Probiotic Beer Headed For Increasingly Specialized 'Good Bacteria' Market
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
National University of Singapore researchers are looking for an industry partner to market their "gut-friendly" probiotic sour beer, signaling rising awareness in the research community regarding the opportunity for probiotics. Consultant Laura Mahecha discussed the growing probiotics market in a June 28 webinar hosted by Kline & Company.
Growing consumer interest in health products featuring live microorganisms has innovators experimenting with new delivery formats, which may soon include probiotic beer.
Announced June 28, researchers at the National University of Singapore are looking for an industry partner to market a beverage that could put a positive spin on the term "beer belly."
The probiotic sour beer – created by a fourth-year student in the university's Food Science and Technology Program – features the probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei L26, "which was first isolated from human intestines and has the ability to neutralize toxins and viruses, as well as regulate the immune system."
Associate Professor Liu Shao Quan notes that probiotic demand has increased "dramatically" in recent years, along with interest in craft or specialty beers. "I am confident that the probiotic gut-friendly beer will be well-received by beer drinkers, as they can now enjoy their beers and be healthy," he says.
It remains to be seen whether such a brew and its associated health claims would face regulatory challenges. In the US, the National Advertising Division has made it clear that even playful health claims on alcoholic beverages must be substantiated and not misleading. (Also see "Turn Back The Clock While Getting Crocked? NAD's Sober Take On Anti-Aging Gin" - HBW Insight, 6 Jun, 2016.)
But the NUS innovation reflects rising awareness in the research community regarding the opportunity for probiotics. According to Kline & Company, the US market for probiotic OTC and nutritional products reached $2.3m at the manufacturing level in 2016, up 2.1%.
Laura Mahecha, an independent health-care consultant for the market research firm, noted during a June 27 webinar that probiotic brands are racing to capitalize on demand, expanding their portfolios and targeting products and promotions to specific demographics for optimal impact.
“There are a lot of line extensions that appeal to certain consumer groups, just like we are seeing in the vitamins area,” she said during the presentation, which highlighted three Kline research reports, including the soon-to-publish “Digestive Health, Immunity, and Probiotics: US Market Analysis and Opportunities."
According to Mahecha, a growing body of studies is alleviating doubts about probiotics' potential benefits in terms of maintaining or restoring the human gut microbiome for digestive and overall health.
"The scientific research continues to come out, and there’s not a lot of refuting evidence,” she said.
Studies have linked a healthy gut to immune system, sleep, mood and memory improvements, Mahecha noted. Meanwhile, scientific advances such as DNA sequencing are enabling researchers to identify thousands of specific strains of bacteria in the gut, accelerating knowledge about the microbiome and yielding an increasingly diverse assortment of probiotic products. (Also see "Probiotics Market Revolution Needs Supplement Industry As Torchbearer" - HBW Insight, 9 May, 2016.)
Most major probiotics marketers have expanded their offerings in recent years with probiotics specifically for kids and women. i-Health, Inc.’s Culturelle, Olly Public Benefit Corp.’s Olly and Renew Life Formulas, Inc.’s Renew Life Ultimate Floraare brands are among those with products targeted along such lines.
Some companies, including Nestle SA’s Good Start formula, have formulated probiotics into infant nutrition products.
Other brands are pairing nutrients or vitamins with probiotics for added benefits and marketing clout. For example, [Pharmavite LLC]'s recently launched Nature Made Dual Action Digestive Probiotic + Energy B12 Gummies, in raspberry and cherry flavors, are said to support cellular energy production.
[i-Health Inc.] introduced Culturelle Kids Regulatory Gentle-Go Formula in 2016, combining probiotics with dietary fiber sourced from kiwi and chicory root.
DuPont Nutrition & Health announced in May the launch of a new probiotic formula for weight management called Howaru Shape. Containing 10bn CFU Bifidobacterium lactis, the formula is available to manufacturers as a probiotic alone or in combination with the firm's Litesse Ultra fiber ingredient.
Late last year, Dupont Nutrition & Health announced it would invest an additional $100m over two years to propel a new phase of probiotics development that would boost its production capacity by 70%. (Also see "Church & Dwight's Gummy Plan: Health & Wellness Industry Roundup" - HBW Insight, 7 Nov, 2016.)