Women’s Issues Were Top-of-Mind at SupplySide East and Vitafoods Europe
Women’s issues were trending at spring nutraceutical trade show events held in the States, as well as in Europe. Women in Nutraceuticals (WIN), a nonprofit organization focused on achieving economic and societal equity to change the global nutraceutical industry, partnered with Informa Networks to host a session titled “Formulating for Women: What’s Hot & What’s Not.” The event was held at the annual SupplySide East trade show, which took place at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ on April 18 and 19, 2023.
The panel of women leaders discussed biological and scientific factors to consider when formulating supplements specifically for women, as well as where there is opportunity in the market for innovation.
WIN also hosted several events at Vitafoods Europe, which took place May 9 through 11, 2023, at the Palexpo
Convention Center in Geneva, Switzerland. WIN Co-founder and Vice President Heather Granato, vice president, partnerships & sustainability at Informa Markets, presented research on gender representation in positions of leadership, which found that only one-third of senior leadership positions in the nutraceuticals industry are held by women worldwide. As a result, she shared insight into how other industries compare to the nutraceuticals industry and how gender equality can be achieved. WIN also hosted a Gender Equity in Nutraceuticals Networking Event.
In addition, Amy Summers, founder and president of INICIVOX and Pitch Publicity, hosted a speed networking workshop at SupplySide East to apply lessons learned from her award-winning “Identifying the Elephant in the Room” Sexism Seminar Series.
Also at SupplySide East, Anand Swaroop, founder and president of New Jersey-based Cepham, discussed his company’s goals to address gender-based disparities in the supply chain by analyzing the data they’ve collected throughout the years for gender-based economic markers and developing a process to anonymize workers’ names and genders to reward the most productive workers based on accomplishments, not gender.
Cepham is aiming to demonstrate how an equitable supply chain makes an undeniable business case. Giving credit to the women farmers who are practically invisible in the supply chain creates a company culture that motivates all employees to be more productive, Swaroop noted.
Ingredients With Women in Mind
At SupplySide East, ingredient suppliers highlighted ingredients and research on products targeting the women’s health market.
- Trinutra, based in Israel, showcased its B’utyQuin ingredient from Nigella Sativa seed oil. According to the company, the product is a “beauty secret used by the Egyptian Queens,” and provides mitochondrial revitalization for skin rejuvenation and scalp soothing and relief.
- Indianna-based Vesta Ingredients discussed the benefits of Pearl Tomato, a colorless carotenoid ingredient geared to women, that is said to support skin health and improve tone and texture.
- Horphag Research, based in Hoboken, NJ, discussed its latest study on Pycnogenol, the company’s French maritime pine bark ingredient. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study conducted with menopausal women found that supplementing orally with Pycnogenol significantly increases hair density, decreases transepidermal water loss in scalp skin and optimizes resting flux of the scalp, according to the company.
While in New Jersey, Angie Rimel, marketing communications manager, Gelita (Illinois), pointed out, “As far as trends, I noticed that more attention is being drawn to women’s health, and that healthy aging is still at the forefront of consumers’ minds.”
Rimel notated that Gelita offers a beauty-from-within collagen ingredient called VERISOL, as well as other collagen ingredients for improving skin and joints. In addition, its BODYBALANCE peptide ingredient has been found, via a randomized controlled trial, to significantly increase fat-free mass and decrease fat mass in premenopausal women (when supplementation was combined with resistance and strength training) compared to the placebo group.
For more information, visit supplysideshow.com or www.vitafoods.eu.com.
