AAK Introduces Range of Nutritional Products Targeting Seniors

02 Jun 2017 --- Following the strategy to broaden its nutritional focus, AAK has recently delivered its first volumes of Akovita, the company’s new product range for the senior nutrition market. AAK’s tailor-made specialty blend Akovita will be used in a powder product for the European market.

The Akovita range contains ingredients such as plant sterol esters which are clinically proven to maintain and even reduce the cholesterol level in the blood. This is supported by Article 14(1) health claim in the EU, the company reports.

“Typically our customers end-products and applications are liquid or powder based. Europe and North America are more liquid driven and Asia is a powder driven market,” Karel Stoschek, President Special Nutrition at AAK, tells NutritionInsight. “This first sale was in Europe, but Senior Nutrition is part of AAK's global strategy, and we can produce Akovita tailor-made blends from 12 factories around the world.”

“To maintain an active lifestyle going into post-retirement, energy-dense and easily absorbed food with a good nutritional profile can support digestive health,” Stoschek says. “This can be achieved by incorporating AAK’s structured fats together with high amounts of the essential omega 3 fatty acids.”

AAK’s Special Nutrition segment, comprised of Infant, Medical and Senior Nutrition, was established at the end of last year in order to meet current and future demands of the various nutrition markets. AAK has strengthened its resources for this new segment which is also an important focus area within The AAK Way, AAK’s company program for 2017–2019, according to a company statement. 

Speaking about AAK’s move into the Special Nutrition segment Stoschek says that with the aging of the global population, the Senior Nutrition is set to become one of the fastest growing categories.

“With its customer co-development approach, AAK has all the capabilities necessary for this wider nutrition platform,” says Karel Stoschek. “We have strong knowledge and a solid reputation within specialty oils and fats, we have a global production footprint, and we have commercial and knowledgeable customer innovation teams to support our customers all over the world.” 

AAK’s volumes of Akovita are expected to gradually increase over the coming years, and the company has “a robust project pipeline for Senior Nutrition targeting three areas; heart health, memory and cognitive performance and recovery and energizing via the digestive system,” according to Stoschek. 

Innova Market Insights has reported global CAGR growth of +9% from 2012-2016, in products featuring a heart health positioning. There was market penetration of 74% within the platform for a cholesterol reduction claim in 2016, with 14% for a blood pressure reduction claim.