Magtein^®, a highly bioavailable form for magnesium supplementation, is to debut at Vitafoods Europe in the wake of huge success in the US.

Magtein^®, the proprietary form of magnesium L-threonate – the only effective, bioavailable form of magnesium that can cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the neuron cells – offers significant benefits for both brain and mental health. In multiple clinical studies, it has been found to improve memory, cognition, calmness, mood and quality of sleep.

The key to Magtein^®’s effectiveness is threonate, which facilitates the entry of magnesium into brain cells via glucose transporters (GLUTs), increasing intracellular magnesium levels. In this respect, it stands out from most other magnesium compounds, which have low brain bioavailability, as well as frequently causing gut problems.

In November 2024, magnesium L-threonate received official authorisation as a novel food, allowing its benefits to be enjoyed by consumers in the EU for the first time. This authorisation was approved based on proprietary data on Magtein^® that belongs to AIDP and its partner company ThreoTech, thus providing exclusive distribution protection.

The launch of Magtein^® in the EU follows extraordinary success in the US, where it is available as a branded product in Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club and Costco. With a five-year CAGR of 33 %, it has outperformed the overall market for products containing magnesium, and for formulas for cognition and stress/mood. It has also received over 91,000 reviews on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.5 stars.

In Germany, magnesium ranks as the most popular supplement, with 35 % of consumers taking it and 82 % perceiving it to be effective. Similarly, 99 % of Italian consumers are aware of magnesium, with 31 % taking it.¹

The potential of Magtein^® in the EU is also clear from the high demand for supplements in areas where magnesium offers benefits. For example, anxiety/stress is the top health concern for German consumers, with 33 % willing to take a supplement for it.¹

Rory Lipsky, Sr. VP Marketing, ThreoTech, LLC, said: “Magtein is a truly unique product, which overcomes the brain bioavailability challenges associated with magnesium. The enormous success it has enjoyed in the US is testament to the top level of science involved in its discovery and the wealth of clinical research supporting its functions, as well as the scale of demand for effective solutions for cognitive health, mood and sleep. We’re hugely excited that consumers in the EU, where magnesium is already one of the most taken supplements, are now able to enjoy these benefits too.”

Magtein^® is suitable for use in a wide range of products, including capsules, RTD beverages, snack bars, gummies, gels and powders. It will be showcased at Vitafoods Europe at stand 3M259.

¹ITC Consumer Supplement Survey, 2024 (Ranking based on 37 supplement types).

We unpick how Prime Hydration has become the ‘must-have’ health drink of the year and explore where the brand goes from here.

What is Prime Hydration?

Congo Brands partnered with rapper Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji (KSI) and YouTuber/media personality Logal Paul to produce Prime, a new sports drink that first launched in the US in January 2022. More than half a million people watched the pair announce their beverage collaboration on YouTube.

Positioned with multiple health benefits, the drink appeals to those looking to make ‘better-for-you’ choices across a range of lifestyles – not just athletes.

It is an electrolyte- and antioxidant-fortified beverage with 10 % coconut water, with natural flavours. Its product range includes Ice Pop, Orange, Blue Raspberry, Tropical Punch, Lemon Lime, Grape, and a limited-edition flavour, Meta Moon, flavours. Its launch line-up is a ‘who’s who’ in classic, well-known flavours with broad accessibility and appeal.

Why is it so popular?

The founders have a combined social media following of over 125million across Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube – giving them an enormous ‘ready-made’ customer base.

The brand has secured exclusivity agreements with select retail partners, limiting the ways in which people can purchase the product. This has driven enormous hype around the product’s availability, which only adds to the appeal.

The drink was released in stores and online in the US on the 8th January and strength of demand led to it selling out within hours. In the UK, it was a similar story, with national media adding to the demand with increasing coverage and frenzy around the brand’s limited availability.

This exclusivity has certainly been a key driver behind the drink’s success. According to GlobalData’s Q3 2022 global consumer survey, about 52 % of consumers say that they are often or always influenced by the fact the product they are purchasing is novel or unique.

The Q2 survey highlighted how 43 % of global consumers see food and beverages being endorsed by a celebrity as an essential or nice to have feature, which will have certainly boosted the success of Prime – particularly with the younger generations.

How important are the ingredients?

Quantifying just how important isn’t an exact science, but history tells us that ultimately the taste, and quality, of the flavour are what matter long-term. The draw of celebrity endorsements, fueled by the products’ limited availability are sure to drive huge interest around initial purchase. One must question the longevity of that as a standalone strategy as, without a great tasting formulation behind the brand, appetite will inevitably fizzle out.

The quality of the drinking experience is a big part of what keeps people coming back to a product – making it integral to the brand’s success in the long term.

What’s next?

The brand is preparing to expand to India, Australia, South Africa, and the UAE this year. Logan Paul has been quoted as saying: “We want to be a global brand, and we believe that because the audience JJ and I have built online is extensive – the internet is available in most parts of the world, and we’re finding that our silly mugs are popping up on people’s phones across the world – it would be foolish not to capitalise on it.”

Other brands will surely look to emulate Prime’s success, with influencer-based marketing becoming increasingly prevalent in the beverage industry. We’re also seeing what can be achieved when consumer-aligned ingredients, the right health and wellbeing claims, and a sense of excitement around a product’s exclusivity collide.