Sigma Healthcare completes merger with Chemist Warehouse
Sigma Healthcare and Chemist Warehouse have completed the merger process and the merged group has started trading on the Australian Securities Exchange on February 13.
The merger has been the talk of the town as it will lead to the creation of a “full-service” company running wholesaler, distributor, and retail pharmacy franchiser businesses.
Sigma Healthcare previously said that Chemist Warehouse could bring “strong pharmacy franchise and marketing expertise” to help elevate its retail strategy.
Nestlé seeks start-ups with innovative nutrition solutions for women’s health
Nestlé R+D Accelerator held an Innovation Challenge targeting women’s health for the first time recently, where it invited start-ups to propose nutrition-based solutions that address current unmet needs.
These solutions could be targeting fertility, menstruation, and hormonal changes experienced during perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause, a Nestlé spokesperson told NutraIngredients-Asia.
The focus will also be on conditions associated with these life stages, such as iron deficiency, joint pain and cardiovascular diseases, as well as overall well-being benefits like mood and sleep.
China to revise food import regulations: Easier access or shifting compliance burdens?
The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) is revising food import regulations, a move that could ease market access.
The revisions will be made to “Regulations on Registration and Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food”, also known as GAC Decree 248.
Under the revision, overseas food manufacturers exporting to China may no longer need to register their production facility directly with the GACC - provided that their local competent authorities are already recognised by the GACC.
Blackmores major profit contributor to Kirin health science business in FY24
Blackmores was the major profit contributor to Kirin’s health science business in FY24, followed by FANCL, while its ingredient arm Kyowa Hakko Bio suffered further losses.
Best known for its alcoholic beverage business, Kirin has been stepping up on its non-alcoholic beverage and health science businesses in a bid to diversify its earnings. It also runs a pharmaceutical arm.
Acquired by Kirin in 2023, Blackmores reported a normalised operating profit (NOP) of JPY6bn (US$39.39m) last year, while revenue was up 116.1 per cent from JPY32bn (US$210.09m) to JPY69.1bn (US$453.66m).
Nestle says HMO innovation brings China’s infant formula sales back on track
Nestle said that “science-based innovation with human milk oligosaccharides” has brought its underperforming infant formula business in China back on track in FY24.
Nestle was referring to innovations such as Sinergity - a proprietary blend of probiotics and six human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) used in its new range of infant formulas launched under its brand Nestle NAN in Hong Kong for instance.
In fact, infant nutrition was highlighted as the “largest contributor” to organic growth in Greater China Zone, registering high single-digit growth in FY24.
Vitamin B12 sold via OTC, prescription in Taiwan to add new precautions
Vitamin B12 sold as either non-prescription over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription products in Taiwan will need to add in caution of use statements.
The main intention is to alert individuals who are allergic to cobalt, which is a component of vitamin B12.
Taiwan Food and Drug Administration announced the need for adding precaution of use in January, after evaluating the risk associated with vitamin B12’s use.
Watsons Singapore to roll out GNC store-within-store in 14 more outlets
Watsons Singapore, which recently launched its first-ever GNC store-within-store concept in its flagship outlet at Ngee Ann City, will be bringing this concept into 14 more of its outlets by the end of this year.
Watsons Singapore partnered with GNC in launching the concept at Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Ngee Ann City on January 7.
This is a step up from the duo’s partnership which began in October 2024, where GNC announced its return to the Singapore market through an exclusive partnership with Watsons Singapore.
Prebiotic infant formula aids gut, immunity - Danone-funded meta-analysis
Infant formulas with prebiotics have shown to support gut and immunity in healthy infants, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis funded by Danone Specialized Nutrition, Indonesia.
The prebiotics studied in this review is a mixture of 90 per cent short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides (scGOS) and 10 per cent long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (lcF0S).
The nine to one ratio of scGOS and lcF0S is of importance as it is designed to make the infant formula more closely resemble human milk.
India’s protein boom: 90% funds poured in last two years, says Rainmatter
India’s protein sector, be it protein supplements or protein-rich functional foods, has been booming, said venture capital fund Rainmatter.
The outfit has revealed that about 90 per cent of its investments in protein firms took place only in the last two years.
Dilip Kumar, Investor in Health at Rainmatter, told NutraIngredients-Asia the above in the first episode of year 2025’s “Behind the Big Story” video series.
Kirin’s subsidiary and California firm to develop probiotics for suppressing NEC
Cowellnex Inc, a group company of Kirin Holdings, is working with a California-based biotech firm in developing probiotics for suppressing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).
Cowellnex Inc. and California-based Siolta Therapeutics Inc. have signed an agreement to conduct preclinical joint research for developing the probiotics.
Tokyo-based Cowellnex is a group company of Kirin Holdings and was formed last September via a joint venture between Kirin and Kyowa-Kirin.
