Lonza provides capsules and ingredients for Glanbia’s Body&Fit offerings in joint, immunity and beauty arenas

18 Dec 2020 --- Glanbia Performance Nutrition’s direct-to-customer division, Body&Fit, will use Lonza’s Duocap capsule technology, as well as some specialty ingredients. The formulations can address clean label concerns in spaces, including joint health, immunity and beauty.

The Duocaps have a capsule-in-a-capsule design, which enables niche delivery formats and dosing of ingredients that may otherwise be incompatible.

Early 2021 will see the launch of three products for immunity health and sleep, mood and anxiety. 

The first two Duocap products for Body&Fit have already been launched. Both Beauty Skin Duo and Pro B Duo use an inner capsule that is free from titanium dioxide (TiO2), tapping into the clean label consumer trend.

Last year, Stéphane Vouche, marketing manager at Lonza, told NutritionInsight how the launch of TiO2-free capsules preceded a French ban on the pigment. 

They also appeal to the now mainstream category of consumers seeking shorter ingredient lists with understandable names. According to Innova Market Insights, there has been 7 percent average annual growth between 2015 and 2019 of food, beverages and supplements launched with a clean label claim. Lonza’s Duocaps have a capsule-in-a-capsule design. 

Addressing sports nutrition
Body&Fit is also developing a premium joint health and support supplement, utilizing Lonza’s TiO2-free hard capsules portfolio. 

The supplement will also use Lonza’s patented ingredient UC-II undenatured type II collagen, which is clinically proven to improve mobility and joint comfort significantly. 

The company says that this will make Body&Fit one of the first online direct-to-consumer brands to provide its consumers with the latest solution for joint health.

Over the summer, Lonza’s global marketing manager shared that demand for UC-II undenatured type II collagen is growing as the global population ages and the efficacy of standard joint health ingredient glucosamine is called into question. 

Another key element of the collaboration is the exclusive development of an intra-workout product featuring Lonza’s Muscleguard formulation. The blend of Carnipure L-carnitine, creatine, leucine with vitamin D is touted as delivering pre-, intra- and post-workout support.

Harnessing company synergies
This collaboration is a “perfect showcase” of Lonza and Body&Fit’s combined expertise in providing high-quality sports nutrition and dietary supplements in unique dose delivery formats, according to Roel van de Put, Lonza’s business development manager.

“We are excited to work with Body&Fit to help consumers live a fitter and healthier lifestyle with new nutrition products,” he adds.  

Earlier this month, Van de Put told NutritionInsight that the global sports nutrition industry has seen “incredible” growth in recent years as more and more people lead increasingly active lifestyles. 

“Body&Fit, just like Lonza, is constantly looking for unique solutions to bring truly innovative products to the market. Lonza’s technologies, premium ingredients and forward-thinking concepts are the perfect fit with our vision, mission and business model,” concludes Szabina Pál, product development manager for the tablet and capsule portfolio at Body&Fit. 

In February, Glanbia announced a sharpened focus on Body&Fit. The brand is considered an additional “key path to growth” for the company in the European online channel, as it aimed to further leverage its digital capability on a global basis.

By Katherine Durrell