Boost Buddy takes EFSA health claims to the youth
“The way you can personalise your own multivitamins is unique – nothing like it exists in the world today,” CEO Desmond Swan told us today of the Boost Buddy range that includes 12 formulations that can be mixed and matched online.
“We looked carefully at the EU register of approved claims and built the range from that. It just seems EFSA has done all this work but it means little to the consumers so we tried to communicate that.”
Swan said the range targeted generation Y, a generation predicted to be the first in modern human history to have a shorter lifespan than its parents due to a, “culture of eating processed foods”.
Research shows only 25% of 18-34 year olds consume food supplements, but Swan said it was a generation increasingly interested in nutrition and very comfortable with the idea of personalisation.
“So we are aiming at the 25% who already consume supplements but also the 75% that don’t. We are looking to broaden the market for vitamins and minerals supplements.”
“The vitamins and minerals market is very commoditised – people don’t know what they do and about doses. We are trying to educate people.”
On the Boost Buddy website each formulation is detailed and its EFSA-backed effects explained, along with dosages and Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs), typically in the range of 25-50% per pill per nutrient.
One of the formulations, called BB02 Freeze states, “Your daily dose of BB02 (Brain) contains a super combination of Iodine, Iron, Zinc, Vitamin B5, as well as DHA Omega 3, all of which contribute to either the maintenance of normal mental performance, brain or cognitive function”.
Pound a day
Customers can order a minimum of four boxes of any combination of the 12 condition-specific blends that come in smart phone-sized boxes of 7.
Each box costs £7 (€8.13) with Swain saying a ‘pound a day’ was how the company was looking at average expenditure per month, and noted the 100% recyclable packaging was long-listed for a European Carton and Packaging Award in Dubrovnik, Croatia, in September.
Since Boost Buddy was launched with a TV campaign in Britain in mid-May, interest had been shown from parties in Belgium, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates and the US.
The range is only available on the Boost Buddy website at the moment although the firm is in discussions with UK retailers and pharmacies along with airlines and airport duty free outlets.
Swan said work was being carried out with food scientists at the University of Galway to develop a range of fortified food products.
It also possessed plans to open Boost Buddy Cafés, “within five years”.
It is sponsoring UK surfing events and professional surfers like Laura Crane.
