Vitafoods Europe is the trade event for the nutraceuticals industry and an ideal networking space for suppliers of raw ingredients, dietary supplements, and functional foods and beverages. The event launched in 1997, and the number of exhibitors and visitors grew consistently from year to year until 2020 when it didn’t. In 2019 there were 1,250 exhibitors and 25,000 visitors, and then in 2020, when faced with restrictions resulting from the Covid pandemic, the event moved online. In 2021, when Pharmactive Biotech Products S.L.U and other exhibitors loyal to the event returned to the Palexpo in Geneva, there were fewer exhibitors and visitors, and the energy and buzz that one had come to expect from this stellar annual event were somehow lesser. Thankfully I can report that last week Vitafoods Europe returned in full force and stronger than ever! Perfect timing for Pharmactive Biotech Products S.L.U, which had a lot of great news to share, notably being voted WINNER NutraIngredients Europe Awards 2022.
Every year after the Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood, the stars, carrying their statues, attend after-parties where they are celebrated by their industry and peers. The NutraIngredients Europe Awards are the Oscars of our industry, and traditionally the winners are announced one week before the biggest after-party of them all, Vitafoods Europe! This year, there were hundreds of nominations in each of the 17 NutraIngredients Awards categories but only three finalists and one winner. It was Pharmactive’s year!
- affron® – WINNER Ingredient of the Year: Healthy Ageing
- affron® – FINALIST Ingredient of the Year: Cognitive Function
- ABG+® – FINALIST Ingredient of the Year: Healthy Ageing
Affron® is also the central ingredient in two finished products that are FINALISTS of the NutraIngredients Awards 2022:
- affron® – FINALIST Product of the Year: Botanical Balance – Support Complex by Foondiert®
- AffronEYE® – FINALIST Product of the Year: Omega – OcuProtect Retina by Cien por Cien Natural
At Vitafoods Europe, interest in these award-winning branded ingredients was high. Manufacturers of high-quality finished products want to include premium ingredients, and it doesn’t come more premium than the natural ingredients highlighted at the Palexpo exhibition stand I112:
✅ Affron® – Healthy ageing, healthy mood, women’s health, sleep, regeneration/rest
✅ ABG+® – Cardioprotective effects, cardiovascular health and beyond
✅ Liboost® – Sexual health of men and women
✅ AffronEYE® – Antioxidant for natural eye health
✅ KWD+® – Protein digestion and absorption booster
✅ CSAT+® – Weight management
✅ Plasys300® – Prostate and urinary health maintenance
✅ Xorialyc® – Natural skin inflammation relief
✅ Isenolic® – Cold and flu relief
✅ Olivactive® – Immune system support
The efficacy and safety of each of these natural ingredients are supported by many human clinical studies, carried out with the strictest scientific rigour, the results of which are published in peer-reviewed journals. The patents that the products hold ensure the standardised quality and dose of the plant extracts and the efficacy that they have been clinically shown to provide. For in-depth information about each of the above ingredients, you can visit the dedicated section of this website at: https://pharmactive.eu/biotech/
A record number of conversations and meetings were held at the Pharmactive Booth
Key insights about market development were won as a result of non-stop meetings at Vitafoods Europe this year. To plot a successful course through the current and evolving nutraceutical landscape a company must be well-positioned to enable customers to provide: branded and patented ingredients that stem from natural sources, that are clean and sustainable and can be manufactured in a selection of popular applications forms.
Branded and patented ingredients
Ingredient branding is a key point of differentiation. A company has a strong advantage when consumers trust its branded and patented ingredients to guarantee high quality.
Natural products
Demand continues to grow in the nutraceutical market for plant extracts and botanicals that have been shown by clinical research to be safe and effective alternatives to help maintain health. These ingredients must be unadulterated and standardized to biomolecules that truly deliver health benefits.
Clean ingredients
Quality food safety and environmental certification remain important, including but not limited to Vegan, Kosher and Halal certifications. However, the savvy consumer is increasingly also looking for traceability of raw materials (from field to finished product) and sustainable extraction and manufacturing procedures that use less energy and have a smaller carbon footprint.
Application forms
While tablets and capsules remain the most frequently administered application forms, customer demand for alternatives continues to grow. For example, whether you like them or leave them, gummies are here to stay! High demand for a wide array of galenic formulations is also evident in the rising popularity of oral sprays, powders, ready-to-drink and ready-to-mix sachets, ampules and syrups. A raw material’s solubility, organoleptic properties, and heat sensitivity are only a few factors enabling a manufacturer to provide customers with these in-demand applications.
Pharmactive Biotech Products S.L.U is uniquely suited to meet these market demands. Its differentiated natural ingredients, supported by scientific evidence, have a positive and significant impact in helping maintain people’s health. The uninterrupted and ardent interest around its products evident at Vitafoods Europe 2002 was not solely a result of recent awards won (valuable as they are!) but of years of outstanding performance and consistent delivery of results for its customers and partners.
See you at Vitafoods Europe 2023!
