“Our BioSeries technology is our innovative solution and allows us to provide the benefits of instant and extended-release melatonin, with the body’s natural sleep rhythm in mind,” Kat Schneider, founder at Ritual, told NutraIngredients-USA. “Each of the three tablets has a unique release profile, which allows us to get really granular with exactly how the melatonin is released.”
The first is formulated with 1 mg of instant-release melatonin to get people to sleep, the second with 3 mg of extended-release melatonin for restful sleep, and the third with a 1 mg dose designed to taper off into the morning.
Selecting melatonin and dosage
In discussing dosage, Schneider referenced the recent headline-grabbing study that found that over 85% of melatonin gummies tested were mislabeled and that actual dosage was up to 347% greater than the label claim.
Ritual’s solution is to source its melatonin from the Flamma Group, a 70-year-old FDA registered ingredient supplier headquartered in Chignolo d’Isola, Italy. The ingredient is then tested for purity and potency at 5 mg, a dose Schneider said is backed by decades of clinical research to support a good night’s sleep.
“Higher doses aren’t necessarily better, and that’s why our scientists formulated with 5 mg of instant and extended-release melatonin to help fall asleep, stay asleep, and support restful sleep,” she said, adding that Ritual will be using Bioseries to optimize release profiles for other ingredients in the future.
Commitment paying off
The sleep supplement is the latest of the new products, expanded retail placements and sustainability initiatives that have maintained the California-based supplement company on a path of meteoric growth since launch in 2016.
“We saw more than two-thirds of our surveyed consumers had issues with falling and staying asleep,” Schneider said. “When we looked at the category we saw an opportunity to not only meet consumer demand but to set a new standard through traceability."
Ritual attributes its success to its commitment to transparently sharing where ingredients come from, publicly posting the carbon footprint for each of its products, and continued investment in clinical studies, third party testing and certifications.
“And that commitment has paid off,” Schneider said. “We’ve become one of the most trusted brands in our category and consumers have bought into our mission. We’ve had over a million customers since we launched in 2016, and we crossed nine figures in revenue back in 2021 and have been growing rapidly and profitably ever since.”
Top-selling products include the prenatal multivitamin, which is sold nationwide in Whole Foods Market, Target and Amazon, and the Synbiotic+ gut health supplement, which Ritual shared “has done tens of millions of dollars of revenue” and accumulated 50,000 subscribers since launch last year.
Looking ahead, Schneider sees the greatest growth opportunities in women’s health, a segment she said is underserved and overlooked due to the lack of funding for female-founded companies and the gender gap in scientific research.
“And this is in part due to areas of women’s health, like pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause, continuing to be deemed ‘niche’,” she added. “These critical life stages are when many women end up taking a supplement for the first time – it’s a massive opportunity.”