Lipofoods, SLU, is launching Lipofer, an orosoluble iron “stick” that particularly targets the needs of pregnant or nursing millennial women, but could also be useful for those with iron deficiencies. Lipofer will not be released as a final product, but instead the prototype “demonstrates Lipofer’s superior advantages as a highly soluble, highly bioavailable, and flavorful system for incorporating 100 percent of daily iron into a single delivery system,” says David Padro, Business Manager of Lipofoods.

“Key advantages of Lipofer are that it is a water-dispersible, highly bioavailable iron. Its superiority is supported by clinical studies showing that it is more bioavailable and more stable than other iron sources,” Isabel Gomez, Marketing Manager for Lipofoods, tells.

Furthermore, the innovative “stick” delivery form means Lipofer is well-suited to the on-the-go market, as it can be ingested without the use of water. Gomez states that these kinds of delivery forms are gaining popularity and are even becoming the preferred choice of dietary supplements manufacturers.

Developing a potent iron source, such as Lipofer, posed some development challenges, Gomez details: “Successfully combining high stability and pleasant taste into a formulation with a high dose of bioavailable iron was a difficult challenge,” she notes.

“Most iron sources tend to interact with vitamin C, leading to undesirable organoleptic changes in color and flavor of the final product. Usually, formulators can incorporate only about 15 percent of the iron RDA into an edible supplement, due to the metallic taste of the metal. Even then, such formulations typically require expensive artificial flavors to mask the off taste.”

However, despite R&D challenges, the product will be sugar-free and clean label: “Coming up with a good tasting formula without the addition of sugar, also the current trend, was probably the thing they struggled the most with, but they managed to come up with a very pleasant tasting formula that is also sugar-free. Lipofoods’ orosoluble iron is a clean formulation, without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. And, it is ideal for vegan consumers.”

The millennial market

Lipofer seeks to appeal largely to the millennial market, and it has been developed in regard to what really drives millennials, who are slowly “starting to take over the workforce with an enormous purchasing power.”

“In the case of the millennial women, the majority are career-oriented women who look forward to succeeding in the workplace, without neglecting other important aspects of their lives such as self-care, physical and mental health and wellness. Therefore, products developed for this specific target should focus on contributing to their desired work-life harmony, allowing them to keep their active lifestyle while making intelligent decisions about how to best allocate their most precious resources: time and energy, especially the millennial working mothers.”

“Furthermore, as this is also the first generation of digital natives, and their affinity for technology provides instant access to product information, the brands have to make sure they prove the effectiveness of the products to be attractive to the millennial audience who seek out high-quality products with ingredients that have proven clinical efficacy. They need to trust that the nutritionals they take have scientific support behind the health benefits claimed on the label. They prefer clean label products that are as close to “nature” as possible and feature a short list of ingredients they can read and understand. And, importantly, consumers want flexibility in how they consume these products,” adds Gomez.

Lipofer will be introduced at Vitafoods, Geneva, May 15 to 17, at booth number F189.