Cognition NPD: Jelly beans and plant-based drinks for brain health

29 Apr 2021 --- A variety of new brain health NPD this week pinpoints how the cognition supplementation scene is diversifying its target demographics. 

Dietary supplements supporting cognition, memory and focus are increasingly popular among traditional athletes as well as the video-gaming community.

In related launches, Nature’s Bounty is breaking into the e-sports and brain health categories with a no-caffeine jelly bean, while nutrition specialist Nutrabolt is expanding its plant-based energy drinks with the debut of C4 Smart Energy Natural Zero to deliver “anytime energy and alertness.” 

According to Innova Market Insights data, specific nootropic claims are witnessing an average annual growth of 62 percent (Global, CAGR 2016 to 2020). Other major claims revolve around clarity, performance, stamina and anti-stress.

Brain HP is a no-caffeine jelly bean supplement for gamer performance from Nature’s Bounty.Big brain time with jelly beans
Nature’s Bounty is unveiling three new products to its Brain Health Platform. Brain HP arrives in jelly bean format for adult gamers and e-sports professionals. 

“Through extensive research, we found gamers were excited about the new jelly bean format and loved that they taste great, are easy to eat and caffeine-free, to calm the brain to focus,” says Gabe Mattingly, e-commerce and digital general manager at The Bountiful Company, Nature Bounty’s parent company. 

Brain HP’s key cognition ingredients are L-theanine to help improve reaction time, and lutein, to filter out blue light and support visual perception. It also contains Cognizin, Kyowa Hakko’s branded citicoline that bolsters attention and focus.

The watermelon-flavored jelly beans can be taken 30 minutes prior to gaming, up to twice a day. The two other products within the Brain Health Platform are Brain Superfood and Brain Focus. 

Brain Superfood is a vegan capsule containing a blend of plant-based antioxidants to support brain health, short-term memory and concentration. Brain Focus is a flavored Coolmelts tablet that calms the mind and recharges the brain to help consumers focus “in as little as one hour.”

Drink your focus
Functional beverages are evolving beyond the standard caffeinated energy drink. In this space, C4 Smart Energy Natural Zero offers plant-based energy derived from green tea extract. 

“C4 Smart Energy Natural Zero formula speaks to a new and growing wave of energy drink fans who are seeking a better-for-you alternative to the traditional, high sugar content energy drinks,” says Rajaa Grar, chief marketing and digital officer of Nutrabolt. 

C4 Smart Energy Natural Zero targets new energy drink fans seeking alternatives to high sugar energy drinks.“After years of testing and refining, we’re pleased to offer a naturally sweetened, plant-based energy alternative in our family of delicious and effective performance energy drinks,” she says.

Also featuring Kyowa Hakko’s Cognizin, the drinks are available in cherry lime, blackberry and grapefruit flavors. Amplifying focus, attention and recall, C4 Smart Energy Natural Zero is naturally sweetened with stevia and contains no artificial colors or dyes. 

Nootropics boom
Nutritional support for mental health and strength is evolving quickly, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. A recent NutritionInsight industry roundtable reveals how nootropics also target skin care and healthy aging while addressing remote work fatigue.

Another recent example is Taiyo and Bioenergy Life Science’s functional ingredients “superfueling” Phenolaeis’ date snack for mood and energy. Further evidencing this trend, Innova Market Insights ranked “Mood: The Next Occasion” as its seventh top F&B trend for 2021.

Notably, the Innova Consumer Survey 2020 found 44 percent of global consumers have taken action to improve their mental health and emotional well-being, as well as spiritual time (32 percent).

By Anni Schleicher