SupplySide West highlights: Idols, icons, WINs and lots of attendees

SupplySide West, the premier supplements and food ingredients trade show in North America, announced an 11% increase in registered attendees to hit 19,000.

The show also featured more than 1,500 booths with exhibitors from 80 countries.

The show is an industry-leading platform for companies to showcase new products and technologies to potential customers.

Another strong showing for Ingredient Idol

One of the perennial top draws at the show is the Ingredient Idol competition, where brands vie for the chance to make rapid fire elevator pitches for their ingredients. A panel of expert judges then renders their verdicts.

The categories this year were performance, aging and women, with three finalists in each category.

In a video interview with SupplySide Supplement Journal Content Director Todd Runestad, this year’s winners gave the skinny on why their products made the grade.

The winner in the performance category was RedLeaf Biologics’ ReDaxin. Extracted from the deep red leaves of a rare variety of sorghum that includes unique bioactives, the ingredient has been shown to boost muscle recovery.

In the women’s health category, the winner was Waleria Healthtech with its aspurus ingredient. This proprietary extract of the shatavari root is backed by human clinical research demonstrating its effectiveness in relieving key menopausal symptoms.

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The winner in the aging category was FutureCeuticals’ cognatiQ ingredient. This proprietary extract of coffee fruit (which makes this an upcycled ingredient) is backed by five clinical studies showing effect on key brain biomarkers, structural changes in neurophysiological pathways and functional changes in brain performance both acute and over time.

Women in industry honored at unique event

Women In Nutraceuticals (WIN), the non-profit spearheaded by a cohort of global nutraceutical leaders, announced the honorees of the first annual WIN Awards on Tuesday October 29, 2024 at the WIN Reception held in conjunction with SupplySide West in Las Vegas. This program is designed to celebrate the remarkable contributions and achievements of those who champion gender equity, drive research innovations, excel in mentorship within the nutraceutical sector, and significantly contribute to WIN’s programs. Each award category has been designed to reflect the core mission of WIN: to empower women and foster an inclusive, supportive environment where their talents and contributions can thrive. 

“When Women In Nutraceuticals decided to launch an awards program, it was important to elevate those doing great work that supports our vision of achieving economic and social equality in the global nutraceutical industry,” said WIN President Heather Granato.

Related:SupplySide partner organizations offer networking, education and business opportunities at SupplySide West

Among the winners this year were:

WIN Champion Award: Danielle Masterson, editor at  William Reed Business Media Ltd. for her regulator feature NutraWomen Wednesday. The WIN Champion Award honors a company or organization that has set the gold standard for supporting and championing women in the nutraceuticals industry.

WIN Guiding Star Award: Dr. Sybille Buchwald-Werner, managing director at Vital Solutions GmbH

The WIN Guiding Star Award celebrates an extraordinary individual of any gender who has been instrumental in mentoring and elevating women within the nutraceuticals industry.

WIN Heroine Award: Gillian Fish, founder and CEO, the 6 AM Agency

The WIN Heroine Award is presented to an individual WIN member of any gender whose volunteer efforts have been especially significant, and materially contributed to advancing WIN’s mission.  

WIN Research Pioneer Award: Dr. Susan Kleiner, owner of High Performance Nutrition LLC.

The WIN Research Pioneer Award is presented to an individual of any gender or organization that has made significant contributions to advancing research on nutraceutical products for women or furthering health/nutrition science for women.

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Industry icon makes appearance

Along with idols, the show also featured an industry icon: former Sen. Tom Harkin, who was one of the sponsors of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, the regulation that founded the dietary supplement industry. Sen. Harkin was making the rounds of stakeholder meetings at the show to drum support for an initiative he heads at Drake University called The Harkin Institute. The institute seeks to inform the public and policymakers on the facts surrounding the issues of the day. Wellness and nutrition are its primary focuses. 

UNPA honors Majeed father and son

The show is also a venue for trade associations to connect with their membership. This year, the United Natural Products Alliance honored the late Dr. Muhammed Majeed, as well as his son, Shaheen Majeed, at its member meeting held Wednesday, Oct. 30, during the show.

Dr. Majeed posthumously received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Science & Innovation, while Shaheen received the Excellence in Leadership Award.

Muhammed Majeed, Ph.D., founder and chairman of Sami-Sabinsa Group, passed away on March 13, 2024. Born on September 25, 1948, Majeed grew up in Kollam, in Kerali, India, and earned an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy from the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College in 1973.

After emigrating to the United States in 1975, Majeed earned a master’s degree in industrial pharmacy from Long Island University and went on to earn his doctorate in industrial pharmacy from St. John’s University in 1986. His early experience in pharma included Pfizer, Carter Wallace and Paco Pharmaceuticals in New Jersey, where he was head of research.

Dr. Majeed started Sabinsa Corporation in New Jersey in 1988. The company grew to be one of the largest suppliers of ayurvedic ingredients and specialty chemicals in the dietary supplement industry. It has production facilities in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, India, as well as operations in New Jersey and Utah.

Shaheen Majeed is the global CEO and managing director of the Sami-Sabinsa Group, where he has spent over 25 years shaping the company into a global leader in the nutraceutical ingredient industry. Throughout his tenure, Shaheen has held diverse roles, including sales, supply chain management, manufacturing, regulatory compliance and global marketing. He oversaw the expansion of the company to markets worldwide.

“UNPA is privileged to honor both the late Dr. Muhammed Majeed and Shaheen Majeed. Dr. Majeed was a visionary scientist and entrepreneur who pioneered the introduction of ayurvedic herbal extracts to global markets, blending ancient wisdom with scientific rigor,” said Loren Israelsen, founder and president of UNPA.

“For more than 25 years, Shaheen has been a respected business leader and community builder. Together with his father, and outstanding research capabilities of Sabinsa, Shaheen was a pioneer in bringing the highest quality Indian botanical ingredients to the U.S. and global markets,” Israelsen added.