Pharmactive partners with Nutraconnect to permeate “fast-moving” APAC nutraceuticals market

09 Jun 2022 --- Pharmactive Biotech Products is entering into a strategic partnership with Singapore-based start-up Nutraconnect to bring its scientifically backed nutraceutical ingredients to the Asia-Pacific marketplace (not including Australia and New Zealand).

Nutraconnect is a growth acceleration service founded by specialists in the nutraceutical industry. It will connect Pharmactive with local and regional nutraceutical players “seeking high-quality, pure ingredients.”

Building on each other’s strengths
Under the partnership, Pharmactive will provide its clean label botanical extract ingredients, while Nutraconnect will function as a “growth engine” for the region.  

“Nutraconnect’s team possesses a great deal of market and customer information and strategic insight, allowing for quick responses to potential customers in their local time-zone,” says Jean-Marie Raymond, CEO and founder of Pharmactive. 

He notes that Asia is a “tremendous growth-hub” for Pharmactive, citing previous successes in Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Malaysia with its Affron pure saffron extract and Aged Black Garlic (ABG+). 

“Many Asian industry players, formulators and brand owners approach us about new compounding formats or innovative product concepts to cross the nutraceutical/functional food and beverage divide,” he adds. 

“Asia is clearly the frontrunner in terms of new ingredient concepts.”

Affron is derived from saffron stigmas and is positioned for mood support.Asia is “frontrunner”
Nutraconnect aims to establish a foundation for sustainable growth in the “fragmented, but booming APAC market.”

“When it comes to nutraceuticals, Asia-Pacific is a fast-moving region, with multiple players constantly on the lookout for the latest ingredients,” adds Nikhil Prabhakar Sawant, co-founder and CEO of Nutraconnect. 

“They expect great service and rapid response, even with difficult custom-made formulations, questions about the regulatory framework in certain countries, etc., and this is exactly where our core strength lies.”

The momentum in Asia-Pacific has been evidenced by other large-scale movers in the space, including ingredient supplier Azelis, which opened its Regional Innovation Center for food and nutrition in Singapore earlier this week.

Improvement on branded ingredients 
Last month, Pharmactive was granted a US patent for its Affron ingredient’s mood-supporting benefits. 

The patent aims to ensure that the correct doses are consumed and distributed to reach the desired health effects. The recommended dose is 28 mg, which is also classified as the lowest dosage in the market.  

The company explains that the standardized saffron extract has the ability to inhibit serotonin reabsorption, positively impacting mood, anxiety and sleep. 

Derived from the saffron stigmas Crocus sativus L, also known as saffron crocus, Affron has a proprietary extraction process consisting of an all-natural, chemical-free, low-energy consumption. 

Edited by Missy Green