China Focus: 'Postbiotics', anti-hangover drinks, baby food and our Healthy Ageing APAC Summit

WATCH: 'Postbiotics' for oral care, weight management, and immune health in China

Taiwanese firm Chambio is eyeing the oral care, weight management, and immune health markets in China with heat-killed postbiotics​, the metabolic by-product of probiotics.

The particular postbiotics strain Chambio uses is HK L-137 from Lactobacillus plantarum​, a proprietary strain developed by Japanese firm House Wellness Foods​. Based on a series of clinical trials​, HK -137 is said to be able to improve oral health and boost immunity. 

For instance, in subjects facing periodontal diseases, it was able to increase the depth of periodontal pockets that were greater than 4mm at baseline.

Marcus Blackmore exclusive: Blackmores boss says firm got 'a bit too fat, too slow and too bureaucratic'

Blackmores boss Marcus Blackmore — who has been named interim CEO in the wake of Richard Henfrey's departure — has emphasised the need to 'streamline'​ the Australian supplement giant's business and boost its China presence, claiming the firm had become too bureaucratic following a period of sustained success.

Speaking to NutraIngredients-Asia​ shortly after he was announced as the firm's interim CEO​, Blackmore said he was adamant that Blackmores needed to be "more aggressive" ​in addressing certain urgent issues.

These issues, he said, had played a part in the company's 23% drop in share price​, amid the release of its latest half-year results.

Singapore start-up seeks further China success with anti-hangover powder sachet

Singapore health supplement start-up Innoso is pursuing further success in China​ as it ramps up the production of its anti-hangover powder sachet, which sold out after just six weeks.

The first 6,000 boxes of Innerpur Hangover Detox was introduced to the market in mid-December and was sold out before Chinese New Year. Available in both China and Singapore, the former contributed to about 60% of the sales, CEO Rebecca Wang told NutraIngredients-Asia​.

Wang revealed that the second batch of products, totalling 20,000 boxes, would be on sale in China, Singapore and Vietnam soon.

Healthy Ageing APAC Summit: Danone, The George Institute for Global Health, ai.agency and the Responsible Nutrition Association of India join line-up

Danone, The George Institute for Global Health, ai.agency and the Responsible Nutrition Association of India have joined to the line-up​ for the second Healthy Ageing APAC Summit, which already features speakers from PepsiCo, Kirin, Nestlé and BioCeuticals / Blackmores, among others.

The summit will take place at the Hilton Singapore between July 9 and 11, and will assess nutrition and food solutions to Asia-Pacific's population challenges.

Other confirmed speakers include execs from CBD pioneers Elixinol, clean meat start-up Shiok Meats, personalised nutrition innovators TCI Gene, and the New Zealand government-funded High Value Nutrition Challenge.

Aggressive expansion: Bubs Australia to enter 30,000 stores in China through JV with Beingmate

Bubs Australia is entering more brick-and-mortar stores in China, such as mother and infant retail outlets, through a joint venture with Beingmate​.

Under the proposed plans, Bubs will supply its infant formula and organic baby food products to Beingmate's distribution network, covering 30,000 stores. The proposal, due to be completed next month, will see a JV company set up in Shanghai.

At present, Bubs is selling its organic baby food products in around 500 stores in China, while its infant formula is sold in China via cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) and other online-to-offline platforms.