SupplySide West International Trade Show and Conference                                                           Booth #19055                                                                                                                                   October 19-23, 2010                                                                                                                        (Exhibit Hall Open Oct. 21 & 22)                                                                                                 The Venetian & Sands Expo                                                                                                           Las Vegas, NV

As the world’s largest event for healthy and innovative ingredients, SupplySide West is a must-attend event for developers, formulators and marketers of foods, beverages, supplements and cosmeceuticals. Learn about the latest ingredient innovation and supporting science, examine new trends and emerging opportunities, and network with thousands of your global colleagues.

Cyvex Nutrition will be exhibiting at SupplySide West at Booth #19055, please come and meet the Cyvex team!

For more information about SupplySide West, click here

You may believe that there’s no difference between a generic ingredient and a brand name ingredient, except the fancy name.

Generics, or “no frills” products, indeed have their place in industry and in retail.  However, there are many key factors why, when it comes to many ingredients, notably specialty ones, the proprietary branded ingredients make smart investment sense.

Branded ingredients are often what the finished product manufacturer touts as its product’s identity, either in full or in part.  So the branded ingredient needs to be one that is easily read and grasped by the consumer as the brand marketer is counting on making a memorable first impression.

Branding starts in the supplier’s research and development, along with cultivating relationships with growers and processors responsible for producing superior quality and pure product. Often, a well-researched and proven-effective proprietary processing technique that enhances the biological value of the ingredient versus its generic counterpart is a significant part.

Once an ingredient and the facility that manufactures it are assured of exceptional quality and the research of its safety and efficacy are likewise validated, it is taken to a marketing think tank to create a brand around it. This includes a name that reflects the nature of the ingredient and that also speaks to a core consumer that will find it valuable. A logo is also developed, and paperwork is filed for trademark protection.

Crafting a valuable branded ingredient is, therefore, an investment. Reputable branded ingredients have everything: the quality research, the quality production, the characteristic distinctions, and the marketing savvy.

When it comes to specialty ingredients such as antioxidants, the power of branded ingredients makes the best sense for long-term product success!

**This post was written by Anh Thu Tran, MD, MS, a Nutrition Consultant, who is new to the nutraceutical industry and gives her perspective on attending SupplySide West for the first time**

In the midst of the staggering crowds and rows of company booths, I was introduced to the world of Nutraceuticals at the SupplySide West Trade Show –Las Vegas, Nevada, November 2009.  As expected, the Sands Convention Center displayed companies of all aspects of the industry; converging the supplier, the finished product, and laboratory/equipment companies that serve the former two.  I was also delighted to see a non-profit organization utilizing this medium to share their role in the industry.  In a technologically advanced business of the e-mail, fax, voicemail, teleconference, worldwide web, etc., companies give-up the benefits of the hand-shakes and face-to-face meet and greets.  This forum gave an opportunity to create new relationships and to maintain already established ones.  The key element of the trade show was not necessarily in the immediate sale, but rather to develop the relationships and/or to continue already discussed matters needed for the potential eventuality of business.

As I made my way to the Cyvex Nutrition, Inc. booth, I saw the variety in representation of each company based not only in the size and history of the company, but also culturally.  I literally was walking through the “world” of Nutraceuticals.  It was also interesting to observe the dynamics of the company representatives and how that may reflect on their business.  Cyvex Nutrition’s unified shirts, smiles, and approachable representatives of all aspects of the company as a whole was brought up as a beneficial quality of the booth compared to others (e.g. We had representatives in sales & marketing, a supplier, and product literature, etc.).  The simple, clean, and crisp aesthetic appeal of Cyvex Nutrition booth allowed attendees to not get cluttered with information, but to visually get a hint of the company’s focus, which subsequently lead to requesting further information from a representative.  As I made my way through other booths, I realized I was looking for the similar aspects in other booths, may it be in the product line and/or presentation.  Many booths enticed attendees with give-a-ways and demonstrations, but really failed to make attendees take that second step to inquire about their products.  It was surprising to me that many representatives did not have the knowledge base of their product as I had hoped.  Others represented their company with simply their name and space, creating no reel to attract attendees.

As a novice attendee, I found myself exploring and learning, rather than what I noticed in others, approaching a booth with intent and purpose.  I feel that my 2 days only hit the tip of the magnitude of the Nutraceutical Industry.  I have always known the impact nutraceuticals has had on optimal nutrition and health, but this experience has expanded my perspective and attitude to the current and potential role this industry has and will take in my career.   As I reflect back to this experience– there is a need for someone of my background and career path in nutrition and medicine to understand this field, not only for the industry’s sake, but for the benefit of the consumer, my future patient /clients.  I hope with my growing understanding of this industry, I will be able to help bridge the gap between mainstream medicine’s approach with that of nutraceuticals – benefiting both tremendously.

SupplySide West International Trade Show and Conference
November 11-13, 2009
(Exhibit Hall Open Nov. 12 & 13)
The Venetian & Sands Expo
Las Vegas, NV

As the world’s largest event for healthy and innovative ingredients with 1,100+ booths, SupplySide West is the must-attend event for developers, formulators and marketers of foods, beverages, dietary supplements and cosmeceuticals. Learn about the latest ingredient innovation and supporting science, examine new trends and emerging opportunities, meet new suppliers and network with thousands of your global colleagues.

Cyvex Nutrition will be exhibiting at SupplySide West at booth # 21054, please come and meet the Cyvex Team! We’ll be showcasing our newest ingredients that we have launched this year: FlavoVital™ Flavonoids: Apigenin, Diosmin, Luteolin, Nobiletin, and Tangeretin; Lingonol™ lingonberry extract; and the relaunch of Chirositol™ D-Chiro-Inositol targeted for women’s health.

We’ll also be discussing our social media efforts including our Twitter and Facebook accounts, along with the launch of this blog.  And we’ll be keeping everyone updated with tweets from the show floor! Follow us at www.twitter.com/Cyvex

For more information on SupplySide West, click here

The expression to describe an abundance of something – “more than Carter has pills” — reflects a once very popular product called Carter’s Little Liver Pills, an early dietary supplement to promote liver health. Launched by Dr. Samuel Carter in 1868 to “positively cure … sick headache and torpid liver” this was the ancestor of the modern condition-specific supplements available today, but prior to FDA/FTC rules that prohibit a dietary supplement made with nature’s ingredients to make such outright health claims.

In the intervening years since 1868, the multivitamin became the dominant supplement, the must-have to start a healthy day. Also, prior to DSHEA in 1994, many dietary supplements were individualized – individual vitamins, minerals, herbs.

Since the successful advent of DSHEA, manufacturers with help from ingredient suppliers and formulators were able to start manufacturing multi-ingredient formulas that support the structure and function of a system or organ in the human body. These formulas did something amazing:  they made it easy for any consumer to shop for what was (and remains) most appropriate and desirable for him or her. These condition-specific formulas took away much of the intimidation factor.

In fact, the industry research publication, Nutrition Business Journal, has reported, “Supplement and ingredient firms remain committed to health condition-specific products, which accounted for 92% of U.S. supplement sales in 2007.”

In 2006, Packaged Facts concluded in its report, “Nutritional Supplements in the U.S.” that condition-specific supplements lead overall sales, because consumers tend to seek out those with labels clearly communicating intended benefit of use. In 2005, Packaged Facts reported that condition-specific products accounted for a large proportion of new product introductions which rose by 33 percent that year.

The communications and collaborations between nutritional ingredient manufacturers and their brand marketing partners have never been as strong, exciting and cutting-edge as it is today in launching new condition-specific supplements and refining older formulas based on new research evidence. Consumers are more excited than ever because they have adapted to using condition-specific supplements as a long-term tool or as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Armed with this knowledge, many ingredient suppliers continue to search through peer-reviewed journals to validate safety, efficacy and mechanism of action of their ingredients. As one example, D-Chiro-Inositol, which has been found to have a positive impact for ovarian health and to help support healthy blood sugar as well.

Given the sheer popularity of condition-specific supplement formulas on the market, the dietary supplement industry’s future is secured as a reliable means to nourish health, in a personalized and easy way.