Fytexia pushes into Chinese market
the Chinese market in a bid to tap into the growing numbers
consuming food supplements in the world's fastest growing economy.
Employing a Taiwanese-based distributor called Wedar, Fytexia is building on its Asian presence by launching three offerings - Sinetrol, Oxxynea and Sunrox. Its ingredients are already available in supplements and functional food products in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and South Korea as well as Europe. The company recently launched in the US, is present in Brazil, and said its current initiative would involve Taiwan. Eighty per cent of its revenues are derived from exports. New China Fytexia managing director Dr Constantin Dallas told NutraIngredients.com that booming disposable income in China was driving demand for food supplements. The increasing popularity of fat, sugar and salt-laden western diets has led to increases in health problems like obesity and cardiovascular disease that Fytexia's ingredients aim to combat. "Most people in this industry still think of China as an excellent source of raw materials," Dallas said. "But the Chinese demand for healthier products is enormous, especially in the bigger cities, and we feel Wedar's established distribution network will allow us to target the right kind of supplements makers operating in the right retail channels." Aside from such commercial aspects, he said Weda also brought marketing and technical know-how to the table. "We are very confident in Weda's ability as we have worked with them in other Asian markets and so we feel they are the right partner to take us forward in China," he said. "We have identified the top companies in all the fields where we want to operate whether that be retail or pharmacies or mid-level-marketing." Offerings Sinetrol and Oxxynea would form the initial focus of the move with high hopes held for Sinetrol, made from red orange, grapefruit and lemon and marketed for its fat burner/weight management properties. Oxxynea is derived from 22 fruit and vegetable extracts and is a high-antioxidant while Sunrox is another botanical-sourced, antioxidant-laden offering. Like its strategy in the US and other markets, Fytexia said it would target the supplements markets with a view to moving into the food and beverage markets at a later date. Dallas said in vitro and in vivo studies were ongoing for all three ingredients as well as others in Fytexia's stable. Sinetrol Sinetrol's flagship range comes in three forms: high and low concentration versions targeting food supplements as well as a water-soluble version aimed at foods and beverages. Its high concentration ingredient, X-Pur, is synephrin and octopamin (<200ppm) free, two ingredients that have been shown to assist in fat burning and have been linked to certain side-effects such as an increase in blood pressure. This makes the ingredient particularly suitable for manufacturers seeking to make 'synephrin-free' claims, said Dallas. Sinetrol X-Pur will be formally launched in Europe at the Vitafoods 2008 show. ClaimsFour health claims are currently approved for use in connection with Sinetrol in the European market. These are:
Weight management
Decrease of body fat
Decrease in BMI
Better silhouette
