Gulfood Manufacturing 2026: SternVitamin targets MEA with micronutrient premixes
Key takeaways
- SternVitamin launches a new portfolio of standardized micronutrient premixes for manufacturers in the MEA at Gulfood Manufacturing 2026.
- Ready-to-use premixes aim to speed up product development, while the company keeps customized solutions as its core strength.
- Products on display include an instant supplement with the SternVita Longevity premix and a brownie-flavored protein bar fortified with B vitamins.
SternVitamin is showcasing a new portfolio of standardized micronutrient premixes for efficient fortification at Gulfood Manufacturing 2026 (Nov 3–5) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The German company targets food and supplement applications in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), offering manufacturers a ready-to-use route to fortification.
According to a review in Nutrients, micronutrient deficiencies, or “hidden hunger,” are a public health issue that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.
A 2017 review in the same journal reported prominent deficits in folate, iron, and vitamin D among children and adolescents, women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and the elderly in MEA. The researchers also note that food fortification in the region is sporadic and ineffective, and the use of dietary supplements is low.
Streamlining product development
According to SternVitamin, pre-developed micronutrient formulations can streamline the product development process, allowing manufacturers to focus on application-specific requirements, product positioning, and market needs.
“Manufacturers increasingly need to combine speed and flexibility in product development,” says Hagen Bachsmann, area sales manager MEA at SternVitamin.
The protein bar contains a premix that provides B vitamins and other nutrients for energy metabolism and immune health.“With our standardized premixes, we provide a straightforward entry point for relevant food and beverage applications. At the same time, our core strength remains the development of customized solutions that precisely match a customer’s product, application, and nutritional requirements.”
Product samples and design
At the event, SternVitamin is presenting products such as an instant food supplement featuring the SternVita Longevity premix and a fortified protein bar, which are developed in collaboration with Stern-Wywiol Gruppe sister companies OlbrichtArom, Sternchemie, SternEnzym, Herza, and SternLife.
SternVitamin says that the SternVita Longevity premix is aimed at consumers aged 25 and older, as it addresses the growing interest in longevity and healthy aging. It adds that the product combines vitamins, minerals, and functional ingredients to help support cellular integrity and metabolism, physical resilience and defense, and mental performance and well-being.
The SternVita Longevity premix comes in powder form for flexible use and has a grapefruit-yuzu flavor developed by OlbrichtArom.
Furthermore, to meet demand for healthy snacking, the company is introducing a brownie-flavored protein bar that contains a premix providing B vitamins and other nutrients. SternVitamin says vitamins B1, B3, and B6 are added to support energy metabolism, vitamin C to support immune function, and vitamin E to help protect cells from oxidative stress.
“The products we are presenting at Gulfood cover very different consumer needs and application formats,” says Deborah Hartmaier, area sales manager MEA at SternVitamin. “This diversity reflects the range of opportunities for micronutrient premixes across today’s food and supplement market.”
