‘Straightforward’ claims process gives Korea advantage over neighbours

Speaking to FoodNavigator-Asia, Michael Yong-Taek Yi, Chr. Hansen’s Korean representative and head of its health an nutrition division in the peninsula, said probiotics were leading the way, whereas the company’s natural supplements have only been growing by only 5-10% within an overall market that is actually decreasing.

First probiotic claims win​

Last month, Chr. Hansen’s Urex became the first probiotic to win a health claim in South Korea. As a result, the company is now allowed to make the health claim “Urex can help vaginal health by increasing lactic acid bacteria​” on product packaging and in promotion material in the country.

At the time, Lasse Nagell, Chr. Hansen’s sales and marketing vice-president told FoodNavigator-Asia’s sister news service, NutraIngredients.com, that the company had submitted a dossier supporting its health claim application in January this year, and had found the application process “very straightforward and professional​”.

Yi agreed that Korea’s system worked well for Urex, which paves the way for further claims approvals. 

He said: “We are interested in getting more health claims in other areas, and the first thing I’m looking into is opportunities in immune health​. 

“There are a few products available already related to immune health in Korea, so I think there’s no reason why we can’t do it. We have a few good candidates for the immune function so we are quite positive​.”

Approval-sensitive customers​

He added that compared to his colleagues’ experiences elsewhere in Asia, Korea’s claims protocols are much simpler.

“Korea is a good market in which to push health claims. You can get health claims for any new ingredients if you have enough claim conditions. This means that Korean customers are sensitive to approvals for any new ingredients​. 

“If you get the approval, you have a fair chance to succeed in the market​,” Yi said.

Urex will be on the market from late October or early November, and Yi said Chr. Hansen has already received “a mountain of inquiries​” from potential customers. 

“They are competing with each other to get our products. That’s because of the unique nature of the probiotic​,” he said.