overall health, will be made available to health-conscious consumers throughout Mexico.
ofi Receives Recognition for Sustainability Management System
ofi's AtSourceV and AtSource+ have been recognized as equivalent schemes against the Sustainability Farm Assessment FSA 3.0 from the SAI platform. The AtSource sustainability management system works for sustainable products and supply chains helps food, beverage and ingredient customers optimize the sustainability performance of their supply chains with actionable data. Farmer groups on the ground that implement rigorous sustainability criteria achieving continuous improvement through targeted interventions can also use the system for extra validity to their efforts.
With its benchmarking results, the AtSource system has earned:
- FSA Gold level equivalent for the AtSource+ tier, being the highest-level recognition and confirming best-in-class sustainable practices for farms in AtSource+ supply chains, and their commitment to high environmental and social responsibility standards.
- FSA Silver level equivalent for the AtSourceV tier, confirming farms are meeting a well-defined standard of responsible agricultural practices. This includes good environmental stewardship, respect for labor rights, and safe working conditions.
Katherin Ibarra, Sustainability Manager of AtSource at ofi, commented on the company's achievement: “We are very proud of receiving this recognition for AtSource. It underlines the effective engagement of all parties on the ground – our product teams, social and environmental experts, as well as the farming communities themselves to drive positive impact. This is achieved through implementation, measurement, and continuous improvement of our sustainability practices. This FSA equivalence is especially valuable for our customers helping them to meet their sustainable sourcing programs’ targets with measurable impact when purchasing AtSource products.”
Study Shows Additional Health Benefits of Benicaros
Benicaros, the precision prebiotic made from upcycled carrot pomace, can significantly increase the production of indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), a health beneficial compound in the body. By increasing IPA levels, Benicaros can potentially support gut and immune health as well as broader areas like brain function and heart health, this according to a new study published in “The Roles of Diet, Gut Microbiome and Microbial Metabolome in Precision Nutrition” – a special edition of the journal Metabolites. For this investigation researchers focused on the microbiome modulatory effects of Benicaros and concluded that it promotes the growth of a beneficial gut bacteria, including Bifidobacterium longum, which in turn helps convert a nutrient called tryptophan into IPA, and also supports gut health by increasing production of other beneficial compounds like short-chain fatty acids.
Other key research findings:
- Benicaros is a precision prebiotic. The paper highlights consistent effects across all donors.
- Benicaros modulates the production of health-related microbial metabolites beyond SCFAs.
- Benicaros reduced the production of harmful metabolites.
- Benicaros stimulated IPA production strongly correlated with increased abundance of Bifidobacterium longum.
“This study demonstrates that cRG-I (Benicaros) promotes tryptophan conversion into IPA via gut microbiome modulation, thus conferring benefits via amino acid derived metabolites. It broadens our knowledge beyond benefits previously reported for short chain fatty acids (SCFA) that result from carbohydrate fermentation,” explained Annick Mercenier, Ph.D., first author of the study.
Click here for a full version of the study.
ACI Finds Key to Supporting Heart Health
ACI Group's Hytolive and Vintera ingredients can help support UK customers heart health due to their high levels of polyphenols and antioxidants. Both are sustainably sourced from Spain with Hytolive, an extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) extract qualifying as a food product due to it being derived from the olive fruit and not the leaf, while Vintera is a grapeseed extract sourced from the byproducts of wine productions. The antioxidant properties of Hytolive and polyphenols of Vintera have been shown to increase beneficial HDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of plaque formation in arteries.
“Our mission is to connect British businesses with innovative and specialist products from around the world,” said Sam Lubbock-Smith from ACI Group. “We are proud to bring ingredients that support better heart health to the UK, where cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death. These products can open up new doors for businesses looking to create innovative nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, or functional foods."
ICL Invests in Plantible Foods
Global specialty minerals company, ICL Group, is keeping pace with market trends and positioning itself to meet the evolving demands of consumers by participating in the Series B funding round of the Plantible Foods company. Building on their initial Series A round of investing, ICL is keen on backing their innovative ingredients like 2024 Ingredient Idol award winner, Rovitaris Binding Solution, powered by Rubi Protein.
Plantible Foods is a b2b food tech company focused on developing the most functional and applicable plant-based protein by using Lemna; one of the most sustainable and nutrient-dense plants. "Our continued investment in Plantible Foods underscores our commitment to advancing sustainable and innovative solutions in the food industry,” shared Hadar Sutovsky, vice president of Corporate Investments at ICL. “We are excited to support Plantible's growth and the development of their groundbreaking plant-based proteins."
Botanic Healthcare Secures Expansion Investment
Botanic Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. has acquired INR 250 Crore (28,544,500 million USD) in its maiden private equity funding round from mid-market private equity firm Stakeboat Capital and Abakkus Four2Eight Opportunities Fund. The capital will go towards funding the company's global expansion initiatives, which already includes operations in India, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and the EU, enhancing its product portfolio, forging strategic partnerships, increasing R&D and clinical research capabilities, and consolidating Botanic Healthcare's group entities.
Specializing in manufacturing botanical extracts including fruit powder extracts, natural colors, phytochemicals, standardized herbal extracts, and oleoresins, the brand currently produces products for the nutraceuticals, food and beverage, and cosmeceuticals industries. "This investment opens doors to new business opportunities, collaborations, and strategies to navigate international markets," said founders Madhu Krishnamani and Gaurav Soni in a joint statement.
IFT Hosting Ultra-processed Foods Webinar
On Wednesday, February 19, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) will be hosting a one-hour education session on ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Presented by IFT's Food Technology magazine and sponsored by the company's own Journal of Food Science, "Navigating the Science of Ultra-processed Foods" will show how food scientist can help develop future research, create methodologies, and collaborate with other disciplines to better communicate around the varied nutritional aspects of UPFs. Registered guests will hear from:
- Susanne Gjedsted Bügel, Ph.D., Professor and Head of Section, Nutrition and Health in the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the University of Copenhagen
- Matt Teegarden, Ph.D., Manager, Regulatory Affairs – Nutrition at Abbott Nutrition
The information session will present the latest research on improving the definition of UPFs, look to clarify consumer confusion surrounding the subject matter, and also touch on efforts to build consensus in the global food science community around updating the Nova classification to consider the nutritional context and food matrix effects of UPFs. “UPFs are a widely discussed facet of our food system, and with that discussion comes much consumer confusion. The upcoming webinar will help address that confusion and dive into the work that researchers across the globe are doing to expand our understanding of this category,” explained Bill McDowell, Editor-in-Chief of Food Technology and Vice President, Content and Channel Strategy, at IFT.
For more on the upcoming event, including the registration information, please visit the event page.
