Taste masking and bio availability enhancing technologies for FMCG client

Client overview

Manufacturer of consumer products utilising a range of natural and synthetic functional compounds.
Their development of future buccal and ingestible product formats would utilise a range of bioactive compounds (e.g. stimulants, relaxants, enhancers, etc), with an unpleasant, strong, or bitter taste.
The client was therefore keen to identify organisations with technologies to mask these tastes, in addition to innovative delivery mechanisms to provide faster absorption, increase bio-absorption and avoid first pass liver metabolism. Platform technologies applicable to multiple compounds and product formats were key.

The search

Strategic Allies Ltd (SAL) initiated a 6-month search to identify proprietary technologies/ingredients/processes to mask similar compounds from those not just used in consumer products, but also the wider food and pharmaceutical industries.
The ability to provide samples, have appropriate IP protection and provide customisation was important to the client, so SAL identified and subsequently interviewed potential partners, providing a verified and filtered short-list of 27 companies (from 9 countries) to the client. We then worked with the client to review the range of opportunities – some of which offered platform technologies that could be applicable to a wide range of bioactive molecules and could be used in various product formats (i.e. suspensions, powders, chewables).
Other technologies were more focussed on masking/enhancing the bioavailability of difficult compounds.

“…your team have been fantastic! …

…good balance of opportunities…

…super-important for our team and wider business…”

Outcome

The client expressed an initial interest in 21 companies that were presented resulting in 9 companies being progressed to discussion under NDA to learn more.

By the end of the search period, the client was in active discussion with 7 companies, had signed 1 commercial agreement to carry out a PoC project, with 4 others heading towards similar agreements.