The global contract supplements manufacturer has developed concepts addressing common concerns including PMS, menopause, weight management and blood glucose control.
"We are interested in addressing these issues with options other than pain killers and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to give consumers a natural and more enjoyable way to take control of their symptoms," Maria Pavlidou, director of marketing and communications at Sirio, told NutraIngredients at Nutraceuticals Europe in Barcelona last week.
Gummy collaborations
The firm is collaborating with suppliers of science-backed ingredients, with three ingredients from ADM.
Sirio has taken ADM’s Novasoy soy isoflavone concentrate and created the first gummy with this ingredient, aiming to target a number of menopause symptoms, including hot flashes and sweats.
The team has also developed a gummy utilising ADM’s BPL1 postbiotic ingredient, alongside choline, to target metabolic health—a term which covers health parameters such as glucose metabolism, blood pressure, lipid balance and weight.
"Our metabolic rate slows down as we age, and it’s very unfair that for women it’s lower than men!" Pavlidou said. "So we have developed a gummy with the postbiotic BPL1, which has a lot of studies showing its impact on metabolic health, alongside choline, which has a health claim for this benefit in Europe."
The postbiotic has been found to ameliorate obesity biomarkers, and a mouse study has also suggested this strain can reduce blood glucose and cholesterol.
To tap into growing interest in reducing blood-sugar spikes, Sirio has developed an ‘anti-spike gummy' utilizing Fibersol, a digestion resistant maltodextrin derived from corn, to be taken alongside meals to improve satiety and reduce blood-sugar spikes.
"Blood sugar is a big topic at the moment, with people wanting to avoid the big glucose spikes and dips throughout the day in an aim to improve energy levels and mental focus," Pavlidou explained.
"The trend has been largely driven by influencers and by the popularity of CGMs and tracking health markers—this is something people can measure so it’s easy for people to see and believe the benefits.”
She noted that interest in blood-sugar spikes has led to a number of client enquiries for apple cider vinegar gummies as studies have suggested this ingredient can lower post-prandial blood-sugar spikes—another finding publicised by influencers.
"Clients want to provide a way for consumers to take this in a more enjoyable way," she said. "Plus it means they can do this when they’re out and about, without having to carry a bottle of vinegar around with them."
Teaming up with biotech giant Gnosis by Lessaffre to harness its Quatrefolic-branded folate, Sirio has put this essential nutrient for prenatal health into a vegan soft gel capsule, designed to create a more enjoyable consumer experience for those who dislike hard capsules.
Finally, the firm has developed an all-in-one soft gel capsule for post-pregnancy, in collaboration with omega-3 supplier KD Pharma.
"New mums need their omega-3s and their vitamins and minerals, as well as herbals, as they deal with breastfeeding and hormonal changes which have a wide range of impacts on the body and mind," Pavlidou said.
The concept includes piperine and sunflower extract, which have evidence to support their benefits for hormonal balance.
Gummy growth
The global gummy market size was valued at $23.93 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.8% from 2024 to 2030 (Grand View Research).
Germany is the biggest gummy supplement market in Europe, accounting for nearly one third of the EU market revenue (QY Research, 2023 Global Functional Gummies Market Research Report), but the UK has shown the highest growth rate in gummy supplement launches in the past three years (Innova Market Insights, 2023).
Key purchase drivers for the gummy market include 'ease to swallow'—chosen as a key purchase consideration by 41% of U.S. and 49% of UK consumers—and 'pleasant taste'—a key purchase consideration for 18 % of U.S. and 16% of UK consumers (ITC 2023 Consumer supplement survey).
Sirio's women's health focused products come hot-on-the-heels of its first-to-market BloomDays postbiotic gummy featuring EpiCor, Cargill’s postbiotic whole food yeast fermentate.
"BloomDays represents a milestone in our commitment to collaborating with reputable ingredients suppliers to launch innovative and unique solutions for our customers, helping them win in the market,” said Sara Lesina, general manager, Europe and Americas at Sirio.
The platform of women's health solutions will officially launch at Vitafoods in Geneva (May 14-16) while the official US launch of BloomDays takes place this month at Expo West in Anaheim, with the European launch to follow at CPHI Milan in October 2024.