The current agreement sees CTC Group as the lead distributor of its Bimuno GOS prebiotic ingredient in the Philippines, with extensions now covering Indonesia and Vietnam. The territory expansion comes as Clasado strengthens its foothold in the APAC region, in line with its global growth strategy.
David Mharakurwa, Director of Sales APAC & MEA at Clasado Biosciences, says: “It’s clear that the worldwide appetite for prebiotics is climbing and gut health is at the top of the agenda. For brands in the health and nutrition market, this means it’s the ideal time to explore how prebiotic ingredients are connecting with the demands of today’s consumers."
"As the developer of the most studied commercially available prebiotic of its kind - Bimuno GOS - we are helping formulators to create the next generation of supplement and functional food products."
“We appointed CTC Group as key distributor for the Philippines in 2021, and we are now extending our relationship to the regions of Indonesia and Vietnam, the latter of which CTC Group has exclusivity in every category but dairy."
"By channelling our multi award-winning functional ingredient through our established partner, we are supporting public health in a whole new way, making it simpler than ever for brands to connect with a more engaged and proactive health audience.”
Lars O. Wiemann, Chief Scientific Officer & International Business Development at CTC Group, comments: “We are delighted to work in partnership with Clasado Biosciences in expanding the global reach of Bimuno GOS. We pride ourselves on one of the most comprehensive functional ingredient product ranges to the pan-Asian market, and Bimuno GOS makes a very natural addition to our line-up."
"The health and nutrition audience in Vietnam and Indonesia mirrors the same growth in gut health awareness seen around the globe. Now is the ideal time for formulators in the region to explore the commercial potential of prebiotics and we look forward to opening a lot of important conversations around Bimuno GOS.”
Taking its microbiome technology to the world’s stage, Clasado has made strong inroads in the Asia-Pacific market. This includes approval from FDA Philippines (Food & Drink Administration) for the ingredient with two associated health claims, along with 22 self-substantiated claims registered with Food Standards Australia & New Zealand (FSANZ). Notably, the approved claims can be used on-pack in the relevant regions for products that contain Bimuno GOS.
Lars adds: “Food Ingredients Vietnam is a great opportunity to connect with the market and showcase our functional ingredient range. With prebiotics continuing to climb the consumer agenda, it’s about combining performance and scientific backing with the flexibility and stability that formulators need, and Bimuno GOS is a true stand-out in the market.
David concludes: “The bottom line is that today’s consumer is switched on to health in a whole new way. They are choosing products based on strong scientific evidence, and that’s one of the areas where Bimuno GOS truly excels. More than 100 scientific studies into its efficacy and safety point towards its effect in gastrointestinal health, immune function and cognitive health.
“Factor in that it’s also stable and versatile for formulators, with an extremely low and class-leading effective dose, Bimuno GOS becomes the clear choice for today’s health and nutrition new product development. We look forward to working with CTC Group to further expand our global footprint.”
