2025 marked the second year of SupplySide’s Ingredient Idol Food and Beverage edition, where it immersed R&D and marketing professionals in a high-stakes competition to spotlight its emerging ingredient. An expert panel of judges and trade show attendees watched a live pitch as the finalists presented their novel food or beverage ingredient, highlighting the unique attributes, scientific backing, and market viability.
“We are so excited to receive this recognition as a breakthrough relaxation ashwagandha ingredient for the food and beverage industries,” said Keely Johnson, VP of Marketing at Arjuna Natural. “Shoden-R provides clinically backed benefits at just 60mg per day for a long-lasting, non-GMO, and clean label product that matches and exceeds consumers' expectations.” Shoden-R is uniquely standardised to 35% withanolide glycosides, making it one of the most bioavailable and long-lasting forms of ashwagandha for use in functional foods, gummies, chews, carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, RTDs, quick-dissolving oral beads, pills, and more.
“Most Ashwagandha extracts are standardised to 2.5%, 5%, or 10% withanolide aglycones, meaning they are less stable and less likely to be fully absorbed by the body,” said Dr. Benny Antony, Managing Director at Arjuna Natural. “For formulators, Shoden-R provides the only water-soluble extract for a highly bioavailable and effective product. This 100% root extract is also odourless, tasteless, and has virtually zero opacity for numerous applications to support resilience against physical, emotional, and biological stressors.”
Shoden-R was among nine other finalists in the SupplySide Global Ingredient Idol contest, and entries were narrowed down and split across three categories: focus, relaxation, and formulation innovation technology. Debuting at SupplySide Global, Shoden-R was selected due to its long-lasting, low-dose, excellent organoleptic properties, versatility, and scientific merit.
To learn more about Shoden-R®, its clinical data, sustainability initiatives, and product formats, visit arjunanatural.com or contact mail.usa@arjunanatural.com.
