Belgians are European champions in dietary supplements
New health trends strengthen international growth of Aminolabs
The demand for sports nutrition, dietary products and vitamin preparations is booming. The daily rat race and the constant pressure to improve performance mean that people are more likely to take dietary supplements. Aminolabs in Belgium is well placed to benefit from the upswing in active nutrition. With its smart innovation and growth strategy the company could even claim to be the European champion in dietary supplements. Recent acquisitions in Belgium, Germany and Croatia have set the tone, but Aminolabs has greater ambitions.
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Trailblazer becomes market leader
Aminolabs was founded in 1993 and works out of a transparent state-of-the-art building on the Corda Campus in Hasselt. Before you go looking for its products in stores, it is worth noting that Aminolabs has no brands of its own. A conscious decision. Aminolabs is exclusively focused on the development, production and sale of sports nutrition and dietary supplements for household names and own brands of retailers. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, an essential nutrient for the maintenance of life and growth, and the basis of dietary supplements. Aminolabs is a Belgian trailblazer in this niche market, an innovator that prioritises quality, transparency and expertise. The company has grown to become the European leader in the industry over the past 24 years and, with demand rising for protein-rich supplements, it is filled with confidence about the future.
Health trends drive demand for protein bars
Aminolabs expects the dietary supplement market to grow at an unprecedented rate over the next few years. Health-conscious consumers are driving demand for nutritious products. Aminolabs manages to respond to clear consumer trends with innovative concepts.
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There is not enough protein in our diet. Elite sportspeople have known that for a long time. But our hectic lifestyles have led more and more people to come to the conclusion that they need something extra to stay healthy and keep their stress and cholesterol levels and other conditions of modern life under control. Protein-rich products that used to be exclusively marketed to athletes and bodybuilders are now being tailored to active consumers. At Aminolabs sports, health and nutrition are becoming increasingly intertwined.
Healthy rather than sweet. Traditional snacks are making way for high-protein health bars. With the addition of new production sites in Croatia and Germany at the end of September Aminolabs is now able to produce nutritious protein bars with a pleasant mouthfeel and rich taste. An impressive example of product development.
Consumers demand more convenience. People lead busy lives and want everything to be immediately available, including dietary supplements. With that in mind, Aminolabs develops healthy ready-to-eat concepts (such as bars) and one-pack-a-day formulas, all-in solutions with all the vitamins and minerals you need in a single capsule or powder sachet.
E-commerce growth. As online shopping booms, dietary supplements need to be sent by post. Aminolabs has the perfect solution: flat packs that conveniently fit into an envelope.
European expansion, international ambitions
Aminolabs invests in research and development in Belgium to ensure it can meet new needs and demands. Founder Roger Anné and CEO Koen Jansens stress that organic growth is important. “The knowhow and expertise we have in house is the source of our strength and we must continue to invest in it. But more than 90 per cent of our production is earmarked for export, so we also target strategic acquisitions. We attract partners who share our vision and are able to add value to our group,” says Koen Jansens. An example is the acquisition of ManuMixx, a Belgian company active in the same industry based in Zottegem, back in 2015. Aminolabs also took over the sport nutrition business of the Croatian nutrition group Atlantic Grupa on 30 September 2017. The company then expanded its production facilities with the acquisition of a specialised production firm based in Bleckede, Germany, which also opened up access to new market channels. “Our aim with these acquisitions is to consolidate our leading position on the European market while also fleshing out our international growth ambitions. The Middle East and Australia in particular hold attractive prospects, bearing in mind the bigger global market,” says Roger Anné.
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