Lipid Nutrition gains US CLA food debut
Each pot of the Old Home Foods Safflower Power Yogurt contains half of the recommended daily 3g CLA dose and becomes the first food containing Lipid Nutrition’s Clarinol CLA ingredient to hit the market since CLA gained GRAS approval in six food categories in July, 2008.
Lipid Nutrition North America marketing manager, Patrick Luchsinger, said it was like “giving birth to a baby”, to see a Clarinol-containing weight management product on-shelf in the US after working for so long on the GRAS dossier and subsequent deals.
The product will sell at 83 cents a pot – a premium of a few cents over regular yogurts – and is being backed by a billboard and print advertising campaign as well as a dedicated website.
Meal replacement
Rival CLA supplier Cognis launched the first CLA food in the US with a multi-level marketing meal replacement product last month featuring its Tonalin ingredient.
Both companies said mainstream, national launches were close to being finalized and would reach market in 2010, a result of GRAS, Food and Drug Administration non-objection letter issued in 2008.
That approval authorized the use of CLA in fluid milk, yogurt, meal replacement beverages, nutritional bars, soy beverages and fruit juices, and came after both companies worked together on the approval.
CLA is linked to the reduction of body fat and increasing lean muscle and recently benefitted from the production of a monograph by Health Canada.
Mintel statistics show there were three CLA launches in North America in 2009 – all of them in the dietary supplements space where GRAS is not required.
CLA bars and meal replacement drinks have appeared on the US market but under dietary supplements rules.
Mintel notes that of 76 CLA product launches since 2005 globally, 49 have been in supplements (18 in Europe).
There have been two CLA yogurt launches in Europe although one has since been withdrawn from the German market due to a novel foods irregularity.
Safflower Power
Safflower Power Yogurt targets males and females and promises “improved body shape and tone in as little as 8-12 weeks”, in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Luchsinger said because his company had already completed a lot of formulation work for all the GRAS-approved categories, the introduction of the ingredient into the yogurt presented few issues.
“We are excited to be the first company to offer yogurt with CLA in the United States and the support Lipid Nutrition provided in terms of marketing information and application knowledge was much appreciated in preparation for our product launch,” said Geoff Murphy, chief executive officer of Old Home Foods.
“We are especially proud to be able to bring it first to consumers in our home state of Minnesota.”
