ADM inks supply deal with Asahi Group for postbiotic targeting stress, mood, and sleep

ADM has signed an agreement with Asahi Group Foods Corporation to exclusively market and distribute Asahi Group’s proprietary lactic acid-based postbiotic, Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305. Eight human clinical trials back the postbiotic, which can target stress, mood, and sleep support.

Asahi Group will continue to use the ingredient in supplements and beverages sold in Japan. Beginning in March, ADM will expand L. gasseri CP2305 distribution to food manufacturers in North America, Europe, and Asia.

ADM highlights data revealing products targeting mood/relaxation support grew at a double-digit CAGR of 13% from 2018–2023, with a category growth of nearly 34%.

“Stress, mood, and sleep are among the fastest-growing wellness segments, and — as the cornerstone to physical and emotional health — they are also some of the most disruptive factors to everyday life and overall well-being if not properly supported,” says ADM’s president of Global Health & Wellness, Mark Lotsch.

“Our agreement with pioneering Asahi Group to bring science-backed L. gasseri CP2305 postbiotic into our robust health and wellness solutions library is a critical step in advancing new product development to support consumers’ quality of life around the world.”

Building on years of lactic acid bacteria research

L. gasseri CP2305 is owned by the Asahi Group and was discovered through many years of research on Calpis-derived lactic acid bacteria. The agreement enables Asahi Group to tap into ADM’s large global network and R&D centers.

Results from eight randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical trials suggest that supplementing with L. gasseri CP2305 may support emotional well-being and reduced stress, better sleep efficiency, reduced time to fall asleep/reduced sleep latency, healthier overall sleep quality, and improved total duration of sleep.

As a postbiotic, L. gasseri CP2305 can withstand numerous formulation environments, including tough conditions like high-heat or -water content commonly associated with functional foods and on-trend dosage formats such as gummies.

“Asahi is committed to solving global food and health challenges, especially those contributing to mental and physical well-being for consumers. We’re excited to enter a supply agreement with ADM for L. gasseri CP2305, leveraging its expertise in microbiology and global scale to effectively expand the reach of this innovative solution,” says Kazuhiro Hayashi, corporate officer and senior general manager of Asahi Group Foods.

“L. gasseri CP2305 offers a new avenue for innovation in the health and wellness space, addressing the rising need for stress management and sleep quality solutions. It is a postbiotic with clinically documented evidence showing support for physiological functions that the gut-brain axis can influence.”

In spring 2024, ADM published a study on the probiotic Bifidobacterium longum CECT 7347 (ES1) and postbiotic B. longum CECT 7347 (HT-ES1) in Gut Microbes, showing they may support overall gut and digestive health.

ADM also claims to support metabolic health with its BPL1 (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CECT 8145) probiotic and postbiotic.