Botanicals 2021

Botanicals
bounce back
Powerful plants delivering big benefits
Click here or press enter for the accessibility optimised version

Introduction
With botanical ingredients, brand owners
are invited to navigate a multicoloured
landscape of fast-moving novelty and
opportunity from around the world,
but also hidden risk—including regulatory
inconsistencies, food fraud,
and overall quality issues.
Paul Gander assesses this dynamic sector.

I
n developed economies,
there is a perception of
herbal and other
botanical ingredients as playing
a secondary, ‘alternative’ role to
mainstream medicine. The
World Health Organization
estimates that between 70%
and 80% of the global
population are dependent on
herbal preparations for the
prevention and treatment of
disease.
This figure, quoted by Polaris
Market Research, underscores
that for the majority of the
world’s population, plant-based
sources remain the first—and
often only—line of defence
against poor health.
Western markets are witnessing
a reappraisal of this sector, with
the benefits of more botanical
active ingredients being better-
active ingredients being better-
understood. US-based
consultant David Foreman,
known as the Herbal
Pharmacist, contrasts current
levels of interest in botanicals
with the state of the market 10
or 12 years ago when, he says, it
was widely considered ‘dead,’ or
at least dormant.
“Over the last four years or so,
the market has been exploding,”
he claims. “We’re seeing the
rebirth of ingredients that have
been around for thousands of
years. Indigenous peoples have
been using botanicals all that
time, and it’s only now that
modern science is able to dig
deeper into how and why these
ingredients work, and figure out
why they’ve kept using them.”
Market capture
According to a 2020 report from
Polaris , the worldwide herbal
Polaris , the worldwide herbal
medicines market was valued
at US$84.5 billion in 2019. It
estimates that compound
annual growth (CAGR) of a rosy
20.5% will take its value to $411.2
billion by 2026.
Of course, there are different
ways of analysing and
measuring the contribution of
botanical ingredients to the
dietary supplements market.
Analysts at University of
Brighton, UK, quoting Grand
View Research last year put the
projected revenues of the
global alternative and
complementary medicines
market at $196.87 billion for
2025. The market was valued at
$40.32 billion in 2015, they said.
This 2020 analysis provided an
additional perspective on this
multi-faceted sector by putting
its own estimate for the size of
the herbal medicine market at
the herbal medicine market at
$71.2 billion.
Another way of appreciating the
dynamic role played by
botanicals is to look at specific
cultural traditions in this area.
This University of Brighton
analysis from last year, for
example, put the size of the
global Ayurvedic medicine
market at $75 billion for 2019,
growing at a CAGR of 6.6%.
In its own 2020 report, Research
and Markets, on the other hand,
assessed the size of India’s
Ayurveda market to be $4.11
billion in 2018, increasing at a
CAGR of over 16% to reach a
value of $9.75 billion by 2024. As
well as dietary elements, these
valuations included personal
care products and services.
Consumer goods of all types
were estimated to account for
some 74% of market value.

Consumer demand
Ethical sourcing and promise of quality

W
hile consumers may
think in terms of
‘plant-based’ or
‘herbal’ products, how widely is
the term ‘botanical’ understood
in relation to foods and
supplements? When ingredients
supplier ADM put this question
to US consumers, it found that
71% of respondents were aware
of at least one botanical and
28% actively sought out
botanicals in their diet.
Anecdotally, it seems that much
of the revival of interest in
botanicals is being driven by
younger consumers. “Baby
boomers don’t seem to share
the same interest as younger-
generation groups, especially
millennials, in ethically-sourced
and organic foods, which is
where botanicals come in,” says
Foreman.
There is an ‘anti-pharma’
sentiment behind some of this,
too, he argues. “These younger
consumers are asking, ‘What
can I do naturally?’ This can
then also migrate upstream, of
course, to older siblings or
parents, who become more
interested themselves.”
Given how much more
receptive many millennials
appear to be to botanical
supplements, it is hardly
surprising that social media in
general—and platforms such as
general—and platforms such as
Instagram, in particular—is
where brands are increasingly
choosing to market their
products.
“These companies are much
better now at getting their
message across,” Foreman
says. He quotes examples of
ashwagandha’s properties as
an anti-stress adaptogen being
promoted via calm and
soothing imagery in at least one
brand’s social media
messaging.
A less palatable message to
communicate—at least in some
cases—might be the time
required for a particular active
ingredient to have an effect.
Some, such as kanna (from the
South African Sceletium
tortuosum succulent), often
known by the Zembrin brand
name, can take effect within
two hours. It is said to promote
calm and focus, and may have
additional benefits.
On the other hand, moving
away from specific botanicals,
glucosamine supplementation
may only register a significant
health impact after three or four
months. With vitamin K2, the
delay can be up to five years.
As with other aspects of
efficacy, it could be argued that
today’s consumers are more
aware of these variables, and

aware of these variables, and
that brands might make clear
messaging about dosage over
time into a positive, as part of
their ethical positioning.
Of course, there are other
ethical considerations likely to
loom far larger. As Foreman
explains, more consumers,
whether in North America or
Europe, are looking for products
with a sustainability story. This
may mean organic or non-GMO
ingredients or ethical
approaches to cultivation, such
as vertical farming.
Consumers are also likely to be
more aware of potential issues
of food fraud and product
adulteration. But, as Foreman
says, brands which can
demonstrate provenance as
part of a broader ethical stance
can turn this to their own
advantage. “More businesses
are willing to pay a higher price
for a better-quality product with
firmer guarantees,” he says. “I
believe the consumer is willing
to pay extra for this type of
reassurance.”
At the same time, even the most
dedicated devotee of food
supplements is unlikely to know
precisely what safeguards lie
behind that reassurance.
At Lubrizol Life Science, Isabel
Gómez, global marketing
manager for nutraceutical
ingredients, acknowledges the
ingredients, acknowledges the
risks associated with product
adulteration. “The American
Botanical Council highlights
how ingredients that are
relatively expensive, those that
have supply shortages due to
poor harvest, dwindling
resources or weather
resources or weather
disruption—as well as those
which see a steep rise in
popularity—have a higher risk of
being adulterated,” she says.
Supply chain operators now
employ a battery of measures
to combat this risk. “We ask for
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Facebook
Massive deforestation has
led to the unavailability of
critical herbs
Dr R Smarta, Interlink Consultancy
Consumers are looking for products with a sustainability
story—ranging from organic to ethical cultivation

to combat this risk. “We ask for
an internal supplier validation
questionnaire, manufacturing
flowchart, Food Safety System
Certification (FSSC) 22000,
technical data sheet (TDS),
safety data sheet (SDS),
allergen and non-
contamination certificates,
origin statement, traceability,
and so on,” she says. “We also
perform internal parameter
testing before the approval of a
new supplier, validating the
active concentration, as well as
analysing all potential solvents
and contamination
parameters.”
At the Interlink Consultancy in
India, MD Dr Raja Smarta links
any uptick in food fraud and
adulteration affecting herbal
products to the issue—as
referenced by the ABC—of
shortages. “The alarming fact is
that the government of India
that the government of India
has declared that more than
100 Ayurvedic plants are scarce
now,” he says. “Massive
deforestation has led to the
unavailability of critical herbs.”
But he is optimistic that these
problems are being addressed.
“While there remain some
burning issues around food
safety in India, the country is
safety in India, the country is
also fast adopting new
technologies such as
blockchain to address
traceability and authenticity
concerns,” he says.
It seems likely that sophisticated
analysis techniques, too, will
increasingly play their part in
allaying consumer and brand-
owner concerns about the
safety and authenticity of
herbal products. US-based
expert in Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM) and co-founder
of the PhytoScience
consultancy Dr Ray Cooper has
been running trials with nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR)
spectroscopy, in particular, on
products including turmeric.
“There’s much more interest in
the analytical technology, and
there are techniques other than
NMR available,” he says.
Younger generations are increasingly interested in how they can
support their health naturally

Plants with promise
Traditional roots and power-packed
natural ingredients

W
hen it comes to sales
dynamics, to revert
to the old Boston
Consulting model, the industry is
largely reliant on a number of
established cash cows, such as
ginseng (see sidebar ) or green
tea, but is always on the lookout
for a new star product. Foreman
cites the example of Nektium’s
Zynamite mango leaf extract.
This is said to provide the
stimulus of caffeine to brain and
body—but without the caffeine.
Launched at Vitafoods Europe
2018, the product has seen its
profile boosted by awards and
clinical trials. The link with sports
nutrition benefits is especially
strong, and underlines the role
that botanicals can play in this
area.
Turmeric can, perhaps, be
characterised as the star which
characterised as the star which
has become a cash cow. UK-
based brand owner Wunder
Workshop began its close
relationship with botanicals by
introducing turmeric-based
blends for hot drinks in 2014. “It’s
still very much our focus, and
our best-selling products
contain it,” says co-founder Tom
Smale. “I don’t think I’ve seen this
kind of explosion with any other
kind of ingredient.”
More recently, the brand-owner
has turned its attention to
adaptogens such as
ashwagandha powder in teas,
ashwagandha powder in teas,
chaga extract, liquorice,
Siberian ginseng and maca.
Now, having carried out a social
media survey, Wunder
Workshop is embarking on a
non-food venture. “People are
really interested in sleep and
stress in particular,” says Smale,
linking this to the global
pandemic, the disruption it has
caused and the stress that can
result. “We’re about to bring out
our first range of herbal
tinctures: predominantly
European herbs in combination
with flower remedies.”
Botanical extracts can also
combine their colour (literally,
sometimes) and appeal with
the health claims for nutrients
such as vitamins. ADM, which
counts acerola among the
plant extracts it offers, talks
about the fruit being an
about the fruit being an
“excellent source” of vitamin C,
for instance. “We also offer
yerba mate extract and powder,
which has naturally high levels
of caffeine, antioxidants,
vitamins and minerals,” says
June Lin, global vice president of
marketing.
I'd be most
interested in a
deep-dive
ingredient profile
on:
See results
Ginseng
Ashwaghanda
Turmeric
Ginkgo

Markets outside India have
shown increasing interest in
Ayurvedic herbal products, and
newer options in this area are
likely to materialise. Interlink
reports a threefold increase in
prices for herbal raw materials
over just eight months,
suggesting that more farmers
will be incentivised to grow
these crops.
At the same time, more Indian
Ayurvedic wellness brands have
been investing in R&D. “We can
been investing in R&D. “We can
look forward to new and
improved blends of Ayurvedic
ingredients that give better
results,” says Smarta.
In China, the extent to which
more botanicals from TCM are
taken up by western
supplement and functional food
brands could depend on a
number of variables, says
PhytoScience’s Cooper. “TCM
prescribing has always been
based on a mixture of
ingredients,” he explains. “In the
west, we don’t understand the
logic behind these complex
mixtures and what it is that
works in them.”
If market and regulatory
acceptance is one hurdle,
another has to be quality
control. “The Chinese
government realises there are
problems with poor quality,”
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Facebook
The Chinese government
is desperate for TCM to be
recognised in the west,
and is willing to spend a
lot of money to that end
Dr Ray Cooper, Hong Kong
Polytechnic University
A snapshot of Asian interest and concern
With overall botanical supplement sales figures hard to come
by, especially given the prime role played by the online channel,
how do you obtain an accurate measure of consumer interest in
one ingredient or another?
One option is to analyse all on-line media and publications. This
can indicate not only which ingredients are most of interest to
consumers, but the health conditions they are associated with.
Market intelligence company IntPact provides, for example, an
intriguing snapshot of references to botanical ingredients across
Asia, over the three months to the end of May 2021. The vast
majority of content analysed – approximately 12,000 documents
–was in Chinese.
According to the ‘digital intelligence eco-systems’ that the
company accesses, more than 50% of the concerns expressed
around botanical ingredients related to health & safety, R&D and
innovation. Issues relating to standards, regulations and
reputation, says IntPact, were of particular interest.
“This type of data and approach can be extremely useful in
monitoring real-time trends and interest of the moment, to drive
Open full table in browser:
https://informa.turtl.co/story/botanicals-2021/page/4/2

problems with poor quality,”
says Cooper. “These ingredients
are often wild-harvested and
then sold on in markets. But the
government is trying to set up
quality control right through the
chain.”
While adulteration can be an
issue, preparation—and the
possibility that toxins might
remain—is also a critical
concern. “But the Chinese
government is desperate for
TCM to be recognised in the
west, and is willing to spend a
lot of money to that end,” he
says.
Most of the products exported
from China are single plants,
such as ginseng, ginkgo or
mushrooms. “With these, you
have some reasonable
evidence for their effectiveness,”
Cooper says. “So, there is a
chemical signal which can be
chemical signal which can be
connected to a biological
signal. But if you take ginseng,
there are around 100 individual
chemicals in the extract.”
Analysing for toxins or
adulterants can be challenging.
Cooper, who also teaches
regularly at the Hong Kong
Polytechnic University, points out
that the use of placebos and
double-blinded clinical trials
has in the past been considered
has in the past been considered
unethical in China. But this may
be changing, too. “The Chinese
appreciate that if they want to
achieve recognition, they have
to adapt.”
Most of the products exported from China are single plants, such as ginseng, ginkgo or mushrooms

Efficacious products
Addressing bioavailability and dosage

T
he choice of extraction
process may influence
the quality or
bioavailability of a given
botanical product, but it may
also be important for
intellectual property
considerations.
Foreman cites the example of
saffron which, as he says, has
been used for its bioactive
properties for many centuries, in
Europe and the Middle East,
especially as a way of
promoting mental wellbeing.
“There are at least three or four
different saffron ingredients
available, which differ in how
they’re extracted or what
standard they’re measured
against,” he says.
‘Composition of matter’ patents
are common, he says, and allow
companies to demonstrate that
companies to demonstrate that
their product is consistently
different from others—typically,
in the specific levels of
bioactives.
If consumers are not always
aware of the different extraction
processes, they are increasingly
conscious of the issue of
efficacious dosage. This
variable can make a huge
difference to the end product.
“For example, there are two
leading ashwagandha
ingredients on the market,”
Foreman says. “While one uses
only the roots, the other uses
both roots and leaves, and they
apply different extraction
processes.” As a result of this
divergence, one product has an
efficacious dose of 300mg and
the other of 125mg, Foreman
reports. For any ingredient, this
type of information is clearly
type of information is clearly
essential, and should be verified
by clinical trials, he adds.
Bioavailability is another area
where brands and suppliers of
active ingredients will try to
differentiate themselves. While
most botanical ingredients are
not soluble, by micronising a
product such as sage, the herb
can be made dispersible
through a liquid. With a range of
botanicals, micronising can also
be a first step in combining the
ingredient with a lipid or protein
to improve bioavailability and
absorption.
Microencapsulation has been
used in this way to improve the
benefits of products such as
turmeric and lycopene—in the
case of lycopene, in one
instance, by combining it with
whey protein.
At Lubrizol, Gómez underscores
the ways in which
microencapsulation can
support different botanical
ingredients. “Botanicals may not
be very stable, as in the case of
carotenoids such as
astaxanthin or lutein, or spirulina
green algae extract,” she says.
“They may have poor solubility
and bioavailability, as in the
case of curcumin, or they may
simply have a bitter taste like
caffeine or green tea extract.”
This is all in addition to the
encapsulation’s ability to
protect against harsh process
conditions and act as a ’delivery
system’ to enhance
bioavailability, she says.

Watch: Botanical innovation and quality considerations featuring experts featuring Ji Hongli of Herbal Extracts Association, Amit Srivastava
of Nutrify India, and Heather Granato of Informa Markets (originally broadcast live as part of Vitafoods Asia Digital Week 2021)

Legal frameworks
Assessing regulatory boundaries for
botanical ingredients

The way botanicals are
regulated in relation to health in
different parts of the world
reflects as many cultural
assumptions as it does legal
preconceptions.
At Interlink in India, Dr Smarta
underlines the way in which
health and nutrition sit
alongside each other in
Japanese and Chinese
regulatory structures. “Some
permitted health-related claims
can be made,” he reports. “In
Japan, health and nutrition
claims are handled separately,
and processed via different
regulatory routes, while in China,
operators are restricted to a
operators are restricted to a
pre-defined list of 27 health
claims.”
India, with a government
ministry dedicated to Ayurveda,
Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani,
Siddha and Homeopathy
(AYUSH), might be expected to
regulate the botanicals sector
in some detail. “In fact, while the
regulatory framework for
pharmaceuticals is well-
established and organised, the
system for traditional medicines
and other plant-based
products is still evolving and not
so organised,” Smarta explains.
In the EU, the European
Commission famously kicked
the status of over 2,000
botanical claims into the long
grass of an ‘on-hold’ position,
close to a decade ago. In some
respects, at least, this has
favoured botanicals over many
favoured botanicals over many
other ingredients, as
international legal practice
Keller & Heckman makes clear.
“Claims may be used, as long
as the food business operator is
able to justify them by means of
generally-accepted scientific
evidence,” says partner Katia
Merten-Lentz.
Since there is no harmonised
position on these active
ingredients, each Member State
(MS) has the right to regulate
use of the plants, principally as
it relates to food supplements.
“But mutual recognition remains
a tool for business operators to
market their products all around
the EU,” she says.
Despite this, there can be
obstacles to such a Europe-
wide approach, says Food
Supplements Europe (FSE). “The
main problem is that in a
main problem is that in a
number of MS, various
botanicals have only been
assigned to pharmaceutical
use,” states director of
regulatory and scientific affairs
Patrick Coppens. St John’s wort
and valerian are two high-
profile examples, he says, but
there are many others.
“German authorities, for
instance, would expect these
products to be registered as
medicines,” he says, adding
that, in the UK, there might be
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Facebook
Claims may be used, as
long as the food business
operator is able to justify
them by means of
generally-accepted
scientific evidence
Katia Merten-Lentz, Keller & Heckman

that, in the UK, there might be
similar expectations.
Last May, the European
Commission published its
assessment of requirements for
botanical health claims, but it
offered little in the way of new
proposals. Any regulatory
structure would need to take
into account the traditional use
of plant products.
“Traditional use could be built
into a review of the Nutrition and
Health Claims Regulation
(NHCR),” says Coppens
hopefully, not disguising his lack
of appreciation for the NHCR in
its current form. “The
Commission would also want to
address safety concerns.”
Realistically, he concedes that
other, more urgent priorities
such as the European Green
Deal are likely to take
Deal are likely to take
precedence in any legislative
programme.
For botanicals, as for other
supplements, the situation in
Europe contrasts with the US. As
Foreman explains, the US
botanicals sector remains
botanicals sector remains
governed by the 1994 Dietary
Supplements Health &
Education Act (DSHEA). “I believe
the federal authorities are trying
to make changes, but the
process is taking forever,” he
says, pointing out that, here, too,
other more urgent legislation is
other more urgent legislation is
likely to take precedence.
A process of maturation has
taken place in the regulation of
botanicals in the US, he believes,
both on the part of those
enforcing the regulation and
those ruled by it. “The policies
may not have changed,” he
says. “But I think the authorities
are better at enforcing them.”
With regard to Canada,
Foreman believes that the rules
governing the sector are
effective. “It’s pretty strict,” he
says. “But if you can provide
proof of certain benefits, the
authorities will grant you
permission to use statements to
that effect.”
In its new post-Brexit world, the
UK could be at a regulatory
crossroads. “We’re very careful
not to make any health claims,”
Various botanicals have only been assigned to pharmaceutical use
in a number of EU Member States

not to make any health claims,”
says Smale at Wunder
Workshop. “Some of our larger
retail customers such as Boots
and Planet Organic, we know,
are very aware of the EU
regulations.”
He speculates that, in the future,
domestic standards may be
relaxed in order to open up UK
markets to foreign competition.
“I don’t know what that might
look like,” Smale says. “In
independent retailers, for
instance, you can find US
brands with health claims all
over the bottle, with a footnote
that the Food & Drug
Administration (FDA) has not
approved the comments. The
UK could take this direction.”
Meanwhile, coronavirus has
dredged up another, more
insidious overlap between
insidious overlap between
botanicals and disreputable
marketing. “We’ve seen online
sellers advertising claims
relating to the prevention and
treatment of COVID, which, of
course, is completely illegal,”
says FSE’s Coppens.
Policing claims of this sort would
normally be the responsibility of
the individual MS. But in this
case, as often happens, he says,
the Commission has taking a
lead in co-ordinating
enforcement action.
This is all about protecting
consumers, of course, but it is
also about safeguarding the
reputation of those botanical
ingredients which do in fact
offer real—and increasingly
scientifically verified—benefits.

Industry Experts -
Q&A
Paid content

1
We’ve heard a great deal about
challenges with adulteration in
the botanicals market; how do
you ensure the integrity of your supply
chain and the quality of the ingredients
you offer?
We are working only with reliable suppliers that
provide us with all questionnaires and certificates
we request. As an example, we ask for an internal
questionnaire validation supplier, manufacturing
flowchart, FSSC22000, TDS, SDS, allergen and non-
flowchart, FSSC22000, TDS, SDS, allergen and non-
contamination certificates, origin statement,
traceability, etc. We also perform internal
parameters testing before the approval of the new
supplier, validating the active concentration as
well as analyzing all potential solvents and
contamination parameters.
2
What makes the botanical
ingredients you offer unique in
an increasingly competitive
commodity marketplace?
In the botanicals space, our uniqueness comes
from an extended value proposition composed by:
recognizable botanical ingredients with a
sustainable, transparent and traceable sourcing;
science-backed ingredients showing better
efficacy and microencapsulated ingredients to
enhance the bioavailability, water dispersibility
and minimization of any off-taste.
Furthermore, by offering dry extracts in a powder
form we facilitate formulation, simplify supply
chain, minimize transport costs, reduce/remove
needs for preservatives.
3
The COVID-19 crisis has
accelerated consumers’ interest
in long-term natural health
solutions; how do your offerings support
consumers in their quest to take control of
their health?
The wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has
increased the demand for products focused on
preventative health.
Furthermore, consumers are gravitating toward
natural solutions and are increasingly demanding
botanical ingredients including information about
processing techniques, sourcing, sustainability,
and clinical evidence on health benefits.
In this respect, botanical ingredients may have an
exceptional positioning as they are proved to be
a natural solution to support a healthy aging as a
preventative approach.
In this respect and to build trust in our long-term
natural solutions, we at Lubrizol are committed to
bringing food ingredients with innovative
technological solutions and scientific backing to
Contact: Isabel Gomez
Job title: Global Marketing Manager
Company: Lubrizol Life Science
Contact: nutraceuticals@lubrizol.com
Visit us: www.lipofoods.com

technological solutions and scientific backing to
enable our customers develop differentiated
nutraceutical solutions.
Currently our branded botanical ingredients
feature: microencapsulated curcumin,
astaxanthin, natural caffeine and phytosterols. We
applied our microencapsulated expertise to
provide technical benefits to them: increase the
bioavailability of curcumin, the stability of
astaxanthin, mask the bitter taste while providing
a long-lasting release of caffeine and increase the
water dispersibility of phytosterols.
4
What type of botanical
ingredients are currently
trending in the market, and what
two or three offerings do you expect to see
pick up momentum in the next two to
three years?
In line with the megatrend of health & wellness, we
see a holistic approach to health-refining ancient
science by modern scientific methods. This
includes a focus on traditional Indian ayurvedic
ingredients with powerful anti-inflammatory and
antioxidant properties such as curcumin, so we
antioxidant properties such as curcumin, so we
expect to see a grow in this ingredient in the future.
Other botanical ingredients that stand out, are
algae-based products like Haematococcus
pluvialis extract (astaxanthin) and spirulina green
blue extract for cognitive health and mental
wellness.
Additionally, we believe adaptogen ingredients
have potential to grow as consumers are looking
for natural solutions that help them reduce stress,
help them focus and improve the quality of sleep.
In summary, we think that those botanical
ingredients that provide clean and sustainable
claims with clinical substantiation on their health
benefits will be the fastest growing in the market
and are set to rise further given consumer interest.

1
We’ve heard a great deal about
challenges with adulteration in
the botanicals market; how do
you ensure the integrity of your supply
chain and the quality of the ingredients
you offer?
Adulterations have mainly two origins; on one
hand we have the unintended or accidental
adulteration, induced by erroneous botanical
identification, and on the other hand the
adulterations that are caused with an economical
adulterations that are caused with an economical
motivation, but SORIA NATURAL will never undercut
the competition offering surprisingly cheap
products and will never pretend at all to compete
only on price.
In SORIA NATURAL we are very conscious about the
increasing consumer demand for more
transparency. Our production chain reflects our
more than 40 years’ experience, where we have
been growing the main part of the botanical
species we work with. We developed our own
agricultural and collecting practices with full
transparency from SEED-to-FORMULA.
All raw materials, sourced and home-grown ones,
are not only quantified on active ingredients, but
are also checked with HPLC and DNA testing in our
in-house laboratory.
We will keep on striving to encourage consumer
trust for natural products and fight any type of
adulterations that will make consumers lose
confidence in the botanical market, which would
be detrimental to our business and to nature.
2
What makes the botanical
ingredients you offer unique in
an increasingly competitive
commodity marketplace?
Consumers persist to drive boundaries for natural
products and seek non-artificial and natural
ingredients that are constantly driving the market
towards more ‘clean’ labels, also for botanical
products.
SORIA NATURAL stands out in the market for the full
control we have over the complete process from
SEED-to-FORMULA.
It all starts with our exceptional ingredients. We are
located in a unique environment, more than 1000
meters above sea level and with very particular
weather conditions. Our climate is sunny and dry,
with cold and long winters, which make our plant
grow “strong”, assuring like that a very high load of
active ingredients.
In less than 8 hours we convert our fresh plants into
high-quality extracts. In those 8 hours we are able
to concentrate up to 95% of the active ingredients
Contact: Rafael Esteban Ollo
Job title: CEO
Company: Soria Natural
Contact:
customerservice@sorianatural.es
Visit us: www.sorianatural.com

to concentrate up to 95% of the active ingredients
of the plant where with the traditional and
common processes, it would take us 48- 72h to
obtain only 65 to 70% of the actives. None of that
would make sense for us without an exhaustive
quality control in our laboratory on raw materials,
intermediate and finished products.
3
The COVID-19 crisis has
accelerated consumer’s interest
in long -term natural health
solutions: how do your offering support
consumers in their quest to take control of
their health?
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer
behavior in many ways, and the desire of SORIA
NATURAL is to use this opportunity to influence on
health and wellness by educating consumers
about botanical ingredients. It is still the same as
when we started our business 40 years ago, we
want to create new opportunities for natural-
dense products with functional health benefits.
We launch campaigns through social networks to
encourage consumers to know more about
botanicals, with tips and recommendations about
botanicals, with tips and recommendations about
how botanicals can be an all-natural addition to
their wellness routine.
4
What type of botanical
ingredients are currently
trending in the market, and what
two or three offerings do you expect to see
pick up momentum in the next two to
three years?
Worldwide we see the enormous increasing
demand for ingredients like ginseng, echinacea,
Ginkgo Biloba and garlic which shows overall
health and improvement of physical and
intellectual performance as the main drivers. We
see a growing interest in for example milk thistle
and other detoxifying botanicals, but SORIA
NATURAL has a strong commitment for the future
with the investment on investigation and product
development with pepperwort, an undervalued
plant with a huge potential.
We also strongly believe in further investigation on
finding synergies between different botanicals. The
combined effect of different plants will keep on
offering new opportunities.

Biographies
Our expert contributors

Dr Ray Cooper followed his PhD
in organic chemistry with 15
years in pharmaceutical
industry R&D, later moving to
the dietary supplements sector.
He has developed new Chinese
botanicals as supplements, as
well as other NPD and clinical
study design. He is the co-
founder of the US-based
PhytoScience consultancy and
Professor at the Hong Kong
Polytechnic University in Hong
Kong.
Patrick Coppens is director of
regulatory and scientific affairs
at Food Supplements Europe,
which was created in 2013 to
represent the interests of the
sector. His work on food law is
particularly focused on
botanicals, on technical and
safety issues and on
relationships with the European
Food Safety Authority (EFSA). He
Food Safety Authority (EFSA). He
also leads the organisation’s
scientific work in the field of
public health.
David Foreman is a registered
pharmacist, author and media
personality known to consumers
internationally as 'The Herbal
Pharmacist.' A background in
pharmacy and natural
medicine puts Foreman in an
elite class of health experts who
can teach integrative medicine
practices. He helps consumers
achieve health and vitality
through his four pillars of health:
diet, exercise, spirituality and
supplements.
Isabel Gomez is global
marketing manager for the
Nutraceutical division of Lubrizol
Life Science Health, and is
based in Spain. With a first
degree in Chemical Engineering
from the Universidad de las
from the Universidad de las
Americas Puebla, Mexico, and
two Masters’ degrees, she has
over 10 years’ experience in
marketing across different
industries, including food and
pharmaceuticals.
June Lin is global vice president
of marketing, Health & Wellness,
at ingredients supplier ADM. She
has over 20 years of experience
in brand marketing, strategy
and new product innovation.
Since she joined ADM in 2020,
her focus has been on
developing the company’s
Health & Wellness business,
including research and
innovation in areas such as
biotics, botanicals and
functional ingredients.
Katia Merten-Lentz heads up
the EU Food & Feed Team at the
Brussels office of international
legal firm Keller & Heckman. She
legal firm Keller & Heckman. She
and her team have extensive
experience of European
authorisation procedures
regarding novel foods and
additives. She regularly works
with the European Commission,
EFSA and Member State
institutions on these and other
matters.
Dr Raphaël Mestanza was the
CIO of SpecialChem, before co-
founding IntPact in 2018. Dr
Mestanza has strong experience
in designing new business
development and innovation
processes leveraging digital
technologies to gain on growth
speed and efficiency. He also
has past experiences in R&D
and sales management at
companies like Solvay, Sabic
(formerly GE Plastics) and more.
He holds a doctorate and an
engineering degree in Polymer
Sciences from the University of

Sciences from the University of
Strasbourg (France).
Tom Smale is cofounder of
Wunder Workshop, the UK
wellbeing brand focused on
plant-based ‘consumption with
purpose’. While studying
pharmacology, Tom was drawn
to the power of plants in
preventing disease, using spices
such as turmeric. Applying the
experience gained in the
pharmacological world and a
deepening understanding of
traditional plant-based
remedies, he helps to research
ingredients that are functional
and effective.
Dr RB Smarta is the founder,
managing director and
principal consultant at Interlink
Marketing Consulting, with its
headquarters in Mumbai, India.
Beyond business consultancy,
he has also worked as a
he has also worked as a
corporate trainer and mentor
for companies in the
pharmaceutical, nutraceutical,
and other industries for over
three decades. He received his
PhD in Management Sciences
from the University of East
Georgia in 1982.

Thank you for reading the
Botanicals
Report 2021
Got feedback? Mail vitafoodsinsights@informa.com
Cookies [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Terms [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Privacy [ 1 ] [ 2 ] P O W E R E D B Y

Botanicals 2021

Recommandé

Recommandé

Contenu connexe

Tendances

Tendances (20)

Similaire à Botanicals 2021

Similaire à Botanicals 2021 (20)

Dernier

Dernier (20)

Botanicals 2021