One-on-one with Christian Philippsen

Christian Philippsen, managing director at BENEO Asia-Pacific (Photo: BENEO)

Can you update us on the market for functional food/ingredients in Asia Pacific?

The sales of functional food in Asia Pacific are expected to increase from 20 to 31 percent from 2002 to 2018¹. With the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – such as diabetes and obesity – in Asia, we have seen that consumers are becoming more health conscious and are therefore willing to pay more for food that can provide added health benefits. As a result, Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing market for functional food. The market is however, far from saturated, given that there are still many ways and opportunities for manufacturers to innovate and create healthier products that cater to consumer needs. This is undoubtedly a very exciting phase for the region and we are proud to be part of it.

How optimistic are you about the functional food market in the ASEAN?

The functional food market in ASEAN is very dynamic – new opportunities are emerging constantly. However, the demand for natural products and trends such as digestive health and weight management are here to stay. Results from our consumer research showed that 74 and 81 percent of respondents in Indonesia and Thailand respectively actively look for natural products when making food purchase decisions. Also, 84 percent of Indonesian and 81 percent of Thai respondents actively seek food that can enhance digestive health. With Asian consumers becoming more health conscious, we are positive that our entire product portfolio of naturally derived and non-GMO will stay relevant to manufacturers and consumers alike. Particularly, our prebiotic chicory root fibers as well as our next generation sugar Palatinose™ are offering new possibilities to the market when it comes to digestive health and energy management respectively.

What do ASEAN consumers look for in new products?

Although consumers today seek food products that offer a balanced and healthy nutritional profile, they do not want to accept restrictions in their diet or change their eating habits. Healthier food and drink products (sugar-reduced and fat-reduced) with great taste and texture are therefore preferred. At the same time consumers are looking for convenient food and natural ingredients without compromising on their preference.

In order to meet consumer needs and to ensure consumers return for more, new products need to provide excellent taste and texture qualities. This might be challenging for manufacturers to formulate with less fat and sugar or avoid artificial additives. But partnering with the right experts and a right choice of ingredients can help the development of new food and beverage products complying or even exceeding today’s consumers’ requirements. BENEO’s functional ingredients allow for the creation of innovative product concepts that support healthy nutrition as well as safeguard and optimize taste and texture.

What is the current focus of your R&D?

We will continue investing in scientific research to support the versatile health and nutritional benefits of our ingredients as well as remain active in our unique approach to meet consumers’ demands. New qualitative as well as quantitative consumer research being conducted in Asia will give more insights on consumer perception and understanding of slow release carbohydrates, balanced blood sugar management and energy delivery.

With these findings and current knowledge, we will set our R&D priorities accordingly.

What health trends are particularly interesting?

Industry experts have stressed each year the importance of digestive health. Consumers are more and more aware of the beneficial effects of a healthy digestive system, as confirmed in our recent consumer research in Indonesia and Thailand. Weight management also continues to be a key trend and major health concern for consumers, with reports indicating a growing awareness and consciousness of weight management in Asia.

To help consumers achieve a healthy digestive system and manage weight, we will be further emphasizing the nutritional, technical and health benefits of our prebiotic fibers and functional carbohydrates.

Our prebiotic chicory root fibers are amongst the best researched prebiotics worldwide. Recently, BENEO received a proprietary health claim for its inulin promoting digestive health. The EU Commission acknowledged the fact that “chicory inulin contributes to normal bowel function by increasing stool frequency”. BENEO’s non-GMO prebiotic fibers inulin and oligofructose help consumers boost their fibre levels – naturally. These fibers, which are naturally derived from chicory root by gentle hot water extraction, come with a natural, mild sweetness that make them highly suitable to reduce the sugar amount in formulations while enhancing the fiber content.

Additionally, having a low glycemic nutrition is important. Leading experts have confirmed that low glycaemic diets potentially help consumers to manage weight, control blood glucose in people with diabetes, reduce the risk of type II diabetes and coronary heart disease². BENEO’s chicory root fibers as well as the sugar replacer ISOMALT and the next generation sugar Palatinose™ (isomaltulose) have proven their beneficial effects on a lower blood glucose response. Particularly for Palatinose™, we see very promising market opportunities. As the only low glycemic and a fully digestible carbohydrate, it provides body cell energy in a balanced and sustained way – an important benefit to consumers who feel exhausted, fatigued and stressed out in today’s hectic lifestyle. Furthermore, Palatinose™ promotes enhanced fat oxidation during physical activity – a characteristic that matters to consumers in a society that is increasingly concerned about weight management.

References

¹http://blog.euromonitor.com/2014/09/asia-continues-to-be-a-driving-force-in-health-and-wellness.html

 ²Nutrition foundation of Italy (2013), 'Glycaemic index, glycaemic load and glycaemic response: An international scientific consensus summit'