ESI Nutrition to exhibit at Gulfood

As the market for infant nutrition products is growing in Middle East and Africa (MENA), and considering the duality of the nutrition situation of young children across this region where, according to UNICEF, countries are “facing a double burden of malnutrition (i.e. stunting, wasting and micronutrient deficiencies) and over-nutrition (i.e., overweight and obesity) and the associated chronic, non-communicable diseases (NCDs)”[1], the need for reliable partners is real. Expert and knowledgeable suppliers can guide companies who wish to launch their own infant nutrition offerings through the complexities of this highly regulated industry and help them launch regulatory-compliant products that are nutritionally adapted to both end of the spectrum.

With the creation of ESI Nutrition - Laïta’s new nutrition division - in 2018, the company’s intention is to alleviate the complexity of developing specialty nutrition products and to help brands promote safe, easy-to-use, tasty and healthy nutrition products worldwide. Through one-on-one support and a large spectrum of solutions designed to meet the functional, nutritional and regulatory constraints of their customers, ESI Nutrition is committed to supporting them launch top-tier products with a reduced time-to-market. “Especially when it comes to products for infants and toddlers, partnering with the right suppliers who, like ESI Nutrition, have both a deep understanding of the evolving regulatory landscape as well as technological and processing expertise is paramount for companies who wish to meet the strict demands of this industry,” explains Mathieu Lucot, marketing manager at ESI Nutrition. With a dedicated team, over 30 years of experience in developing infant and adult nutrition products as well as specialized resources in place, ESI Nutrition is definitely a strong candidate for companies operating in the nutrition sector who are looking for steady support with their new developments.

According to a recent report, the popularity of innovative baby foods such as baby food pouches and liquid/spoonable offerings, which is one of ESI Nutrition areas of expertise thanks to a production site dedicated to UHT processing and aseptic filling, has been growing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)[2]. As for the new state-of-the-art drying tower with canning capabilities, this UHT facility follows a GMP Pharma approach, which allows ESI Nutrition to offer extra-safe products in a variety of shelf-stable formats and sizes. This long shelf-life component is also increasingly important as more and more consumers are seeking tasty on-the-go options to enhance their daily nutrition and that of their whole family.

Beyond infant nutrition, ESI Nutrition offers a full portfolio of products to companies doing business in all areas of the nutrition sector, from diet and sports nutrition to specialized medical nutrition products. Thanks to the new facility in Brittany (France), the company also has the capability to create bespoke powdered finished products such as customized fortified powdered milks (in vitamins, calcium, other minerals, etc.) to meet the needs to specialized adult nutrition. Here is a snapshot of the division’s wide variety of solutions, both liquid and powdered.

• Stage 1 to Stage 3 baby formulas (standard and premium)
• Pre-packaged liquid milk for infant and expecting mothers, formulated to meet the specific needs of each targeted demographic
• Food for Special Medical Purpose (FSMP) such as pediatric drinks, gelled water for dysphagia patients, etc.
• Baby food products such as UHT yogurt-like desserts and puddings
• Enriched milk powders, high protein/calorie drinks and puddings customized to the specific needs of adult nutrition (diabetic, undernourished, recovering)
• Diet nutrition products such as high protein dairy beverages, puddings and soups
• And more

Among these, samples of Food for Special Medical Purpose (FSMP) will be available on the booth for visitors to try, as an illustration of the company’s capabilities and expertise. They will be able to taste a high-protein, high-energy, nutritionally-complete drink; a high-protein, sweetened RTD specifically designed for people with diabetes as well as some diet high-protein puddings low in fat and sugars. There will also be samples of liquid infant milk and reconstituted infant formula for visitors interested in the children nutrition sector.

At Gulfood stand D1-24 (Hall 1), from February 17-21 Dubai, ESI Nutrition will showcase a range of ready-to-market solutions covering all areas of the health & nutrition sector, all Halal-certified.