From the economic downturn to the growing global obesity epidemic to the H1N1 flu pandemic, a handful of common forces are impacting the global dietary supplement industry today. Beyond all of this, however, the one issue most poised to shape the future of worldwide supplement sales is the rising tide of regulatory changes sweeping the globe. Whether they operate in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Russia or North America, supplement companies are awaiting potential changes that could affect everything from the ingredients that can be used in supplements to the health claims that can be made for these products.

“The past two years have provided the warm-up for what will inevitably be some very significant regulatory and policy decisions made across the world on dietary supplements over the next 12 months,” writes Simon Pettman, executive director of the International Alliance of Dietary Supplement Associations (IADSA), in a bylined article for Nutrition Business Journal’s upcoming 2009 Global Nutrition Industry Overview issue.

Publishing later this month, this issue will include IADSA’s roundup of recent and pending global regulatory actions involving dietary supplements; NBJ’s updated sales and growth estimates for the global supplement market; a deep dive into China’s, Brazil’s and Russia’s supplement sectors; results from NBJ’s survey of more than 240 global nutrition companies; discussion of how the growing worldwide focus on preventative health will affect health and wellness products; and much more.

Companies interviewed for NBJ’s 2009 Global Nutrition Industry Overview issue include: Capsugel, NBTY, Fortitech, Plethico Pharmaceuticals Limited (India/Asia/United States), Walmark (Eastern Europe), Maabarot Products (Israel), Blackmores (Australia/Asia), Vital Health Foods (South Africa), Optihealth Inc. (Canada/West Africa), Cerebos Pacific Limited (Southeast Asia), Bionorica (Western Europe), Neotropico (Latin America), Natural Health Labs (New Zealand) and Randy Dennin and Associates LLC.

Related NBJ links:

Global Supplement & Nutrition industry Report 2007

What Will it Take for China to Surpass the U.S. in Supplement Sales?

Growth Strategies for Developed and Emerging Markets

Over the last several months, the NBJ team has been deeply immersed in studying, researching, analyzing and scrutinizing the U.S. healthy children’s market for our U.S. Healthy Kids’ Market Overview issue (which is hot off the presses this week). The more I learn about childhood obesity and the food our kids are eating, the more convinced I become that the nutrition industry must step up and address this problem head on. I mean, heck, we’re living in a country where kids eat more French fries than they do vegetables.

Sure, progress is being made in improving the way our children eat, and this industry is playing an important role in educating parents and kids about nutrition and in rolling out healthier food and beverage offerings for kids. Yet, so much more could be done to create even-better-for-you products that prime children for a lifetime of healthier eating. I’m not talking about organic versions of candy or cookies, but rather tasty, nutrient-dense foods and beverages that help teach kids at an early age to appreciate and crave healthy, whole food fare.

In fact, I believe a convergence of forces—the Obama administration’s focus on children’s nutrition, the childhood obesity epidemic, parents’ growing concern over food quality and safety, and even the troubled economy—is creating a “sweet spot” in the kids’ market for the U.S. nutrition industry. Yes, children’s products in general are hot, but the real growth is likely to be in natural and organic offerings that are truly healthy and free from long ingredient lists, artificial colors and preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup and even common allergens, such as gluten and nuts. As our research and interviews with more than 25 companies revealed, parents are proving increasingly willing to pay for such products for their kids, even if it means scrimping on something for themselves in the current economy.

On May 28, NBJ will host a Web seminar that is designed to help companies evaluate, break into and succeed in the U.S. healthy kids’ market. Along with providing an overview of children’s product sales by category, we’ll delve into product trends and opportunities, finance and investment options for healthy kids’ product companies, and advice on how to target and effectively communicate with mothers from a moms marketing expert. If your company is operating in, attempting to move into or simply evaluating the children’s nutrition market, you’ll want to attend this Web seminar. To register, contact Chris Lasonde at clasonde@nutritionbusiness.com.

Also in May, NBJ will publish our in-depth report on the U.S. Healthy Kids’ Market.

Related links:

U.S. Healthy Kids’ Market Positioned to Tackle Obesity and Other Top Health Issues

Renegade Lunch Lady Takes on School Lunch Programs

Kids’ Obesity Epidemic Spurs Paradigm Shift in Schools’ Vending Machine Policies

If you are a subscriber to Nutrition Business Journal, you can now access all of the 2008 Nutrition Industry Overview online at nutritionbusinessjournal.com. No need to sort through your over flowing mailbox, search your desk and interrogate your co-workers for your copy of NBJ. Just go to nutritionbusinessjournal.com.

To see all the articles, go to the current issue page. Here you will see the entire overview issue laid out in an expanded table of contents view. From here you can link to every article if you are signed in as an NBJ subscriber.

If you do not know your NBJ subscriber username and password, call Rachel Dederich, NBJ’s Subscriber Services Coordinator, at 303.998.9263.

-Patrick

In an effort, “shrouded in secrecy,” Coca-Cola has teamed up with the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences to develop beverages using Chinese herbal cures, according to the Atlanta Journal-Contstitution.

NBJ noted an October 2007 press release in HerbalGram, the journal of the American Botanical Council.

Certainly, this could bode well for suppliers of herbal medicines in the United States and abroad.

For more on this story, go to Secret brews in China: Coke’s next big thing?

-Patrick

I would like to introduce you to the new website for Nutrition Business Journal - www.nutritionbusinessjournal.com.

Alot has changed in the world of web design since we first launched NBJ’s website in 1998, so you will notice MANY changes in the look, feel and efficiency of the new nutritionbusinessjournal.com.

NBJ’s mission has always been to deliver strategic business information, analysis and market data to those in or interested in the nutrition industry to fuel better business decisions and promote healthier lifestyles. The new nutritionbusinessjournal.com is our new way of delivering on this mission.

I welcome your feedback and suggestions, via this blog or via my email prea@nutritionbusiness.com

Enjoy!

-Patrick