Market Ready for CLA Says Trends Expert Sloan

Calling Tonalin CLA a new wrinkle in the healthy aging approach to weight management, Dr. Elizabeth Sloan, revealed new consumer research and highlighted valuable opportunities for dietary supplements and functional food producers worldwide.

27/10/08 “The market is prime for CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) to be the new effective tool for healthy aging baby boomers in terms of building muscle strength and improving body composition,” trends expert Dr. Elizabeth Sloan said during a 2008 SupplySide West VendorWorks seminar. Calling Tonalin CLA a new wrinkle in the healthy aging approach to weight management, Dr. Sloan, President of Sloan Trends, Inc., revealed new consumer research and highlighted valuable opportunities for dietary supplements and functional food producers worldwide.

Cognis Nutrition & Health, manufacturer of Tonalin the #1 global brand of CLA and the most clinically studied CLA, sponsored the seminar and recently hosted a webcast event following the announcement that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a ‘no questions letter’ to Cognis’ GRAS notification (GRN 00232).  Tonalin (Ton-a-lin) CLA has achieved FDA GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status and can now be safely used in an expanded range of functional foods and beverages.

The webcast is available for viewing at: http://www.iian.ibeam.com/events/mult001/26560/

Dr. Sloan noted that she has been tracking trends for 30 years and has never seen a bigger demand for health driven functional foods. She pointed out that the weight management market is at an all-time high in the U.S. and is expected to reach $59-60 billion by 2010 (MarketData Enterprises 2007).  “Consumers, particularly those 50 and above, clearly see the benefits of getting rid of body fat, not just getting rid of weight.  While dieting is at the lowest level it’s been in 16 years, consumers are hungry for safe, natural alternatives to improve their body composition.” But, she said, that’s just part of the equation. “Building lean muscle is translating on a mass market basis.  Muscle mass and strength are the best predictors of longevity in older adults.” She explained how “sarcopenia” represents “mega-market potential” particularly for CLA.  Sarcopenia is part of the normal aging process where starting around age 40, adults lose lean body mass, muscle strength and function. In the U.S. alone, 45 percent of adults 65 and above suffer from the effects of sarcopenia such as difficulty getting up or down, or lifting heavy objects (J American Geriatrics Society 52;1:80-85,2004). 
 
According to The Sloan’s  TrendSense Analysis the emergence of CLA approaching mass market acceptance while the concept of sarcopenia is also moving toward popularization. Improving muscle tone has crossed the medical threshold to become a sustainable trend that is now “mass market ready“.  “You couldn’t find a better time to hit the market with a product like Tonalin CLA.  This could be the poster child for catching a great trend at the right time,” said Dr. Sloan.

Sharrann Simmons, Senior Marketing Manager, Cognis Nutrition & Health, commented that Dr. Sloan provides compelling evidence that Tonalin CLA is a perfect fit and a natural solution for all consumers, especially aging boomers who are concerned about maintaining lean muscle.  “Cognis is actively working with customers on new concepts knowing that first-to-market products will have the potential to drive market demand, and ultimately gain new product sales from early adaptors and influencers.” Cognis has linked its market success to the strategic positioning of Tonalinas a branded ingredient marketed directly to consumers with strong co-promotion support.

According to scientific evidence, Tonalin CLA helps consumers reduce body fat up to 9 percent, increases lean muscle mass which aids in efficient calorie burning, and prevents fat cells from refilling. Tonalin’s effectiveness has been confirmed by 17 clinical trials published in peer-reviewed journals. Used successfully in foods, beverages and dietary supplements sold on five continents, Tonalin is the #1 consumer brand of CLA worldwide.