Suplemint rolls out bio-based vitamin packaging in collaboration with Sulapac
08 Jun 2022 --- Probiotic and functional mushroom supplement company Suplemint is going bio-based in its packaging strategy, joining a widening scope of vitamin companies introducing greener versions of mass-produced packaging.
Speaking to NutritionInsight and PackagingInsights, the brand’s representatives talk extensively about challenges and considerations on the path to market, including legal regulations that encompass both the product and its packaging.
“Our goal is to make it easy for people to add supplementation to their lives and the packaging aspect is a part of this,” remarks Adrien Chassaing, co-founder & CEO at Suplemint.
“Sulapac materials are safe for people and the planet. The main ingredients are wood chips from industrial side streams and plant-based binders. All our raw materials are sustainably sourced, and food contact approved. We have recipes for different purposes and aesthetic criteria, such as smooth, matte and more tactile materials in various colors,” says Suvi Haimi, co-founder & CEO at Sulapac.
Sulapac aims to not compromise aesthetics nor functionality in its biodegradable packaging. “Non-compromiseable” aesthetics and usability
Suplemint looked toward the importance of the “connection between nature and well-being” when choosing packaging options for their supplements, noting that leaving a positive impact on the planet was a “critical point” driving its decision making.
Aiming for sustainable European packaging solutions, the company aligned with Sulpac’s values of making aesthetics and usability “non-compromisable” for the consumers.
The natural ingredients used in Suplement’s new packaging are bio-based, leaving no marks of microplastic behind when biodegrading, using wood chips from industrial side streams and plant-based binders as the main ingredients.
“Sulapac is mass-producible with existing plastic machinery, and it meets demanding technical requirements. For example, we have developed a barrier innovation suitable for water-based products that biodegrades, without leaving permanent microplastics behind,” says Suvi Haimi, co-founder & CEO at Sulapac.
“Sulapac barrier has similar water vapor barrier properties and better oxygen barrier properties than polypropylene.”
The packaging, Suplemint’s “S-Box” is an organizer containing seven compartments designed to be refilled weekly.
“People are becoming more and more sensitive to aspects such as packaging and eco-responsibility of a company. Sulapac supported us not only in the development of the S-Box but also by providing the necessary materials and knowledge we needed,” says De Jaegher.
Previously, Sulpac has collaborated with several brands, especially in the cosmetic industry, where the need for sustainable packaging has been crucial.
Targeting individual needs
The trend of tailored nutrition has been shifting focus away from the one-size-fits-all approach to health and wellness. According to Innova Market Insights, Millennials are the age category most likely to adopt personalized strategies.
Suplemint found a market gap where supplements need to be tailored to fit people’s unique needs. Even though developed countries have raised living standards and health tracking has become more accessible by using apps and other electronics, “our organisms are still nutrient deficient” the company notes.
Suplemint specializes in tailoring its range of vitamins to specific negative health outcomes, such as stress, lack of sleep and pollution.
One product called Immuno Pill, for instance, is based on reishi mushrooms that offers antioxidant properties and protects the liver, kidneys and lungs. Another item, called Bio activ pill, is formulated with six probiotic strains, each of which activates the intestinal immunity which is responsible for 60-80% of the body’s immune defense.
The leading causes of this negative health outcome are stress, lack of sleep, pollution and low-quality food. Together, these causes have “created special nutrient needs that aren’t currently met by the supplement industry.”
Suplemint is tailoring its supplements to more precisely address these various problems, providing more options of choice and helping find a cure for specific needs.
Supplements need to be tailored to individuals unique needs and prioritize high nutritional values.
“Our cures are aimed at a certain problem and are developed, thanks to R&D, to be safe for the general public to take. Since they are aimed at specific thematics, they are also simple to choose and use,” says Chassaing.
The company notes that the supplements offered in the market are often dosage too low or incorrect and lack personalization and transparency. “The supplement industry should also reassess the one-size-fits-all approach,” says Maïté De Jaegher, COO and co-founder at Suplemint.
Previously reported is the issue of lacking trust in the nutrition industry as more consumers turn to supplements.
Industry lagging behind
Chassaing notes that there are several challenges when it comes to tailored supplements, particularly in the case of Suplemint’s themed or problem-specific cures. “Firstly, themed cures or problem-specific cures such as sleep, immunity and energy demand an enormous investment in R&D before being able to launch any products.”
“There are no shortcuts. It takes a lot of time and research to attain an optimal efficiency for the general public/highest number of people.”
“We aim to find the best combination of active ingredients and supplements, the ideal dosage, the highest quality ingredients, and create a safe product for everyone in appropriate packaging,” he adds.
According to Chassaing, another consideration is the legal aspect of product and packaging development. “All products, ingredients and packaging require legal filling. Every country differentiates as all the products sold need to apply to different laws and demands,” he explains.
“So, it is a long and costly process that can only start after the already long R&D process.”
By Beatrice Wihlander
