Lonza launches aromatic capsule coatings at Vitafoods Europe
Introduced at the Vitafoods trade show in Geneva earlier this month, the new capsule coating solution uses natural essential oils to enable brands to create multi-sensory ‘moments’ for consumers.
"AromatiQ unlocks a multi-sensory experience for the consumer," Zain Saiyed, head of global product development and innovation, told NutraIngredients at the trade show. "Consumers are looking for an experience when they take their supplements, and AromatiQ technology allows the consumer to relate to a brand and the science behind it."
Sensorial experience
According to a survey conducted by Lonza, 70% of consumers would pay more for a more enjoyable, memorable supplement experience.
Previous studies have shown that the more senses an experience engages, the more likely it is to be remembered, and as Saiyed explained, this can impact compliance.
"The idea is that this technology will help consumers foster a wellness routine that they look forward to, especially in categories like beauty where healthcare rituals are gaining popularity," he noted.
The technology is also designed to mask strong-smelling ingredients like ashwagandha or valerian root.
"By engaging olfactory senses with pleasant aromas rather than unpleasant ones, consumers are more likely to respond positively with a given supplement and continue to take it," Saiyed said.
The portfolio of natural essential oils which includes peppermint, lemon, lavender, eucalyptus and orange, can be used to match the intended health benefits of premium supplement formulations. According to Lonza’s internal research, 81% of people associate the smell of citrus with mood health, and 43% of people associate peppermint with digestive health and cognitive performance. Therefore the firm suggests the smell associations should allow brands to communicate the effect of the product well before results have been seen.
Reinforcing the importance of aromatics, Dr. Vivien Rolfe, founder of Curiosity Research and academic co-director at the National Centre for Integrative Medicine, UK, gave a presentation at Vitafoods on botanicals for cognitive health, describing the results of her literature review of 1,000 papers on this topic.
She noted that it was important to remember that aromatics are an essential element of botanicals’ mode of action and ‘nasal training’ may be a potential route toward healthy aging
"There’s some really exciting sensory research coming out showing nasal training is important for cognition so watch that science space," she said. "Sense of smell is really important as we age and there are interesting studies in dementia. I would love to see more supplements exploring herbal aromas so when you take the lid off you get that sensory benefit."
Holistic wellbeing
The launch aims to appeal to consumers looking for a more holistic approach to wellness, Saiyed noted, meaning solutions must consider physical, emotional and social well-being.
According to Peter Wennstrom, founder of the marketing and branding firm Healthy Marketing Team, consumers are increasingly interested in a more holistic way of dealing with well-being.
There is therefore opportunity for brands to offer products that help consumers feel balanced and focused, using uplifting language that appeals to a positive routine and mindset, he recently told NutraIngredients.
