Liquid goal: Korean vitamin sachet brand eyes expansion into South East Asia
Branded Vita Drops, each liquid sachet is to be consumed by diluting it into a cup of 500ml water.
Launched in 2018, the company currently has developed 11 such products – six of which were specially designed to be added into plain drinking water, two for liquid milk, and the remaining three SKUs an exclusive partnership with local low-cost carrier T’way Air.
Vita Drops Sports Boost is an example which is designed to be added into drinking water.
Containing vitamin C, taurine, L-arginine, L-carnitine, L-glutamine, and amino acids as the active ingredients, the product is designed for rehydration.
On the other hand, its two other products – strawberry and banana flavoured vitamin D liquid sachet – are meant to support the absorption of calcium and provide flavours to RTD milk. These two products are designed for kids’ consumption.
The inspiration behind the products came from MiO Liquid Water Enhancer – a range of products by The Kraft HeInz company, CEO Leo Woo told NutraIngredients-Asia at Vitafoods Asia 2022 held in Bangkok.
MiO Liquid Water Enhancer requires users to squeeze the product for vitamin liquid to flow out, which he believes is less convenient and less user friendly.
Another alternative, ready-to-drink vitamin bottled water, contains higher amounts of calories and a lower dose of vitamins.
He had not considered a powder product since it might be harder to dissolve and mix it with water. In addition, it might not taste as good, he explained.
Eventually, he went ahead with the idea of a vitamin liquid sachet.
“Some people might find drinking water too plain and so I developed this product to help increase their water intake and make it tasty and functional at the same time,” he said.
To ensure that the product-drinking water ratio is optimum for the best taste, each sachet should be added into 500ml of water – which is also the size of most RTD bottled water.
Each sachet has a shelf life of two years.
Outside of South Korea, the company also export its products to Singapore and Thailand for online sale, with plans to enter the Malaysian market. It is currently on the lookout for product distributors.
“The South East Asia is a tropical, hot-weather region, which is why we are interested to export our products to this region.
“In the case of Thailand and Singapore, the markets also have a good understanding of vitamin enhancer products, which is why we chose to enter these two markets first.”
So far, its collagen product is the best seller.
New product development
Asked his plans for new product development, Woo said he hoped to leverage on the liposomal technology.
“The use of the liposomal technology is an emerging trend in South Korea. There is a lot of research that has surfaced, and I believe it will become popular in the next three years,” Woo said.
He also plans to develop an anti-hangover liquid sachet that could be added into alcohol – an ‘upgrade’ from its existing amino acids and vitamins formula which could only be added into drinking water or consumed directly.
