It is the company’s first range that claims to offer comparable formulations to practitioner range, but is available OTC and does not require prescriptions.
It is hoped that such an effort could offer consumers convenience, while not compromising on product quality and efficacy.
According to its General Manager Alex McDonald, the firm aims to be a top five seller competing with practitioner brands with a target of 5% market share.
“The global practitioner market is also growing at a healthy +9%. We’re therefore cautiously optimistic about the prospects of our new PRO Series, given the strength of our brand and this new line,” said McDonald via email to NutraIngredients-Asia.com.
Conceptualisation
The decision to launch the PRO Series was based on demand from consumers for professional-quality formulas.
The 21-product series, boasting bespoke formulations based on modern and traditional therapeutic ingredients, targets the more health-conscious consumer segment.
Manufactured in Auckland, it was developed for four categories: sleep and nervous health, joint and bone, immunity and general health. It is only available in New Zealand and Australian pharmacies and health stores for now.
“There was an intentional focus on providing something extra, like different combinations of ingredients, higher potencies and different delivery systems that allow for higher absorption, and a focus on clinically-trialled ingredients.
“We’re continuously evaluating new market opportunities for the PRO series and open to making it available in markets where there’s a consumer need for premium or practitioner grade products over the counter,” he said.
The brand is part of The Better Health Company, a collection of health and wellness businesses, including GO Healthy New Zealand, GO Healthy Australia, Egmont Honey and New Zealand Health Manufacturing, founded in New Zealand in 2008. The company enjoys about 30% of the market share in its home country.
Due to the therapeutic nature of the supplement range, the brand said it adheres to the requirements under Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the industry body Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA). For New Zealand, the firm follows advertising regulations set out by the Therapeutic Advertising Pre-Vetting Service (TAPS).
Unique selling point
The company’s resident naturopath and wellness advocate Jessica Blair contributed her observation that people were constantly in a “fight or flight” mode due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such levels of stress could disrupt sleep and subsequently cause health issues, such high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
“I observe that clients can’t fall asleep, or it isn’t restful if they do. If you get enough sleep, you can get through the day. But if you don’t, you can’t study, work or get through the day. Long periods of stress are damaging to health. Also, there is always demand, especially after COVID-19, which saw an increase in health literacy,” said Blair.
According to her, the PRO Series differs in various ways. For instance, one product features activated B vitamins for energy while another contains saffron for mood balance and the adaptogenic ashwagandha for sleep and stress management.
A new delivery system was introduced through PRO Curcumin Active, which comes with the patented HydroCurc system to reduce the amount of free radicals. However, the basic range utilises normal vegecaps to deliver active ingredients.
Overall, as a naturopath, she sees natural substances as complementary to medicine. For example, Blair still got vaccinations against COVID-19. Besides the medical vaccines, she continued taking supplements.
“People in New Zealand accept naturopaths and nature therapeutics, but they also walk up and down supermarket aisles to improve their health with different formulations and ingredients. Who said you couldn’t use both? There’s a real need for the PRO series, and it can only grow from here (its potential),” she said.
