Dietary supplements can be a valuable aid for staying in shape, particularly during the cold months of the year. This article offers useful tips from a manufacturer on new nutraceutical concepts, essential ingredients for boosting the immune system, and preferred dosage forms. But on top of this, you need to start thinking about your autumn product upstream if you want it to be successful downstream. Because the product conceptualisation to market launch process is a lengthy one, and you need to prepare it well!

 

Knowing how long product development time will be, and planning accordingly

To be on your starting blocks and ready for autumn launches, you need to take into account the time it takes to develop dietary supplements. Once the customer brief has been defined, it takes about 22 weeks to work through and complete the different stages of dietary supplement design.

 

Designing the formula
It takes around 6 weeks to source ingredients and reference any new raw materials. We have a specific procedure for this which covers commitment to quality, developing the formula, setting the price and preparing samples.

 

Creating the packaging
During the formula approval stage, we can start thinking about packaging at the same time. It takes around 6 weeks to complete work on packaging. This is the time necessary for addressing areas relating to design creation and printing. However, it must be considered that for new packaging, referencing make take longer.

 

Procuring raw materials
It will take between 4 and 6 weeks for the ingredients and packaging to be assembled in the manufacturing plant.

 

Production
Once content and container for the product have been approved, we can move on to production. This is a relatively short stage. It takes 4 weeks for production and quality/release controls to be completed, and then all that’s left is for us to deliver the product to you!

 

 

Supply must reflect market seasonality

 

In October, the market segment for winter applications gets into gear. The supply of products intended to meet the physiological requirements of consumer is structured around different areas: immune system, listlessness and temporary fatigue, low spirits and SAD, ENT considerations and, more specifically, nose and throat.
These are the typical health concerns voiced in autumn and winter. When suffering from tiredness and lack of sunshine, the human organism is at more risk. Immune system defences become less effective, particularly among the more vulnerable which include children and the elderly. So laboratories must be aware of the specific needs of consumers during this time of the year, and plan ahead for the launch of tailored nutraceutical responses.

 

Did you know? 

• ● 72% of French people feel that dietary supplements are useful at specific times of the year to prevent or mitigate minor illnesses
• ● 38% of French people who take dietary supplements do so to strengthen their immune system defences, and 36% do so to boost their health or gain vitality
• Source Synadiet 2019

 

 

 

Some pointers for winter dietary supplement concepts 

 

Choose the right ingredients

 

For several years now, ingredients from honey bee products have been well known among consumers for their numerous medicinal properties. In combination with plants or essential oils, honey bee products are a safe bet and continue being reinvented in terms of their composition and quality of supplies.

 

Essential oils have become truly “essential” in winter formulations. Some, such as peppermint and niaouli, are good for alleviating colds and coughs, whilst others, such as eucalyptus and ravintsara, with broad-spectrum antiviral and anti-microbial properties, stimulate the immune system.

 

Probiotics are technical ingredients used in products for boosting the immune system, and also for alleviating stress and improving mood through regulating serotonin levels.

 

Offering an original concept which combines dosage form, specific target and effective active ingredients

Proposer des cures « hiver » en combinant plusieurs galéniques : par exemple, semaine 1 avec un spray pour adoucir la gorge, semaine 2 avec des huiles essentielles pour un traitement de fond et semaine 3 avec des shots pour retrouver la forme.

 

Développer des concepts format /actifs pertinents

 

● Segmenting the offer to meet very specific target consumers: for example, prevention among the elderly population, or sportspersons.

 

● Offering “winter cures” which combine several dosage forms: for example, in week 1 a spray to soothe the throat, in week 2 essential oils for in-depth treatment, and in week 3, health shots for restoring fitness.

 

● Developing the appropriate concepts in format/active ingredient terms

 

• ● Honey health: a combination of essential oils with similar properties to honeys from different origins. Respiratory tract application: throat and cough.
• ● Honey-based “Natural tonic & vitality” energy gel shot: a dietary supplement based on honey, Royal Jelly and propolis combined with Guaraná, ginseng, acerola and herbal extracts to give the human organism a boost. Recommended dosage form: sachet, PET tube.
• ● Powders made from plants which are a rich natural source of vitamins and minerals (vitamin A, D3, E, K1, C, B1, B2, PP/B3, B5, B6, B8, B9, B12, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, iodine). Among these superfoods are: moringa, carrots, achiote, rice bran, curry leaves, basil, lemon, spinach, parsley, amla, green tea, shitake and lichen. Recommended dosage form: pre-packaged sachet.
• ● Powdered essential oils combined with other plant-based active ingredients for a 100% herbal concept. Recommended dosage form: pre-packaged sachet.
• ● Ready-to-drink, functional drinks for the winter, using plants such as thyme and lemon, and which can also be drunk hot. Recommended dosage form: glass flask.
• ● A warming, comforting organic toddy drink with honey, lemon and ginger for the cold winter months. Recommended dosage form: glass flask.

 

 

How about you? What autumn-winter concepts do you have in mind?

Think ahead and get in touch with our teams so we can help you plan the launch of your next nutraceuticals success.