As post-pandemic life returns to normal for consumers, demand for immunity supplements remains strong. Two-out-of-five consumers report taking supplements to support immunity in the past 12 months, according to a recent survey by Kyowa Hakko of 503 US supplement shoppers. Among those who take immunity supplements, 79% do so as part of their daily regimen for long term immune support.
But at the same time, supplement consumers are also seeking out gut health support. Microbiome health is important to almost 70% of supplement consumers. In the past year, digestion and regularity have been top-of-mind. Keep reading to find out why and discover opportunities to improve your functional beverage offering.
Insights into the Supplement Consumer
Supplement consumers are likely to take a supplement as a preventative measure or for nutrients not received via diet. A significant number are also motivated to take supplements to support immune resiliency during physical activity, which is one of the key benefits of the dietary ingredient IMMUSE™.
Opportunity: Brands should offer prevention and nutrition-oriented applications for daily, long-term use. With IMMUSE™, you can incorporate year-round immune support into your next product formulation.
The Postbiotic Advantage
Awareness of probiotics is high, and most consumers find probiotics effective for supporting immune health. When it comes to prebiotics, awareness and belief in effectiveness is slightly lower. Probiotic supplement purchasing is slightly high, with three out of five consumers reporting their purchasing in the past 12 months. Postbiotic purchasing is significantly lower than pro- and prebiotics but nearly half of consumers believe in their effectiveness in supporting immune health.
Opportunity: Despite postbiotic awareness being relatively lower than pro- and prebiotics, data still suggests that with the right messaging, many supplement consumers will make general associations with immunity. IMMUSE™ is the postbiotic unlike any other, using a unique strain of lactic acid bacteria, LC-Plasma and was cultivated using Kirin’s pioneering cell culturing technology and heat-treated so that it’s no longer viable.
Opportunities for Beverage Development
For most supplement consumers, dietary nutrition is the best medicine for boosting immune health. Proactive and reactive purchasing of fruits and vegetables has been a popular method for many consumers.
When it comes to immune boosting beverages, taste takes a higher priority for consumers. Those surveyed also indicated that purity and natural ingredients are important when looking for immune support in either format. While many consumers are satisfied with the current beverages on the market, almost one third are not satisfied and feel underserved.
Opportunity: Market new immune support applications, especially in beverage formats. Due to its stable nature, long shelf life and flexible formulation, IMMUSE™ can be used in a variety of applications, including your next powder or capsule. Many supplement consumers reported purchases of bottled juices, teas, and smoothies both as proactive and reactive immune support.
The Bridge Between Gut and Immune Health
Most of today’s supplement consumers are actively trying to maintain optimal health. An overwhelming majority are looking for ways to boost immunity, including diet, activity, and supplements. But the microbiome isn’t left out of this picture; supplement consumers are also looking to boost their digestive health with the same methodology used for immunity.
Opportunity: To meet consumers in their quest for boosted digestive health, brands can cast a wide net by helping them make connections between immunity and the microbiome. Incorporating a product like IMMUSE™ in your next product formulation via comprehensive, year-round immune support. With IMMUSE™, the most influential cells in the immune system are activated at the cellular level for a more organized, comprehensive immune support.
Why Data Talks
Consumers are likely to look for information on foods and ingredients that affect their health, and with IMMUSE™, there’s extensive clinical research to support its immunity claims. Many supplement consumers report researching alternative medicine or turning to online searches or friends and family for information about dietary supplements.
Opportunity: Brands should market intentionally with claims and data. IMMUSE™ has been clinically researched to support respiratory health during the winter season, as well as support year-round health when taken regularly — and has 10 efficacy studies and 2 safety studies back these claims up. Supplement consumers are most likely to trust the personal nutrition recommendations of authoritative sources, such as a physician, nutritionist or trainer, or clinical studies.️