Case Study: Prebiotic Powder Sticks with Biotis® GOS

Prebiotic Powder Sticks Launched to Support the Gut Health of Active Women

The Opportunity

Consumer research shows that young women are placing a growing amount of attention on their gut health:

• 87% of women in Europe between 18 and 35 years of age stated that they have taken steps to improve their digestive health.¹
• When looking at the specific areas of their gut health they wanted to improve, 46% stated they wanted to address IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) complaints.¹

Seeing this trend, a boutique European webshop targeting young, active women with premium nutritional solutions, in collaboration with FrieslandCampina Ingredients and Biotis^®, decided to expand its portfolio with a dietary supplement to support gut health.

As a result, the company became one of the first in Europe to bring clean label Prebiotic Powder Sticks containing only GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides) to their customers.

The Process

Traditionally, the company focused on providing high-quality protein bars, drinks and powders, but they wanted to expand their product portfolio with new solutions that differentiate themselves from competitors and help support the most pressing needs of their customers—young women with busy and active lifestyles.

During the initial phase of the project, the Biotis^® team presented product concepts that address the needs of the specific target group and offer the health benefits the company wanted to deliver to their customers.

Biotis^®GOS, a dairy-derived prebiotic* ingredient that has been shown to influence the balance of the gut microbiota^2-6 producing beneficial effects on gut health,^6-8 was selected for this project.

The format

Biotis^® GOS is a versatile ingredient, so the company had the option to choose from a range of different application areas for their new product development such as supplements, bars, shots, yoghurt drinks and other formats.

Consumer research shows that 21% of female consumers between 18 and 35 years of age in Europe use nutritional supplements, with 52% of this group using supplements to support their digestive health.⁹

Insights like these helped illustrate the growing trend of young women using dietary supplements. Therefore, the company decided to launch Prebiotic Powder Sticks containing Biotis^® GOS, which can be easily added to a morning coffee, tea, yoghurt or simply mixed with water.

The Biotis^® difference

The Biotis^® team is more than simply an ingredient supplier, but a solution provider who works with companies all the way from concept to launch. Additionally, the Biotis^® team can support with regulatory assistance, provide scientific substantiation to support the product and advise on dosage requirements to ensure the product meets the needs of the target customer.

The Biotis^® team also tapped into their partner network to help find a manufacturer that could produce the prebiotic powder for the webshop. This manufacturer was already familiar with Biotis^® GOS and knew how to work with the ingredient, which helped simplify the manufacturing process and accelerated the time to go to market.

The Result

By broadening its portfolio, the company is more appealing and relevant as a webshop to its target consumer group as they offer more solutions in formats that help young women get the most out of their busy lives.

Due to the success of this launch, the company is now in the next phase of development. They are exploring other new product development, together with the Biotis^® team, that offers additional health benefits that matter to their customers.

^*The scientific definition of a prebiotic is “A substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit.” Gibson, GR., et al. Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017 Aug;14(8): 491–502. Whether the claim prebiotic can be used on consumer products depends on local legislation.

References

1. FMCG Gurus, Digestive Health Survey, 2020
2. Krumbeck et al., 2018
3. Johnstone et al., 2021
4. Ladirat et al., 2014
5. Walton et al., 2012
6. Schoemaker et al 2022
7. Teuri & Korpela, 1998
8. Sairanen et al., 2007
9. FMCG Gurus, Nutritional Supplement Survey 2020