Vitaquest, a leading contract manufacturer of supplements, has announced the launch of a new probiotics manufacturing suite at its Parsippany, New Jersey facility. This expansion comes in response to the increasing demand from customers for probiotics and the anticipated growth of the market in the coming years.
The new facility includes two blending rooms and four encapsulation rooms, effectively doubling Vitaquest’s production capacity for probiotics.
To emphasize the growing demand for probiotics, the company referenced research indicating that nearly one-third of supplement consumers have used probiotics in the past year.
Beyond simply increasing capacity, this new investment enables Vitaquest to work with a wider variety of probiotic strains, develop innovative product formats, and tailor wellness solutions to individual needs, all while maintaining production quality that surpasses global standards.
When discussing the importance of exceeding these standards, Terry Coyle, Chief Innovation Officer at Vitaquest, explained to NutraIngredients that membership in the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) provides the company with vital ongoing insights into regulatory and policy changes that impact the dietary supplement industry.
“We gain timely analysis and context regarding US regulatory trends, allowing us to anticipate shifts, evaluate their potential effects, and strategize for future innovation and compliance, not only for products in the new Probiotics Suite, but across all of Vitaquest,” Coyle stated.
Integrating Functional Ingredients
A significant strategy for brands to stand out in the competitive probiotics market involves creating products that incorporate multiple functional ingredients.
With the new facility’s integrated upstream granulation and drying processes, Coyle noted that the manufacturer can prepare raw materials before introducing live cultures. This not only protects probiotic viability but also facilitates the combination of different strains within a single quality system.
“The objective isn’t merely to add more ingredients; it’s about stabilizing them together,” he explained. “The upstream capability ensures that the intended formulation remains intact throughout manufacturing, which is crucial for entering these more sophisticated, multi-benefit categories.”
This innovation allows probiotic developers to address benefits beyond just digestion and immunity. Coyle identified additional focus areas such as cognitive and mood health, metabolic and weight management, women’s health and hormonal support, active nutrition and recovery, and comprehensive synbiotic systems.
These categories often require pairing specific probiotic strains with targeted functional ingredients, like combining probiotics with nootropics or stress-relief components to promote cognitive benefits, he added.
In 2023, Vitaquest acquired a powder processing facility located in Paterson, New Jersey, enabling the company to perform the upstream granulation and drying essential to this operation. Vitaquest also emphasized that pre-treating challenging raw materials can enhance flow, lower moisture content, and standardize particle size prior to incorporating probiotics.
In conclusion, Vitaquest’s new probiotics manufacturing suite not only enhances production capacity but opens avenues for innovative product development that cater to a diverse range of health benefits. This strategic expansion aligns with current market trends and positions the company for continued success in the evolving supplement landscape.
