New multi-vitamin dark chocolate range
The release of the multivitamin chocolate pieces follows on from the launch of the company’s earlier calcium-based chocolate product.
The company said that the functional chocolate range has four different flavours: plain, blueberry, mochaccino and vanilla, with each variety claiming to aid either daily wellness, bone health, weight management or stress relief.
Ingredients added to bars include chamomile, B vitamins, vitamin C and D, said Hero Nutritionals.
In addition, said the company, its product is made up of 60 per cent cocoa, doubling the minimum 30 per cent standard for dark chocolate.
Weight management nutraceutical
The company has incorporated its weight management nutraceuticalWellTrim into Slender Nutrition, the mochaccino flavoured chocolate variety.
WellTrim consists of a formulation of botanical extracts that claims to reduce appetites and to boost energy.
The US nutraceutical product developer said the ingredient’s weight loss effects have been tested in randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical trial at the University of Miami.
According to Hero Nutritionals, the nutraceutical “May be used as a stand-alone ingredient or as a complementary ingredient in multiple-ingredient formulations,” and that it can be incorporated into tablets, capsules, stick packs, drinks or bars.
Potential growth claims
Marce McKinnon , a spokesperson for Hero Nutritionals, told ConfectioneryNews.com that it was too early to get a sense of the potential growth for the multivitamin product as it is the first multi-vitamin dark chocolate to be released into the market.
However, she said that reflecting on the current calcium-based chocolate market growth trends and the success of its calcium chocolate product, the company was optimistic in terms of the success of the new range.
According to McKinnon, the company can guarantee that the levels of its vitamins meet the products’ label claims although, in terms of meeting the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) she said it would depend on the product and the number of servings a consumer takes.
The product, she said, is delivered in 28 individually wrapped dark chocolate pieces, is aimed at women and is marketed as a premium supplement that makes taking vitamins enjoyable.
The range is available in four varieties and is currently only on sale in the US. However, McKinnon said the product could be launched elsewhere depending on its success.
