HEALTH | VITAMINS, MINERALS AND SUPPLEMENTS
Similarly, Piping Rock and its Nature’s Truth brand are focusing on verifying their botanical ingredients by partnering with TRU-ID, which tests the botanicals and certifies their purity via DNA testing. “TRU-ID uses DNA testing to verify and identify the botanical ingredients used in our plant-based products, ensuring the purity and authenticity of our supplements,” Vigliante said. “This gives consumers and retailers alike confidence in our products because they know that what we say on the bottle truly is.” In terms of products that deliver on what consumers want, there are several ingredients trending in the space that manufacturers have been looking to deliver on, including probiotics, turmeric, ashwagandha and collagen. “Probiotics sales are flattening out, but multiple-ingredient probiotics are picking up and actually have a significantly higher [compound annual growth rate] than just a straight probiotic line,” Tacl said. He noted that Mason Vitamins also has been making a big beauty push with complementary collagen products — a collagen supplement in both capsules and pectin-based gummies, as well as a collagen cream that enables cross merchandising, which a growing number of retailers are turning to across need states. “If you’ve been in a Walmart lately and gone over to the beauty section, they are selling supplements in an endcap,” Tacl said, adding that other crossover opportunities have included digestive health and sleep, with some retailers
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creating dedicated sections. “It’s a market basket play, too. And the leading retailers that are out there are driven by insights. They’re doing a lot more test and learns, or taking the opportunity to bring in different departments into their categories to bring a solution and hopefully get another product into the basket.” Collagen is playing a critical role in sports nutrition as well. Optimum Nutrition’s Cannizzo said that the company has found consumers increasingly becoming interested in the benefits of collagen for joint health and accordingly added it to its Amin.O Energy offering to create Amin.O Energy + UC II Collagen. Also trending among the company’s key shoppers is protein that does not come from whey for plant-based diets, for whom Optimum Nutrition launched Gold Standard 100% Plant. “That product has a specific blend of ingredients to ensure that it’s a complete protein with all the necessary amino acids to support performance athletes looking for a plantbased option.”
Innovation is Imperative
As old an adage as it may be, necessity is continuing to drive invention in VMS. Companies increasingly tailor new products to the need state that consumers are looking for assistance with. Officials at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.based SlimFast took this to heart when introducing SlimFast Keto, a line that includes
ready-to-drink meal-replacement shakes, meal-replacement bars and powder to make meal-replacement shakes. “With SlimFast Keto, we are giving American dieters what they told us they wanted. They want a quick, easy and super-convenient way to follow the ketogenic diet,” SlimFast president Doug Reader said when the product line launched in 2019. Mason Vitamin’s Tacl said that supplements that play into such needs as sexual wellness, feminine hygiene, eye and ear care, and weight loss support areas where the company sees opportunity. “It’s fun. There are so many opportunities in the store now. You just have to find the more progressive retailers that are looking for solutions or different product assortment opportunities,” he said. Other factors are driving innovation. Demographics also are playing a critical role in what companies bring to market. More tailored options along gender lines are growing in popularity, according to the TABS survey. Piping Rock is planning to launch its Pink vitamin line in the spring that appeals to women, while also focusing on purpose-driven branding. The line of GMOfree and gluten-free vitamins and supplements will feature sleek packaging and colors focused on empowerment. “Pink vitamin and supplements are specifically designed by women for women with a cause,” Vigliante said. “This purpose-driven brand puts women’s health at the forefront by delivering high quality, ingredient based