Collagen has become one of the dietary supplement industry’s top ingredients to watch. Even though collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, accounting for around 25%-30% of its total protein count, supplemental collagen has only recently taken off stateside. Consumers in Asian countries like China, Japan, and Korea, however, have been reaping collagen’s skin-, nail-, bone-, joint-, and muscle-health benefits for decades.

Collagen still has mileage in Asia Pacific, where Euromonitor estimates an overall CAGR for collagen ingredients of 5.4% through 2021. Collagen innovation in this region is a well-established fact, and the ingredient can be found in a range of truly unique delivery forms, including in novel and indulgent foods and beverages.

A lot of the innovation is taking place in the confectionery aisle, says market researcher Innova Market Insights. Innova notes that in 2017, a whopping 28.4% of all new collagen food and beverage launches in Asia were confectionery launches. Gummies and jellies were the most popular product type, at 56.3% of the confectionery category.

Collagen innovation is also active in the general food and drinks market in Asia. Innova points to recent unique food and drink launches in Asia featuring collagen: potato chips (China), risotto (Japan), ice cream (China). In fact, Innova says, collagen food and drink launches in Asia experienced rapid growth of 17.9% CAGR in 2015-2017.

In the U.S., consumers are more familiar with collagen in powder, topical, and capsule form. But recently, collagen firms have also been incorporating collagen in teas, bars, and even baked goods, perhaps taking cues from the creative Asian market.

NeoCell is one company popularizing collagen food and drinks here in the U.S. Isaac Jena Szapiro, general manager, NeoCell, says one reason collagen is gaining traction here is due to growing research. “Lately in the U.S., there have been more studies around collagen, which has provided consumers with more information about the benefits of collagen,” Szapiro says. NeoCell's latest launches featuring its unique, hydrolyzed digestible collagen include new powder and gummy products.

Consumers are more apt to consider collagen in foods and beverages that can be incorporated in their regular, daily routine, Szapiro points out. For this reason, coffee has become a sought-after vehicle. Innova reports that, in Asia, collagen hot beverages, including coffee and hot chocolate, are already on the market.

One U.S. company, Dr. Kellyann, offers its own Slim Collagen Coffee instant coffee. The coffee, which launched in September 2017, delivers consumers’ daily dose of collagen in a convenient, travel-friendly packet. David Urman, chief business officer for Dr. Kellyann’s parent company, Best of Organic, explains that coffee and collagen are a natural fit and that coffee’s antioxidant properties gel nicely with all of collagen’s potential health benefits. “[Collagen is] a clean protein that supports joint health, helps fill you up as part of our weight-loss programs, and is amazing as a supplement for beautiful hair, nails, and skin,” Urman says. (Szapiro says customers are adding NeoCell’s Super Collagen powder to coffee, as well.)

Collagen is easy to formulate in food and drinks because it is tasteless, suppliers point out. Heather Arment, marketing coordinator, North America, for collagen supplier Gelita (Sergeant Bluff, IA), says, “Collagen is a very versatile ingredient. It can be used in almost any application.” Gelita’s collagen peptides, for instance, are neutral in taste and odor, she says.

U.S. companies continue to seek new markets where collagen can play, and in combination with other healthy, and even indulgent, ingredients. At the recent Institute of Food Technologists’ Annual Meeting and Food Expo in July, supplier Prinova (Carol Stream, IL) distributed prototypes of a Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Collagen Protein Bar.

Targeting specific consumers is also an opportunity. In Asia, there are collagen products on the market especially for seniors, Innova reports. The men’s market is also growing. “We’re seeing the male interest in collagen continue to grow, as well as Millennial consumption,” Szapiro says. Innova reports that a collagen skin-health drink for men launched in Singapore last year. Look for more of these ongoing developments. If collagen’s success in Asia is any indication, U.S. collagen is in for an exciting future.

Articles

Also, are U.S. collagen marketers taking more inspiration from Pacific Asia?

Innovative collagen products: coffee, confectionery, potato chips, even men’s products?

By Ari Feinstein, Jason Jardine, and Caleb Bates of Knobbe Martens

Globally, the nutraceutical industry is worth more than $200 billion. It is a dynamic industry with a growing rate of large-scale mergers and acquisitions. For example, in August 2017, the private equity firm HGGC acquired dietary supplements manufacturer Nutraceutical International Corporation in a transaction valued at approximately $446 million. A few months later, Innophos Holdings purchased ingredient supplier NutraGenesis for $28 million.

Intellectual property rights are an important consideration in the nutraceutical industry. Investment in intellectual property rights, such as patents, trademarks, and trade secrets, both protects nutraceutical innovators from competitors and makes companies more valuable and attractive to investors.

Apart from protecting their own intellectual property, nutraceutical companies also should be aware of the risk of having the intellectual property rights of others asserted against them. In 2013 alone, ThermoLife International filed 117 patent infringement suits. Similarly, the Tawnsaura Group brought nearly 100 patent infringement suits over a 13-month period. Thus, prior to launching a new product, a nutraceutical company should consider: 1) the types of intellectual property protection that may be available-namely, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets, and 2) whether there are any freedom-to-operate issues. 

There are many different ways to cover a soon-to-be-launched nutraceutical product with patent protection. Patents may be obtained on a new chemical compound or a new use of a known compound or a new combination of known compounds. Processing or manufacturing techniques may also be patented. Patents for new and non-obvious compositions, formulations, methods of use, or manufacturing techniques are referred to as “utility patents.” A “design patent” may also be obtained to cover the ornamental features of a new and non-obvious design-for example, for bottles or other packaging.

Before sharing information with anyone outside the company (who has not signed a non-disclosure agreement), the company should consider filing a “provisional” patent application. Provisional applications are not required but may provide potential benefits to innovators. In particular, provisional applications allow a company to hold its place in line for up to 12 months while determining whether there is sufficient market demand for the innovation through public disclosures that could impact its ability to obtain patent rights. This 12-month period also provides time for additional research and development that may be needed. Within 12 months of filing, a provisional application must be converted to a regular “non-provisional” patent application. Filing a provisional application can also be less expensive than a formal non-provisional patent application, which must meet certain requirements. In contrast to a non-provisional application, a provisional application could consist solely of a research proposal or a presentation for potential investors.

Once a non-provisional patent application is filed, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office’s (“PTO”) inquiry into whether the invention is patentable will begin. Although this process may be accelerated with the payment of certain fees, typically it will take several years before the negotiation between the PTO and an applicant is complete, ideally resulting in an issued U.S. patent.

Importantly, not all inventions can be patented. Abstract ideas, natural phenomena (including natural products), and laws of nature cannot be patented. However, it is possible to obtain patents on subject matter that relates to a natural phenomenon, but that also, for instance, transform the natural phenomenon by adding some “inventive concept.” In a recent case, a federal district court determined that a patent claim reciting a dosage range of beta-alanine was invalid because beta-alanine is a natural phenomenon and ingesting it in a supplement form is not “inventive.”

 Alternatively, a transformative inventive concept related to beta-alanine could include, for example, use of beta-alanine to treat a particular condition that was not known or expected to be treatable by beta-alanine, a composition of beta-alanine that provides superior properties (for example, increased absorption), or a composition of beta-alanine with another ingredient that provides a synergistic effect (either for the beta-alanine or for the other active ingredient). As another example, the hydrolysis of a protein in acid is not, by itself, patentable. However, a method of increasing the rate of protein hydrolysis in water with a catalyst (a new and non-obvious method) may be patentable.

Another statutory requirement is that the invention must be new. For example, if an old patent or other publication discloses the subject matter for which a patent is sought, then the subject matter is not new and is, therefore, unpatentable. As simple and straightforward as this sounds, there are many nuances to this analysis. What if an old patent discloses a chemical formula with 

 and, after substituting the variables in every way possible, the formula represents 100 or 1,000, or 1,000,000 different chemical compounds, but only 15 compounds were actually synthesized and described in the patent? In that case, even if the company’s nutraceutical product is one of the many undescribed chemical compounds in the patent, the product may still be deemed “new” if it could not be “at once envisaged” from the old patent.

The company’s invention must also not have been obvious to make, based on the knowledge in the field at the time of invention. Obviousness is a complicated, fact-intensive area of patent law that involves looking at the differences between the claimed subject matter in the patent application and what was previously known in the field. Specifically, the relevant inquiry is whether a “person of ordinary skill in the art” would have viewed those differences as obvious before the patent application was filed. For example, a small modification to a known chemical compound that does not yield any surprising benefits would be considered obvious (such as changing a methyl group to an ethyl group). On the other hand, any suggestion in the nutraceutical art that, for instance, teaches that a purification technique or chemical formulation previously used in the field is unsafe or unsatisfactory for some other reason could weigh in favor of non-obviousness.

Given the importance of patent rights and the dynamic nature of the nutraceutical industry, strategic patent filings are a critical component of creating and maintaining value in this field. An attorney specializing in patent law can help a company determine what aspects of its innovations may be protectable with a patent.

The primary objective of trademark law is to prevent consumer confusion about the 

 of goods being sold. Effective use of trademarks can also confer a competitive advantage on a business by generating goodwill with consumers. Businesses may obtain trademark protection on various aspects of a good-including designs, phrases, colors, and symbols-that help identify and distinguish the source of their goods from the source of others’ goods. A nutraceutical company may trademark various aspects of its labeling and packaging, including the design of the container and label(s), as well as the company logo and slogan. 

 of a mark is sufficient to accrue some trademark protection. However, this “common law” protection is limited. Specifically, the company’s rights will be geographically limited to areas of the mark’s use or reputation. So, for example, a company selling a trademark-protected post-workout supplement exclusively in Los Angeles may not be able to enforce its common law rights in San Francisco. Trademark registration-at the state and federal levels-is relatively inexpensive, and is a quick way to strengthen a company’s trademark rights. State registration gives the registrant trademark rights within that state, while federal registration provides the registrant trademark rights throughout the United States, its territories, and its possessions.

Similar to patent infringement suits, trademark infringement suits may involve challenges to the validity of the trademark-meaning the mark is not something that should ever have received trademark protections. The strength of a trademark-

 the chance its validity will be upheld by a court-is essentially based on whether the mark is “fanciful” or “arbitrary,” “suggestive,” “descriptive,” or “generic.” A “fanciful” or “arbitrary” mark that bears no relationship to the type of goods, such as EXXON for gasoline, is the strongest type of mark. A “suggestive” mark that is somewhat related to (“suggests”) the type of goods, such as “Whirlpool” for washing machines, is slightly less strong. A “descriptive” mark is one that describes a function, characteristic, feature, purpose or use of the goods or services. For example, “White-out” for a white fluid used for correcting printed text is descriptive. “Descriptive” marks are weak because they interfere with competitors’ abilities to describe their similar products. Finally, generic marks, such as “Apple” for apples, are unprotectable as a trademark.

Nutraceutical companies should take advantage of these protections. An attorney specializing in trademark law can help a company determine what aspects of its product names, logos, and packaging may be protectable. In the crowded nutraceutical marketplace, protectable marks can help a company positively distinguish itself in the eyes of consumers and prevent competitors from benefiting from customers’ goodwill.

The primary objective of trade secret law is to protect a company’s decision to maintain a valuable business secret from which it derives a competitive advantage in the market.  A “trade secret” generally refers to information that derives independent economic value from being kept secret and is subject to reasonable efforts to maintain its secrecy. In contrast to patent or trademark applications, trade secrets do not require registration, do not expire, and never become public (unless independently discovered by others or improperly misappropriated).  However, if a competitor “reverse engineers” a company’s trade-secret process, or independently develops the process, the company has no recourse to prevent their use of the (formerly) secret information.

Similar to trademark law, trade secret law is two-tiered, at the state and federal levels. Most states have signed onto a uniform set of trade secret laws, called the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“UTSA”). UTSA’s definition of a “trade secret” mirrors the definition above but clarifies that protectable information includes formulas, patterns, compilations, programs, devices, methods, techniques, and processes. However, states have implemented UTSA in different ways, and it is important to consult an attorney for legal advice to understand the scope of trade secret law in the relevant jurisdiction. A recent federal law, the Defend Trade Secrets Act (“DTSA”), similarly defines “trade secrets,” but there are currently few examples of courts interpreting the DTSA. While both state and federal trade secret laws provide remedies, including damages, for trade secret misappropriation (

, corporate espionage or former employee disclosures), an important limitation of trade secret protection is that once the secret is out-even through improper means-the protection is gone.

There are certain ideas or types of information a nutraceutical company may wish to maintain as trade secrets instead of pursuing patent protection. For example, a company may choose to protect manufacturing methods as trade secrets if it would be challenging for competitors to determine the method used via reverse engineering. In contrast, if one obtained a patent on the manufacturing method, the method would necessarily be disclosed to the public. Although the patent would provide a right to exclude for a limited time period, it may be difficult to determine whether a competitor is using the patented method or some other method.

Information about which suppliers provide which ingredients may also be kept as a trade secret. Further, perhaps there is information about the physiological mechanism through which a supplement enhances a particular physiological function that is a trade secret. A company could use that information to more intelligently select ingredients, manufacturing methods, and advertise its product-without, of course, sharing the secret information.

A company may also formulate a proprietary blend and keep the blend a trade secret. While the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) generally requires the amount of each ingredient to be displayed, only the total amount of a blend of dietary ingredients needs to be displayed.

 Therefore, the amounts of the individual ingredients within the blend are eligible for trade secret protection-so long as all other requirements are met. However, if a proprietary formula can be reverse engineered, the secret may not last long, and patent protection may be preferable.

Some states also protect “negative know-how.” “Negative know-how” refers to information discovered during development about what does not work. If a nutraceutical company has tested 1,000 different formulations, information regarding what does not work could be even more valuable to a competitor than information regarding what does work.

Each of the aforementioned examples derives some value from being kept secret. To qualify as a protectable trade secret, the company must also take reasonable efforts to maintain the secret. This can include, for example, password-protecting all documents relating to the information, limiting the number of individuals at the company with access to the information, and ensuring that all individuals with access have signed documents acknowledging the information is a trade secret and is not to be shared with any unapproved individual.

Trade secrets and patents provide distinct benefits, and accordingly, nutraceutical companies must carefully weigh the benefits of each type of protection.

A critical component of launching a new nutraceutical product is determining whether the product has freedom to operate (“FTO”). An FTO determination requires a detailed legal analysis of whether a company can market its new product free of potential liabilities to third parties. This analysis may include running searches to identify patents and trademarks that could be asserted against the company based on the sale, offer for sale, use, and/or manufacturing of the product in the U.S. The company should also consider reviewing any and all contracts its suppliers have entered into to understand their liabilities and any restrictions on their ability to sell. Additionally, it is important to review all statutory and regulatory requirements, at the federal, state, and local levels, regarding the sale of dietary supplements, distribution, advertising, and quality control (and any other activities in which the company will be engaged). There is no guarantee that this analysis will unearth every potential FTO problem. That said, a thorough FTO analysis will allow a company to make a name change, adjust its labeling, or make other modifications to its product to potentially mitigate its liability and protect its reputation. Furthermore, a company seeking investors, partners, or acquisition will almost certainly face scrutiny regarding FTO during due diligence.

Another significant FTO issue involves the pejoratively termed “patent trolls.” The term patent trolls generally refers to non-practicing entities (NPEs) that assert patents covering products they do not produce. The assertion of patents by NPEs is often merely an attempt to extort value through settlement. Recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court as well as challenges of patents before the PTO have reduced the risk of patent trolls, but companies may still be targeted. A company that does receive a demand letter accusing its products of infringing one or more patent claims (or a “notice” letter that merely suggests there could be an opportunity for licensing)-should immediately consult an attorney for advice. How companies ultimately proceed will vary in each case depending on the circumstances. But a company’s strategy might include seeking to invalidate the patent, entering into licensing negotiations, purchasing the asserted patent, or doing nothing until a complaint is filed.

The current trend of healthy eating, healthy living, and active lifestyle is constantly increasing, and there is a constant flow of new products into the market. This presents eager consumers with a dizzying array of choices, but also means it is a time of great opportunity for companies innovating in the nutrition space. Investing in protecting innovation and developing brand recognition, while carefully avoiding infringement liability, requires resources, but this investment is well worth it to protect the right product with the right combination of intellectual property.

Caleb Bates, PhD, is an associate in the San Francisco office of Knobbe Martens. He practices intellectual property law, with emphasis on patent portfolio growth and management in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and biotechnology fields. Bates represents diverse clients, including early state and established companies, and venture capital and investment firms. Ari Feinstein is an associate in the Washington, DC, office of Knobbe Martens. Feinstein received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Case Western Reserve University, where he was the managing editor of the Journal of Law and Technology. He also participated in the school’s Patent & Licensing Clinic. Jason J. Jardine is a partner in the San Diego office of Knobbe Martens. He represents a diverse clientele in all aspects of intellectual property acquisition, protection, and enforcement across the U.S. and abroad. Jardine’s experience spans the full range of life science disciplines, chemistry, semiconductors, action sports, and fashion.

Natural Alternatives Int’l, Inc. v. Allmax Nutrition, Inc., 258 F.Supp.3d 1170 (S.D. Cal. June 26, 2017)

In re Petering, 301 F.2d 676 (Fed. Cir. 1962

Although the FDA does not generally require approval of nutraceutical products, consulting with a regulatory attorney is the best way to determine what types of products and labels may be required for compliance with the FDA.

Here’s what you need to know to protect your property.

Intellectual property in nutraceuticals: Patents, trademarks, and trade secrets

Photo: A child being given a dose of vitamin A by one of Vitamin Angels’ field partners. According to Vitamin Angels, just two doses of vitamin A per year can help strengthen a child’s immune system and fight off life-threatening diseases that otherwise stem from vitamin A deficiency.

Every year, three million children under the age of five die of malnutrition, accounting for half of all deaths of children in that age group. Malnutrition within the first 1,000 days of life also leads to stunted growth, cognitive impairment, and other developmental problems.

 According to Swiss NGO Humanium (Versoix, Switzerland), the problem of malnutrition is not a result of resource unavailability, but rather, the unequal distribution of resources.

 In other words: childhood malnutrition could be prevented through better resource allocation. One organization, Vitamin Angels (Santa Barbara, CA), is proving this to be true.

Howard Schiffer, founder of Vitamin Angels, has always had a passion for helping children. After working as a midwife in his early 20s, Schiffer transitioned into the nutrition and natural products industry where he learned how to create and market nutritional supplements. What Schiffer didn’t realize at the time was that this career move would be the start of a new social change initiative that would become his passion for 25 years of his life. Over time, he would gain the skills and connections necessary to distribute life-saving vitamins and medications to over 70 million children in 74 countries.

But he didn’t do it alone. For years, Schiffer has relied on the generous support of donors, employees, volunteers, nutrition and dietary supplement industry insiders, and over 1,200 partner agencies all over the world. It was the strength of Schiffer’s vision and his motivation to make an impact that attracted supporters to Vitamin Angels. And now, more than 20 years later, it’s this same common sense of mission and vision that is making the difference between life and death for millions of children all around the world.

How It Started: An Earthquake, a Mortgage, and a House Fire

Over the course of his 14-year career in the natural products industry, Schiffer developed not only promotional and marketing skills, but also an extensive network of industry contacts that included raw materials suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. Eventually, Schiffer started looking for a new challenge.

“I was in my 40s, and the work wasn’t fulfilling anymore, and it became more of a business than an aspiration,” Schiffer says. “I kept thinking, ‘I should be able to do something with all of these connections.’ And then later, in 1994, an earthquake hit Northridge, California. At that point in time, I owned a vitamin company. I got a call from a relief agency who wanted vitamins for farmers’ families who had been displaced by the earthquake.”

Schiffer placed a few calls to his industry contacts, and soon enough, a crate full of vitamins was on its way to Northridge. But rather than simply go back to business as usual, Schiffer needed to know more. A debriefing session with the agency he’d assisted illustrated the immense need for vitamins all around the world-as well as the positive impact vitamins can have.

“Vitamins are recognized as one of the greatest public health inventions of the last 30 years. When someone told me that just two doses of vitamin A can prevent childhood blindness due to a vitamin A deficiency, it floored me. At the debrief, the agency told me that I have no idea how many vitamins they need. So, I just started calling up people I knew in the industry.”

Schiffer’s calls paid off. All of his contacts told him that donating vitamins and supplements was an initiative they’d always wanted to start, but a lack of know-how was a significant barrier. That’s when Schiffer realized he had the skill set to bridge the gap. Within three weeks, Vitamin Angels was up and running.

Schiffer had found new meaning. In its first year, Vitamin Angels provided 100,000 vitamins to people in need. And armed with a new sense of mission, Schiffer pushed on.

When Vitamin Angels’ rapid growth posed a challenge, Schiffer took out a third mortgage on his home to fuel the organization. When he lost that home in 2009 due to a forest fire in Santa Barbara, Schiffer and his team continued their work. They saw the need, and they refused to let circumstances dictate how and when they were able to help others:

“When we started 24 years ago, we’d often hit a point in the year where we didn’t know where the money was going to come from,” Schiffer says. “We went from serving two million children in 2005 to 70 million this year. We’ve constantly had to backfill our capacity-we had to create whole new divisions for logistics, training, and programming. But you can see the dedication our employees have. Everyone is all in.”

The Vitamin Angels Revolution: A New Approach to Charitable Giving

Schiffer says that he structured Vitamin Angels with a sales- and marketing-focused business model rather than a standard nonprofit model. Sales and marketing is his professional background, he says, and it’s this different focus that has enabled Vitamin Angels to be so effective in its philanthropic efforts.

“We realized early on that the stereotypical charity model wouldn’t work for us,” he explains. “With typical charities, you go to a donor and ask them to support your work. That model can be effective, but only on a limited scale, and it comes with a variety of inherent problems. I didn’t want to spend my days filling out countless reports, but if I took money from governments or foundations, that’s the only thing I would be doing, all day, every day.”

Schiffer knew that he wanted to spend his time on the ground in the villages that Vitamin Angels serves. So, he established a corporate partnership program that weaves Vitamin Angels into the culture at its partner organizations.

“It’s a qualitatively different model, and there’s a much bigger ask involved. Businesses are looking for partnerships with nonprofits that they can weave into the fabric of their culture in a deep way. (RED) did something similar with the (Product)RED campaign,” he says.

Schiffer is referencing (Product)RED, a charitable initiative founded by Bobby Shriver of the ONE Campaign and U2 frontman Bono. The campaign involves licensing the (Product)RED logo and branding to companies that then manufacture and sell stylized (Product)RED versions of their products. Half of the proceeds from (Product)RED are donated to the Global Fund, while the brand partner keeps the remaining half.

The Vitamin Angels approach isn’t just about charity; it’s about corporate social responsibility. Vitamin Angels engages with for-profit businesses to work together on marketing and human resources initiatives in addition to charitable giving. Rather than simply acting as a typical charity, Vitamin Angels encourages corporate social responsibility within the nutrition industry.

Schiffer’s dedication to the Vitamin Angels mission is contagious, and thanks to a growing sense of enthusiasm for philanthropic projects in the supplement industry, a number of partners have come on board to support Vitamin Angels.

Sharon Wong, family owner and board of directors member at NOW Foods (Bloomingdale, IL), says that NOW Foods’ owners were moved early on to support Vitamin Angels by donating children’s multivitamins. “NOW has been a supporter of Vitamin Angels since 1994,” Wong says. “We’re one of two Founding Supporters. After Vitamin Angels launched their vitamin A program, we transitioned to provide large quantities of those supplements.”

Gencor (Irvine, CA) is also an ardent supporter of the Vitamin Angels mission, with an eight-year history of providing Vitamin Angels with resources. Gencor president Jith Veeravalli says that Gencor started with financial donations, but in 2014 the organization helped establish an independent NGO in India that handles Vitamin Angels activities in the country. The nonprofit organization, called OPEN (Operation Essential Nutrients), is a joint project between Vitamin Angels and Gencor.

“So far, we’ve been funding the overhead costs in India directly,” Veeravalli says. “This year, we’re expecting to give vitamin A and deworming medicine to 14 million children. We’re also rolling out a new initiative to give neonatal supplements to expectant mothers.”

But Gencor and NOW Foods aren’t the only companies that have been moved to work with Vitamin Angels. Companies like Sabinsa (East Windsor, NJ), Pharmachem (Kearny, NJ), Lonza Consumer Health & Nutrition (Basel, Switzerland), Lycored (Secaucus, NJ), AIDP (City of Industry, CA), and HP Ingredients (Bradenton, FL) have all made generous financial and in-kind donations to help Vitamin Angels fund its operations and procure vitamins.

DSM (Parsippany, NJ), a longtime Vitamin Angels supporter, for instance, is donating raw materials for vitamin A production as well as technical services. “We send teams of DSM employees to volunteer in the field so they can see firsthand the impact the program has,” says Liz Calvez, external communications manager at DSM.

Saumil Maheshvari, marketing analyst for Orgenetics Inc. (Brea, CA), says that in addition to providing financial support, Orgenetics is currently devising new ways of supporting Vitamin Angels’ work.

HP Ingredients CEO Annie Eng said in May that the company recently donated to support Vitamin Angels’ new Global Prenatal Campaign, whose goal is to “eliminate newborn mortality around childbirth due to vitamin deficiency disease by 2030.” Eng said her company chose to contribute some of its own growing sales revenue to the charitable organization, noting that “it makes sense to give back to the number-one charity that not only promotes goodwill throughout the globe-but actually saves lives.”

Schiffer says that it’s the scope of the Vitamin Angels mission that attracts supporters. “I always dream big,” he says. “When I created our goal for prenatal vitamins, I said, ‘Let’s eliminate infant mortality due to vitamin deficiencies by 2030.’ We thought we had a plan, but it turns out, 192 million pregnant women need help every year. So now we have a goal to reach at least 50 million of them by 2030. I think people are drawn to Vitamin Angels because we have a big vision.”

New Horizons: Prenatal Nutrition Goes Global

The prenatal campaign that Schiffer references is a recent initiative that is already gaining traction. Vitamin Angels’ Global Prenatal Campaign launched at the Natural Products Expo West trade show in March 2018, and Schiffer says he’s already seeing a high level of corporate support for the initiative.

“The goal is to eliminate newborn mortality due to vitamin deficiencies by 2030. We had some great support to get us off the ground, and we’re working on getting more support for it this year,” he says.

The campaign’s initial launch event, on March 8, 2018, brought together senior executives from over 60 natural products companies and yielded over $300,000 in donations.

 The funds will be used to help meet Vitamin Angels’ program commitments.

“Once we reach a child, we’re committed for at least five years,” Schiffer says. “That’s why we have to buy so much more product now; we can’t wait and hope that we’ll have the product donated.”

The organization is working hard to ensure it can reach even more children and mothers, with a variety of internal improvements underway. Vitamin Angels recently produced an e-learning training program for its volunteers and partner agencies, and is building up its capacity for data monitoring and analysis.

For Schiffer, though, the mission always comes first.

“When we engage with companies, we aren’t asking for a donation. We don’t just want a check. We’re asking to be woven into the fabric of the organization. A lot of our partners tell new recruits that they work with Vitamin Angels, which is a big HR draw for the Millennial workforce.”

Angels in their own way: How other industry leaders are lending a helping hand

In addition to Vitamin Angels, there are a variety of other philanthropic initiatives through which nutrition industry insiders can help address real problems and improve lives around the world. Corporate social responsibility isn’t one-size-fits-all, and philanthropy isn’t a zero-sum game. Here are just a few of the many nutrition industry philanthropic initiatives that are helping those in need.

Teaching Children Proper Nutrition Habits

Cargill (Minnetonka, MN) is demonstrating its commitment to philanthropy in a variety of ways, with over $50 million in charitable giving making an impact in 54 countries in 2017 alone. One of Cargill’s primary areas of giving is in nutrition education for children. In partnership with Minneapolis Public Schools, Cargill has created Junior Iron Chef, a nutrition and meal prep education program for area students modeled after the popular “Iron Chef” television show. Each year, 16 middle school and high school students team up with Minnesota-based chefs to compete in an Iron Chef–style cook-off. Students receive education around preparing healthy meals from scratch.

Eliminating World Hunger with Science and Logistics

World hunger is a multifaceted issue, but it’s one that the team at Kemin (Des Moines, IA) is working hard to solve. Ceci Snyder, RD, global manager of vision products for Kemin, says that the company was founded by a family with a strong belief in corporate social responsibility.

“The Nelsons, who started and still run Kemin, are involved in a variety of charitable organizations,” Snyder says. “We encourage our employees to personally donate to World Food Day through our Share the Meal program.”

Kemin is also a sponsor of the World Food Prize, which was started by Nobel Peace Prize winner and Iowa food scientist Norman Borlaug. The World Food Prize is a $250,000 award that is given to an individual who has advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world.

Supplementing Dairy-Deprived Diets through Project Leche

Kerry Group (Tralee, Ireland) Sustainability Communications Manager PÃ¡draig Mallon says that Kerry’s flagship philanthropic projects span a variety of areas, including environmental stewardship, sustainable nutrition, promoting diversity, and building communities.

“We’re currently engaged in the First 1000 Days of Life program, which supports prenatal nutrition,” Mallon says. “The initial stage of that project was completed in 2016, and we’re currently in discussions about what the next stage will look like.”

Kerry is also involved in initiatives like Sustainable Vanilla and The RAIN Project, but one initiative has a special connection to the company: Project Leche. Project Leche is a joint initiative between Kerry and the United Nations World Food Programme, one that emphasizes sourcing local ingredients in order to provide a market for local farmers.

“Kerry started in dairy,” Mallon says. “Our philanthropic initiatives are much more than just the provision of supplies; we’re also providing expertise. We have people on the ground in Honduras. We’re helping dairy farmers find ways to improve the quality and sustainability of Honduran milk.”

Helping at Home: Hot Meals for Food Bank Users

Philanthropy knows no borders, but the need for philanthropic initiatives is just as urgent in the United States as it is overseas. After witnessing families living in poverty and hunger in Texas and New Jersey, Megan Shea and Chip Heim were moved to establish The Soulfull Project (Camden, NJ).

The Soulfull Project strives to provide wholesome food to those who need it most. The organization sells prepackaged hot cereal products in grocery stores and online. For every cup or bag of cereal sold, The Soulfull Project donates a serving of its Four Grain hot cereal to a local food bank. The Soulfull Project has donated 690,000 servings of hot cereal to date, and is aiming to donate one million servings by the end of next year.

Mike Straus is a freelance journalist living in Kelowna, BC, Canada. He has written for publications including Canadian Chiropractor, Massage Therapy Canada, and Iconic Concierge Vancouver.

“Undernutrition contributes to nearly half of all deaths in children under 5 and is widespread in Asia and Africa.” UNICEF. Published online January 2018. 

https://data.unicef.org/topic/nutrition/malnutrition/#

“The unequal distribution of resources: The food crisis explained.” Humanium. Published online April 23, 2011.

Cook E. “$329,000 pledged as Vitamin Angels challenges executives to support global prenatal campaign launch.” 

Rather than simply acting as a typical charity, Vitamin Angels encourages corporate social responsibility within the nutrition industry.

Nutritional Outlook Vol. 21 No. 6

Innovative collagen products: coffee, confectionery, potato chips, even men’s products?

Intellectual property in nutraceuticals: Patents, trademarks, and trade secrets

Vitamin Angels is changing the way nutrition companies give back

Turmeric: Metabolic Health Powerhouse?