Taiyo and Bioenergy Life Science’s functional ingredients “superfuel” date snack for mood and energy

28 Apr 2021 --- Phenolaeis is tapping into Taiyo’s and Bioenergy Life Science’s ingredients for its chewy granola functional snack. First Date’s Date & Oat Bites are available for private labeling and respond to consumer demand for tasty, on-the-go snacks with mood and energy benefits for today’s “hectic and stressful” times.

“With First Date, we have created direct relationships with Taiyo and Bioenergy Life Science, which makes collaboration and creativity happen faster. That’s something usually done through a layer of brokers. We are streamlining and simplifying the go-to-market process for premium formulations,” says Kevin Ohashi, Phenolaeis’ CEO.

First Date’s Date & Oat Bites are touted as “superfueling” the body with healthy fats, fibers and nutrients. This base formula is shelf-stable for six months without the need for preservatives.

It includes Suntheanine, Taiyo’s 100 percent pure L-isomer-theanine. It stimulates activity in the brain known as alpha waves, which are associated with a relaxed but alert mental state. The ingredient was recently featured in a functional chocolate launch.

Taiyo is also supplying raw coffee powder, which offers natural, sustained plant-based energy without the negative side effects of traditional caffeine products.

Meanwhile, Bioenergy Life Science’s flagship ingredient, Bioenergy Ribose, offers a host of benefits. The 5-carbon carbohydrate is touted as stimulating the body’s natural energy production for greater endurance, enhanced physical performance, reduced muscle soreness, improved heart function and better metabolism.Consumers are turning toward functional foods for energy boosts.

Harnessing palm
The bites also use a “Powered by Palm” formula, with dates forming the bulk of the offerings. They are sweet, flavorful contributors of antioxidants like carotenoids, flavonoids and phenolic acid, as well as offering fiber, potassium and protein. The fruits also contain magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and B vitamins.

The next ingredient is palm fruit extract, which complements the dates’ polyphenol content. Palm fruit extract has a high content of the same polyphenols that are in lower representation in dates. Conversely, the dates have a higher content of the polyphenols that are lacking in palm fruit extract. 

In addition to containing at least five polyphenols, the multi-functional phytonutrient ingredient also boasts protein, fiber and carbohydrates. 

Clinical research studies show palm fruit extract’s potential to support overall mind and body wellness. It was developed by Phenolaeis in close collaboration with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board and MIT University.

A consumer-first approach
The company emphasizes its consumer-first approach. “Most ingredient innovation teams operate within the strengths of, and familiarity with, their own products. Phenolaeis worked backward,” explains Ohashi.

“Rather than just developing a product around our Palm Fruit Extract, we started by identifying consumers’ unmet wellness benefit desires, then proactively finding and collaborating with best-in-class partners to meet those needs,” he continues.  The launch taps into rising clean label demands for understandable ingredients. 

In March, a BioCell Collagen webinar emphasized how branded ingredients offer consumer packaged goods brands a strong value proposition.

Mood and energy have been hot topics in recent months, with nootropics emerging as one of the fastest-growing industry segments. 

Innova Market Insights crowned “Mood: The Next Occasion” as one of its Top Trend Trends for 2021. The market researcher reports that 44 percent of global consumers have taken action to improve their mental and emotional well-being. 

Tapping into clean label demands 
First Date’s Date & Oat Bites also tap into clean label and naturality demands. John Musselman, Phenolaeis’ vice president of sales and marketing, emphasizes that there are no “ingredients that are in there for the wrong reasons, or for no reason.”

The offerings are also free from gluten and trans-fat. 

“First Date is a commercially viable product that checks all the boxes starting with consumer demand and also including formulation, manufacturing, labeling, legal and regulatory,” emphasizes Musselman.

“Delivering a snack product to consumers at the intersection of great taste, convenience and mind-body wellness is just the beginning of our new approach to innovation. Be on the lookout for additional products such as functional coffees, confectionaries and nutraceuticals,” he concludes.

Edited by Katherine Durrell