Exploring new trends and products in the market for children’s health.

Ahh, September. For many it heralds the start of a new school year. Glossy notebooks and colorful markers, boxes of yellow pencils and school buses on the road remind us of our own school years. Unfortunately, along with the excitement a fresh, new academic year brings, unwelcome germs and viruses are a part of most children’s days.

On average, children get between six to eight colds each year, says the University of Rochester’s Medical Center Encyclopedia. Colds usually occur less often after a child reaches the age of six, noted the source, but children who attend daycare are likely to get ill more often than those who don’t. With the common cold, flus and other infections on the rise during the fall and winter, concerned parents frequently turn to over-the-counter (OTC) pediatric remedies to help ease symptoms or natural supplements to boost their children’s immune systems.

The report titled “Children and Health – US – February 2021,” by Mintel, stated that the children’s health market remains strong, with nearly three quarters of parents administering some form of OTC remedies to their children. Because of this, “… market sales have reached more than $2.5 billion in 2020 and forecasted for steady growth over the next five years,” the report noted.

Curious manufacturers and others in the natural products industry want to know: what’s new in the areas of market news, trends and delivery systems? Are innovative new ingredients displacing those “tried and true” in children’s health products? How has the pandemic affected the children’s health market? And how can retailers better position their products for effective discovery and sales to customers?

Market News, Trends & Delivery Systems: What’s New?

“The market for children’s health products, like the market for all health products, is increasing as consumers become more aware and educated regarding the benefits of nutritional supplementation,” said Adam Sutter, vice president of quality and scientific affairs at ChildLife Essentials in CA. “Categories such as immune health, digestive and immune probiotics—particularly for infants and children—and specialty categories such as eye health are all seeing excellent growth,” said Sutter.

Arik Johnson, vice president, sales at Genexa, Inc., located in GA said that while he noticed a dip in this subsection of the market, sales are currently on the rise. “Although we have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, the market seems to be recovering at a strong pace. It presents a great opportunity for new brands to show off their new innovation,” Johnson noted.

These statements correlate with a study published in Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal which stated that the lack of treatment options for COVID-19 led many individuals to try to find alternative options to prevent transmission of the disease including, “… the use of natural products and herbal extracts to increase immunity and decrease the probability of getting infected.”

Eric Spinner, CNC, at Health Haven II in NJ, stated that overall, he hasn’t seen a large uptick in the children’s health category per say. Most people seek his advice for their kids regarding ADD (attention deficit disorder) and ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder), as well as stress and anxiety.

“Digestive health has probably grown the most over the last few years with more and more kids experiencing digestive disturbances due to improper diet and dealing with the stressors of our current climate,” explained Spinner. “Renew Life’s Kids probiotics in packets and chewables, and American Health’s new 5 billion chewables in strawberry and grape flavors seem to be popular.” Additionally, Spinner stated that he sells a lot of Nature’s Plus Animal Parade Multis, Chewable Vit D3 and DHA, as well as Barlean’s Oils Creamy Omegas, especially the Total Omega 369 creamsicle flavor.

Chief Growth Officer, Andrew Escalante, at Mountain Meadow Herbs in Montana, stated that the company has no plans for changing delivery methods in the near future. “Supply chain issues have made it difficult enough to maintain inventory and stock levels of essential products and ingredients,” he said.

As for Sutter, he’s noted some trends in delivery methods and other pertinent areas of interest by consumers. “We have noticed a move toward sugar-free or reduced sugar delivery methods, and we have also noticed a trend in which finished product brands are more cognizant of allergens and GMO (genetically modified organism) status,” said Sutter. “The ideal is for each item to be free of the top-nine allergens, non-GMO, allergen free and free of artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners.”

At Health Haven II, Spinner agrees with this philosophy completely. Ingredients that are firmly on the “never” list for his store are any with artificial ingredients. “I choose products that have ‘clean’ ingredients, and avoid things like artificial flavors, colors and preservatives,” he said. “Artificial sweeteners I avoid like the plague. I don’t like when companies promote gummies like they are candies,” he stated. “And always make sure kids know they are taking their vitamins.”

While not a new product per say, Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation in Sugar Land, TX, has seen an uptick in parents purchasing supplements which may help protect and rejuvenate children’s eyes in wake of the pandemic. Trisha Sugarek MacDonald, BS, MS, senior director of research and development at Bluebonnet noted that an increased use of screens—for both pleasure and schoolwork—is creating a constant exposure to blue light.

“For example, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, children aged 8 to 18 are spending 7.5 hours on average a day in front of a screen for entertainment,” Sugarek MacDonald noted. This doesn’t include time spent on the computer for remote learning or homework. “That is a staggering statistic that will probably increase during the current time of COVID-19 since many schools across the nation are moving to online learning,” said Sugarek MacDonald.

“Bluebonnet has noticed an increased buying trend for ingredients similar to those found in our new Targeted Choice EyeCare MACULAR & BLUE formula, which offers catch-free DHA from plant sources, sustainably harvested or wildcrafted super fruits like bilberry and wild blueberry that are also free of common allergens and kosher-certified to help protect eyes from blue light,” explained Sugarek MacDonald.

Traditional & New Ingredients in Children’s Health Products

While there are always new ingredients and formations coming to the market, there are also those standbys which have proven themselves in the past. Sutter noted that the letter vitamins: A, B-complex, C, D, E and K, along with minerals, are examples of these tried-and-true ingredients in children’s health products. He’s also pleased that new ingredients are making their debut. “New or relatively new ingredients such as those for eye health (lutein, zeaxanthin), algal-sourced DHA, liposomal glutathione, etc. are all very exciting new entrants,” said Sutter.

Johnson noted that the emphasis isn’t so much on the ingredients themselves—traditional or new—but the quality of those ingredients. He noted that, “92.3 percent of oral dose medications contain at least one potential allergen. This is creating pressure for companies to address ingredient standards,” Johnson explained. “A large portion of the active ingredients, the portion of the medicine that makes you feel better, have been studied for years and are incredibly effective. Similar to other parts of the grocery store, consumers and buyers are looking for better ingredients in their medicine,” said Johnson.

Other historically popular ingredients in the children’s health market when it comes to immunity support are echinacea and elderberry, both of which can be found in Mountain Meadow Herbs’ best-selling product. “Traditionally and currently our Family Immune Booster has been the most popular [seller], containing two types of echinacea, elderberry and propolis resin,” noted Escalante. “The addition of Aronia berry to this blend created our Berry Immune Booster formulated with children’s taste preferences in mind. Aronia berry is very high in antioxidants, boosting the immune supportive effect of the product.”

Has the Pandemic Affected the Children’s Health Market?

“The children’s immune and upper respiratory categories were absolutely decimated over the last year,” Johnson stated. “We saw some of the steepest declines in children remedies sales in history.”

Escalante didn’t see evidence of the same. Rather, he observed more parents were looking for herbs believed to support immunity, especially during the school year. Not only did they hope these would boost their children’s immune systems but also help them perform at their best.

Sugarek MacDonald, too, noted an uptick in products geared toward supporting a healthy immune system. “Parents are looking for functional products that boost their children’s immunity and everyday wellness with clean label ingredients,” Sugarek MacDonald noted. Immunity isn’t the only thing that’s been worrisome during COVID-19 though. She believes that the pandemic has been far reaching, negatively influencing children’s lives in other ways. Disrupting regular routines and in some cases, a lack of access to healthy foods, are two examples.

“Unfortunately, with routines being challenged, few children manage to eat a full range of nutritious foods every day like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish. Add in the snacking of sugar-laden foods combined with getting less exercise and additional screen time; the nutritional disaster has been noticeable,” said Sugarek MacDonald. This, she said, has resulted in many manufacturers creating products to maximize health and boost their immunity in formulations that entire families will be able to easily use.

Bluebonnet’s Rainforest Animalz line is one such product, noted Sugarek MacDonald. “[It] offers a whole food based multiple, vitamin C, vitamin D, probiotic and combination formula of calcium, magnesium and vitamin D that delivers a kosher-certified, gluten-free comprehensive array of essential micronutrients kids need daily,” Sugarek MacDonald explained.

Sutter said that the children’s health segment of the market has been impacted, along with the entirety of the natural foods industry. He saw, “…increases in immune support products, combined with a greater awareness of the impact of nutrition on overall markers of health and wellness.”

Customers at Health Haven II, Spinner noted, changed their shopping habits a bit due to COVID-19. “Since kids were not in school, less parents came in for their usual multivitamins and EFAs than before. Of course, they were still in need of the immune support supplements I provide, and sales of Ener-C vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc and Quantum Elderberry extract remained strong,” Spinner explained. “Probiotics are still doing well, as I always say, ‘Good health starts in the gut!’” Additionally, Spinner noted that Vital Planet’s Vital Flora continues to be popular with his customers and is a product the store had been carrying for years.

Help for Retailers: Tips for Promoting Children’s Health Products to Customers

Safety and taste are on Sugarek MacDonald’s “must have” list for children’s health product development. “Focusing on these key selling points can be beneficial and will most definitely catch a parent’s attention,” she noted. “Because many children are picky eaters, it is important to make great-tasting products they will love to take daily. If they do not like it, they will not take it,” Sugarek MacDonald explained. “Just ask any mom.”

Behind the scenes though, it’s even more critical that children’s health products are formulated in a way that keeps them safe and effective, noted Sugarek MacDonald. Additionally, she stated, retailers who make it a point to show parents that things like clean label products, and those that are allergen-free, kosher, non-GMO and void of artificial ingredients, also helps. “Certifications and clean label initiatives such as these can also help to ease parents’ minds, knowing their children are getting the safest nutrition possible,” said Sugarek MacDonald.

At Genexa Inc., the company’s goal is always to advocate for products that are bringing new consumers to the category, Johnson stated. “The medicine aisle is tired,” said Johnson. “And with so many new products it’s difficult to find the right product for the symptoms your child is currently experiencing.” He believes that by working with retailers to innovate the medicine aisle, it will create an experience that customers will want to return to the store for again and again.

Keeping information simple and manageable is Sutter’s best tip for manufacturers working with busy retailers. “Provide useful bits of easily digestible information which they can use to educate consumers on the many benefits of regular supplementation with high-quality nutritional products,” said Sutter. Doing so will make it more likely the information will be understood and remembered.

Escalante recommended that retailers continue to keep the lines of communication wide open with manufacturers. “Keep talking to your customers about what they’re doing and why. Open dialogue goes a long way toward building trust and rapport with customers in search of natural health solutions,” he stated.

While manufacturers and retailers appear to have had different experiences in the wake of the pandemic, one thing is certain. As more reliable studies are conducted and that information shared, consumer demand for high-quality children’s health promoting products is likely to increase. VR

For More Information:

• Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation, https://bluebonnetnutrition.com/
• ChildLife Essentials, https://childlifenutrition.com/
• Genexa Inc, www.genexa.com
• Health Haven II, http://healthhaven2.com/
• Mountain Meadow Herbs, www.mmherbs.com

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