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Cause and Effect
Most Innovative Companies in
H for Healthy
NUTRACEUTICAL MARKET
Five Reasons Why the Nutrition Industry Boomed During the Pandemic How to Plan a Nutritious Diet for a Healthy Life
Vitaquest International A Trusted Name in the Nutraceutical Manufacturing Space VOL 10 ISSUE 04 2021
Bridging the Nutritional Gap iven the lifestyle that we have had in the recent past and the way we compromised our health is alarming. In addition, chemical fertilizers and hybrid food played havoc with our health. Fortunately, some entrepreneurs of the healthcare space came to our rescue with fortified food products and nutritional supplements.
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teenagers to adults. Nutritional supplements fill the nutritional gaps in case of chronic diseases.
These nutraceutical companies have been in existence for quite some time. But, their products were generally used as supplements recommended by a medical practitioner or for athletes.
The COVID-19 pandemic further placed wellness and health as the most critical aspect of humankind. This also gave rise to cut-throat competition in the nutraceutical space, with many players entering the market and introducing new products to attract consumers. It called for innovations in the field, which are happening every day.
All the vitamins and minerals that we got through a healthy, balanced diet now come in concise forms like pills, gels, gummies, syrups, powders, bars, drinks, and other fortified food items. Realization dawned, albeit a bit late, but everyone is becoming increasingly health-conscious and is opting for supplements to boost their immunity and make up for the nutritional deficiencies. Nutraceuticals improve and enhance lives, treating and preventing certain ailments or chronic diseases, delay the aging process, aid in weight loss, increase life expectancy, strengthen immunity and augment the body’s functioning. It has become a ritual to improve dietary benefits and enhance immunity. These supplements contain vitamins, minerals, herbs, and amino acids mainly. Their therapeutic effects have made them a must-have on the kitchen shelves or the dining table. Today, the nutraceutical market caters to all kinds of consumers - from athletes to patients, from children to
According to Grand View Research, Inc., the global dietary supplements market size is expected to reach USD 272.4 billion by 2028. It is likely to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6% from 2021 to 2028.
But choosing the best in the market can be an arduous task. Thus, in our latest edition of Insights Care - 10 Most Innovative Companies in Nutraceutical Market, we shortlisted some reliable ones. Enlighten yourself with this exciting edition. Have a great read!
Sumita Sarkar
Editor’s Note
Cover Story
08
Vitaquest International A Trusted Name in the Nutraceutical Manufacturing Space
Contents
Articles 20
30
H for Healthy
Cause and Effect
How to Plan a Nutri ous Diet for a Healthy Life
Five Reasons Why the Nutri on Industry Boomed During the Pandemic
AMS
16 22 26 32 36
A Step Towards a Healthier Future
CxO Chris Sullens
Ingredia Building Be er Health on the Founda ons of Innova on and Exper se
Life Extension Your Partner on a Journey to Be er Health
Natac
Providing Access to Premium Quality Bioac ve Compounds
Editor-in-Chief Senior Editor
Sumita Sarkar Anish Miller
Managing Editor
Trishika Rokade
Assisting Editors
Abhishek, Gaurav
Visualiser Art & Design Assistant Co-designer Art & Picture Editor Business Development Manager Marketing Manager
David King Mrunalinee Deshmukh Paul Belin Rohil Shinganapurkar Amy Jones John Smith Sarah Wilson, John Smith, Alex Vincent
Business Development Executives Sales Executives
Kelli, Bill, Anna
Technical Head Assistant Technical Head Technical Consultants
Jacob Smile Pratiksha Patil David, Robert
Digital Marketing Manager Assistant Digital Marketing Manager SME-SMO Executives
Alina Sege Amol Wadekar Atul, Gemson
Research Analyst Circulation Manager
Eric Smith Tanaji
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Company Name
Featuring
Description
Alpha Packaging alphap.com
Terry A. Moody CEO
Alpha Packaging is a manufacturer of plastic bottles and jars for personal care products, pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements, household chemicals, automotive chemicals & specialty foods.
America Medic and Science americamedic.com
Moe Kaadan COO and Founder
America Medic & Science AMS is an American nutraceutical company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company specializes in the manufacturing of natural products and dietary supplements.
Aminolabs aminolabs.com
Roger Anne Chairman of Board/Founder
Aminolabs is an international leading manufacturer of innovative health, sport and fitness brands.
Concordix concordix.com
Klaus Neumann CEO
Concordix's disruptive oral delivery form, enables oil and water-soluble ingredients, it is sugar free, all natural, easy to take without water and comes in a variety of a great tastes.
Ingredia ingredia.com
Tammy Keiser Director of Sales and Marketing
Ingredia’s task is to promote all the milk produced by the members of the cooperative group La Prospérité Fermière.
Life Extension lifeextension.com
Paul Gilner CEO
Life Extension® is the health solutions expert that is translating scientific research into everyday insights for people wanting to live their healthiest lives.
Natac natacgroup.com
Antonio Delgado Co-founder and CEO
Natac is a company dedicated to investigating, developing, and sustainably manufacturing plant extracts and ingredients of natural origin.
Nexus Wise International nexuswise.com
Angelene Ong CEO
NEXUS WISE had been recognized as South East Asia’s leading solution provider specialized in supplying a diversified portfolio of Nutraceutical / Functional Food/ Health Supplements Branded Ingredients.
Vitabiotics vitabiotics.com
Tej Lalvani CEO
Vitabiotics has pioneered advances in nutritional healthcare for 45 years, a British company committed to human health and research.
Vitaquest vitaquest.com
Patrick Brueggman President and CEO
Vitaquest International is an industry-leading development and commercialization partner for consumer products featuring a broad array of dosage forms and delivery technologies in nutraceuticals and functional foods.
Vitaquest International A Trusted Name in the Nutraceutical Manufacturing Space
C O V E R S T O R Y
Our mission is to deliver what’s next in supplements and functional foods through innovation and awless execution. We’re passionate about improving people’s health.
10 Most Innova ve Companies in Nutraceu cal Market
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onsidering the rising demand among consumers, an ascending growth of the nutraceutical industry has created several new avenues in the health and nutrition space. According to a report by Statista, the US nutraceutical market was worth $71 billion in 2017 and is projected to reach $133 billion by 2025 – a growth rate of 46%. This means that the average household will spend $2156 on health supplements every year over the next ten years, about 18% more than they did last year ($1806). Companies operating in the nutraceutical market are creating products that can improve and even enhance lives. And through this edition, we set out to seek the 10 most innovative companies in the nutraceutical industry. In this quest, we came across one such prominent company, Vitaquest International, an industry-leading development and commercialization partner for consumer products, featuring a broad array of innovative solutions in nutraceutical and functional foods. “You may not have heard of Vitaquest International – but every day you see the products we make on the shelves of your local pharmacy, health food store and online on sports nutrition websites, physician websites, and more,” says Patrick Brueggman, the President and CEO Today, Vitaquest creates and produces more than 4,000 custom products for more than 500 brands in over 75 countries, making it one of the world’s leading companies in delivering health and wellness products to people of all ages and walks of life. As a company, Vitaquest’s mission is to deliver what’s next in supplements and functional foods – through innovation and flawless execution. “We’re passionate about improving people’s health,” says Brueggman. One of the keys to Vitaquest’s growth and success is that it doesn’t cut corners, and it does things the way regulators and its customers expect – from the high-quality raw ingredients it sources through strict manufacturing controls and quality testing. “At Vitaquest, we probably do more quality testing than any similar company in our industry. Our commitment to doing things the right way also means we conduct all these steps in our own facilities – whereas many companies use third parties for testing and other manufacturing steps,” adds Brueggman.
Patrick Brueggman President and CEO Vitaquest Interna onal
“We also pride ourselves on innovation. We continually update our manufacturing capability to the state-of-the-art and have been at the forefront of developing new product concepts and innovative delivery systems for healthpromoting formulations,” says the Vitaquest President and CEO. These commitments to quality and innovation have fuelled the company’s growth over the last four decades to the point where today, it is one of the largest supplement and functional food contract manufacturers in the industry. Excellence that Redefines Benchmarks Talking about the aspects that give Vitaquest a leading edge over its competition, Brueggman says, “One thing our customers are excited about is the new 200,000 square foot former Pfizer facility we inaugurated in early 2021. By adding an additional 200,000 square feet and expanding our total footprint to 500,000 square feet, it was the most significant investment in the history of our company. When we were done, we had increased our manufacturing,
by the fact that it was the first nutraceutical company to secure FSSC22000 certification.
Today, Vitaquest creates and produces more than 4,000 custom products for more than 500 brands in over 75 countries.
warehousing, product development, and laboratory space by over 50%.” For Vitaquest’s customers, this expansion means support and reliability during uncertain times. It means the company’s facilities are among the most modern in the industry. And it means that it can do more for them than it has ever before. Two other business initiatives help Vitaquest stand out – the TotalQ™ Commitment to Quality and the VQ Solutions™ third-party logistics capability. TotalQ isn’t just about cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations) and certifications; TotalQ permeates every aspect of Vitaquest’s business. “Our people are passionate about ingredient sourcing, manufacturing to exacting specifications and testing….testing….testing, with a goal of delivering to our customers—and the consumer—the safest, most efficacious products on the market,” Brueggman expresses. VQ Solutions is a turnkey warehousing and fulfillment option that starts from the manufacturing floor and ends at the customer location. It starts with the company’s large, modern, centrally located warehouse facility in West Caldwell, NJ. This facility was designed for food-grade storage – and only houses nutraceutical products. Customer products aren’t stored next to tires, books, and baby carriages. This temperature-controlled facility is GMP certified, FDAcompliant, and has FSSC2000 certification, the highest international food safety certification level. The Vitaquest team has a keen focus on innovation and how it can help customers and improve the world. This is proven
Vitaquest is also committed to environmental sustainability. It only works with ingredient suppliers who care about environmental stewardship, sustainable harvesting, and fair trade. The company recently installed a solar energy system at its corporate headquarters that produces enough energy to power more than 35 average-sized residential homes every year. “We are also immensely proud of our two-decade association and support of the Vitamin Angels project, which helps at-risk populations around the world by giving them access to lifesaving and life-changing vitamins and mineral supplements free-of-charge,” says Brueggman. Exemplary Expertise Prior to joining Vitaquest, Patrick Brueggman spent his career in a broad range of roles in the specialty chemical and ingredients industries, with executive roles at Vantage, Ashland, Hercules, and General Electric. “This experience was concentrated in the latter years in pharmaceutical, food, and personal care related organizations – which all touch what we do here at Vitaquest,” says Brueggman. “I’m a technical/engineering person by training. My resume says I have deep multi-functional experience, including commercial development, Six Sigma process focus, and innovation for growth – which means I wore a lot of different hats at a lot of big companies coming up. “When I got here, I found a high-achieving culture with some of the best people in the industry. What we’ve been able to do since then is more of what we’re good at. We’ve streamlined and grown our manufacturing capability; we’ve developed new capabilities for our customers, and we’ve grown closer to those customers through a focus on their needs. Finally, I think what we’ve been able to do in the last few years is communicate the type of value that we bring to the table to the industry at large,” he adds. We asked Brueggman what his advice would be to entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into the nutraceuticals manufacturing market, to which he says, “If you are asking whether I’d suggest that aspiring entrepreneurs venture into the nutraceuticals manufacturing market, I wouldn’t. And, it’s not just because we don’t want the competition. The
costs, regulatory requirements, and expertise associated with manufacturing for this market mean you just don’t ‘jump in.’ In fact, our job is becoming tougher than ever, and contract manufacturers who are not investing and innovating will see less demand for their services in the future. “Now, if you’re asking whether I would suggest aspiring entrepreneurs get into bringing innovative supplement or food ideas to market, I’d say an emphatic ‘yes.’ Smaller companies are making an enormous impact on innovation in our industry – which is changing faster than ever before. Some of the biggest brands on the market weren’t here three years ago. And the industry as a whole is growing rapidly. “At Vitaquest, we work with a number of entrepreneurs, and we are anxious to build more new relationships. “Once you have a great idea for a new product, one of the early stumbling blocks many smaller companies face is that they are unfamiliar with the manufacturing process. That is why a contract manufacturer like Vitaquest can be so important.
Smaller companies are making an enormous impact on innovation in our industry – which is changing faster than ever before.
“If you are working with a contract manufacturer, one of the first things you need to do is visit their facility to see what is happening there. How much of your product will they make in-house, and what steps will they outsource? This affects quality control and delivery speed. Do they follow cGMP manufacturing processes? If not, there is a chance that you will have quality issues or possibly a run-in with the FDA. Product recalls can destroy a brand that people have worked hard to build. This is a risk you do not have to take,” states Brueggman.
Vitaquest has the market insight, innovative spirit, and breadth of capability to help deliver our customers’ products to market.
Overcoming Adversities When asked about the challenges that Vitaquest came across during the pandemic, Brueggman said, “Looking at Vitaquest and the industry, sales of nutraceuticals have increased dramatically during the pandemic, as consumers started taking a more proactive approach to their health and wellness. “We are seeing a younger demographic embrace self-care and regularly choosing nutraceuticals in big numbers for the first time. At Vitaquest, we continue to experience growth as the pandemic drags on, and we expect that will continue once the pandemic starts to subside because these new customers have now experienced the benefits that nutraceuticals provide. It’s an unhappy reason that has created this growth but could benefit people in the long run. “With this growth, the major challenge faced by our industry—and in fact across most businesses in the USA—is a qualified labor shortage. Added to that, we are facing the logistic and supply chain challenges that are plaguing all industries. “From an industry perspective, the supply chain and logistical challenges introduced by the pandemic may force some smaller companies to shutter. Fortunately, as a larger organization, we are able to overcome the labor challenges, and our long-term supply partnerships have kept the flow of raw materials coming,” he added. Venturing towards New Horizons We asked Brueggman regarding his vision for scaling Vitaquest’s operations and offerings in 2021, to which he said, “We are already scaling our company’s offerings, as mentioned with the new manufacturing facility we opened in Parsippany earlier this year. As the year progresses, we are seeing better service and an intriguing mix of new products. We have grown to become the industry’s leading
100-percent custom contract manufacturer of solid and powdered dose supplements. “In addition to the entrepreneurial companies I discussed, we have global pharmaceutical and CPG companies that collaborate with us because we are able to scale our operations to serve any size customer and to fill any size order – internationally. “With initiatives like VQ Solutions, we are truly a one-stopshop for large and small clients. Some of our customers come to us with little or no industry experience, but they have a great idea that needs to be developed into a winning product. Other clients are established brands with existing products and formulas that they want us to produce with excellence. Still, others might be looking for us to help them to imagine, create and develop new SKUs or line extensions. “Regardless of the need, Vitaquest has the market insight, innovative spirit, and breadth of capability to help deliver our customers’ products to market. A customer may not need all the services we provide, but they are always available to help drive innovation, quality, and marketability in the products we manufacture,” concludes Brueggman.
A Step Towards a Healthier Future
Moe Kaadan COO and Co-founder
16|October 2021|www.insightscare.com
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ome decades ago, people visited the fast-food outlets to consume food without knowing its adverse effects on health. But in recent times, society has become more conscious about better health management. People are now taking care of their health and choosing their diet wisely. They have realized the importance of organic products and they are preferring organic products over their chemically influenced counterparts. Organic products are grown without the use of harmful chemical fertilizers. Hence, most diet-conscious people are swiftly adapting to organic dietary supplements. On the other hand, with negligible side effects, organic products are in high demand. This demand has led to the growth of the organic food market. Looking at this booming sector, many companies launched their nutraceutical products (medicinally functional products). One prominent name in that list is America Medic & Science (AMS). It is an American nutraceutical company established in 2007 that is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. AMS manufactures and distributes high-quality, organic natural products and dietary supplements for all individuals and age groups. The visionary leader Moe Kaadan with a combined three decades of experience in pharmaceuticals has led the team to become known pioneers in the industry. Also, the dedication to producing high-quality products and providing cutting-edge innovation has allowed the company to rapidly expand its scope of business across all major continents and partner with the top global figures in the industry to deliver innovative products to consumers.
Green & Clean is the future. Nutraceu cal for the Health & Wellness industry is the Electrical Cars for the Auto Industry.
Mission AMS aims to become the global trusted leader in the field of nutraceuticals. Talking about the company’s vision, Moe said, “We take pride in extending our hand to individuals of all ages with a health concern that we can address through quality, safe, organic nutritional supplements that complement a wide variety of lifestyles and diets. Together we can build a brighter, healthier future and work towards a better quality of life.” From the Box AMS has a wide range of supplements, but the company’s specialty is its Fertility line. It was developed to support men and women suffering from various infertility issues. The wide range of products within the line support different cases of infertility at different stages (before and during pregnancy, before and during IVF protocol). Considering women, there are products for PCOS patients, for elderly women that want to conceive, for patients having trouble to keep the baby while pregnant, and women who would like to prepare for the IVF procedure.
Talking about men, the company provides products for general male infertility as well as infertility due to low sperm count or low sperm motility. The company’s fertility line products are clinically approved fertility supplements and are often recommended by physicians and healthcare professionals for optimal results. Eminent Leader Moe Kaadan is the inspiration behind the success of AMS. He has hands-on experience in leadership of a multitude of functions across innovation, science, regulatory, technical, business development, and marketing with a proven track record of driving corporate growth and revenue from concept through commercialization. Moe said, “We saw a shift in the demand for our products in the immunity category, but our sales continued to grow. However, now we are back seeing fertility pick up again and sales of course is still growing.” Role of AI Although the potential for success is enormous, delivering business impact from AI initiatives takes much longer than anticipated. IT leaders responsible for AI are discovering ‘AI polo paradox,’ where launching pilots is deceptively easy but deploying them into a product is notoriously challenging. But all for all, once that is in the works, Moe believes the future of the nutraceutical solutions niches will evolve tremendously. Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs Talking about the future career options and the scope of growth in the sector, Moe shared his thoughts – “Research the market inside out - make sure you have something new to offer, something to improve on existing products and take time to make sure
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• ACHIEVEMENTS •
every aspect of your business is perfected!” What lies on the Next Page? AMS is looking to expand its services with new product launches. The company is currently in the process of developing new formulations with Ayurvedic ingredients that aren’t widely used or known about. AMS is making improvements in existing formulations and looking to make the brand more sustainable from where it is today. Moe said, “As the business continues to scale higher and higher, we are also planning to support various charities and find ways to incorporate this into our long-term plan in having one of our own.”
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Arab Health Award 2019: Selected from over 50,000 exhibitors as the “Best Space Only Booth of the Year” USA Pavilion
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GMP Certification
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FDA inspected Facility
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Registered in over 25 countries, worldwide
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Sold over 2 Million bottles in 2020
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Grew 30% in the past 3 years
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How to Plan a
Nutritious DIET for a Healthy Life
healthy eating plan is the foundation of a healthy life. Your nutritional intake is directly proportional to your health. And your daily nutritional intake must be planned accordingly.
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the brain that we are hungry or we are full. But the process takes 20 minutes. So, if you are finish eating in twenty minutes, that means the signals reach the brain when you have already stopped the intake.
A diet rich in fresh, natural vegetables and fruits is the best source of nutrition. It gives many health benefits, including the reduced risk of several chronic diseases.
That is why you must eat more slowly and peacefully so that your brain gets time to know that you are full and to release digestive hormones accordingly.
But instead of changing your diet in a big way, you can make the changes slowly, one at a time. It will help you keep track of the changes and adjust to the changes appropriately.
Choose Whole Grain Bread and Greek Yogurt
Here are some planning tips you can include in your regular diet to make it healthier. Regular and Peaceful Eating Once you establish a routine of your breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner, please, make sure that you stick to it, no matter what. Health must be your topmost priority. And to keep it, you must be regular in your eating habits. Also, you must slow down while eating. Because your pace decides the quantity you eat, which guides your weights gain/loss. Scientific studies prove that quick eaters eat more and gain weight quickly. Thus, they have a much higher body mass index (BMI) as compared to those who eat slowly and peacefully. Our hormones control our appetite. They decide how much we eat and how full we get. These hormones give signals to
Whole grains provide many health benefits, as compared to refined grains which are proven to be leading to many health issues. Reduced risks of heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancer are directly linked to whole grains. Whole grains are also a good source of fiber minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc, and manganese. They also taste better than refined grains. Greek yogurt is thicker, creamier, and contains twice as much protein (up to 10 grams/3.5 ounces) as regular yogurt. A good source of protein keeps you fuller for a longer duration. And you can make sure that you are picking up simple, plain, and unflavoured varieties free of added sugars and chemicals. Eat Eggs to increase your protein intake You can eat eggs in the morning for breakfast, as they are incredibly healthy. They are not only rich in high-quality protein but also contain many essential nutrients like
20|October 2021|www.insightscare.com
H for Healthy choline, which you cannot get in the other way. Thus, their consumption in the morning increases the feeling that you are full, and in reality, you consume fewer calories later. As once full of eggs in the morning, you will never feel hungry the entire day. So, no excessive food intake and no excessive weight gain. Protein is called by many as the king of nutrients, just like the full-bellied breakfast, which is the king of the meals. High-protein breakfast is the best filler of macronutrients, decreases the level of ghrelin, the hormone of hunger, and is better than any high-carb meal, a reason for obesity. Protein helps you retain your muscle mass prevent muscle loss, which occurs with aging. It is the best way to lose weight, maintain a slim-fit body, and remain healthy. Other (than eggs) sources of proteins include dairy products, peanut butter, nuts, beans, and lean meat.
resistance exercise is provided by the fresh, natural whole fruits. Instead of fruit juices or beverages, drink enough water. It is very important for your overall health. Drinking enough water helps in reducing excess weight, toxicants, and stress from your body. Beverages, on the other hand, only add all these factors to your body, leading you towards an unhealthy lifestyle. Make sure that you are not taking the ‘Health is Wealth’ philosophy as another common cliché. During such times of global pandemic, you must make your health your topmost concern. Stay healthy, stay safe. Au revoir!
Replace your fast food with Healthier Cooked Foods Eating out does not mean you should eat unhealthy fast food or junk food. Avoid them at any cost. Instead, you can go for healthier and tastier fusion kitchens. Or you can just cook at home. And while cooking at home, you can also avoid going for too much grilled, fried, and deep-fried meat and fish, as they create several toxic compounds like heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and advanced glycation end products. Instead, you can use healthier cooking methods like baking, light broiling, pressure cooking, poaching, slow cooking, simmering, sous-vide, and stewing. These methods do not create any harmful compounds. Eat your Greens and Fruits: Drink water, not fruits Enjoy your greens as starters so that you will be hungriest for later meals. Eating greens before a carb-heavy meal is beneficial for maintaining short and long-term blood sugar levels. Similarly, fruits are also full of water, vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. Their natural sugars are digested slowly as compared to the artificial sugars, which raises your blood sugar levels rapidly. Avoid drinking fruit juices, as many of them are not even made of real fruits but only concentrate and more sugars than required. They may lead to diabetes. Even real fruit juices are reduced of fiber, and that essential chewing
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- Gaurav Wankhade.
Chris Sullens, CEO CentralReach
22|October 2021|www.insightscare.com
T
here is good news and bad news about today’s behavioral health industry, an industry that is expected to surpass $242 billion in revenue globally by 2027. I’ll start with the bad news, which is that there’s a severe shortage of Board Certified Behavioral Analysts (BCBAs or clinicians) -- an estimated 45,000 currently available to care for 1.5 million people nationally diagnosed to be on the autism spectrum -- which means there are hundreds of thousands of children and families that can’t get the care they need when they need it most. On top of that, the latest CDC report on autism prevalence found that the rate of prevalence in 8-year children has
23|October 2021|www.insightscare.com
increased to 1 in 44, meaning thousands more are being diagnosed each year. On top of these staff-driven capacity constraints, compliance and regulatory requirements are also increasing quickly. This creates a perfect storm of factors that reduce capacity, delay much-needed care, increase parent frustration, and most importantly, negatively affect learner outcomes. On the good news front, the increase in funding and resources devoted to this space means more children than ever are receiving assessments and gaining access to care earlier than ever before. And the clinician care gap is starting to close as the number of BCBAs entering the field is growing at 20% annually, twice the rate of the number of children newly diagnosed on the spectrum each year. The other bright spot is the increasing availability and adoption of technology and digital tools by clinicians, parents, and even the autistic individuals themselves. These solutions allow each clinician and practice to increase the number of individuals they help while also improving the outcomes those individuals achieve. This win-win outcome is the result of technology helping practitioners streamline workflows, automate regulatory and compliance handling, improve payment collection rates, and leverage AI-based scheduling to increase the capacity of current staff and improve overall business efficiency. It’s worth double-clicking on the scheduling challenges, an acute pain point for the industry. I spent over ten years providing advanced scheduling technology to the field service and last-mile delivery industry prior to joining this industry, and I can honestly say that the scheduling complexity in the ABA industry far exceeds that of those schedule-intensive industries. Turnover, especially at the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) level, is massive, exceeding 60% by some accounts. Clinicians are often bogged down with tasks that take time away from seeing patients, like handling billing processing and preparing reports. It is nearly impossible to manually create schedules that optimize the use of authorized hours. If the schedule results in overutilization of those hours, reimbursements will be denied. On the other hand, if the schedule results in underutilization of the authorized hours, which happens more often, providers fail to maximize reimbursements, and children receive less time than they need, which can reduce progress
and outcomes overall. In fact, based on aggregated internal data from our users, the average provider only receives reimbursement for 50%-70% of the total service hours that have been authorized, creating a material reduction in revenue generated, staff satisfaction, and client capacity. A great example of the potential impact of technology for a growing ABA practice came from one of our clients, the CEO of an Arizona-based ABA practice. He was experiencing similar growing pains when he opened his clinical practice 15 years ago. As his practice grew, he quickly realized handling the practice management and back-office operations of the business was becoming very time-consuming and cutting into the hours that the BCBAs like himself and others at the practice could spend treating patients. That resulted in the loss of revenue, frustration among his staff, and a growing waitlist of children that they were unable to serve. His move from pen and paper to a robust, integrated technology platform allowed him to improve the quality and volume of care data they collected, streamline patient scheduling and billing processes, improve collection rates, and improve compliance with state and federal regulations. Most importantly, adopting the right technology platform enabled the organization to remain dedicated to its original mission: to help as many individuals and their families affected by autism as possible throughout their lifetime. Today, they are doing just that and more. The practice expanded its services to include speech therapy, has started a counseling program, and recently hired a psychologist to begin diagnostic evaluations. Further expansion plans include new facilities across the state of Arizona with adult programs, job training, community and day programs, group homes, and additional therapy services. The increasing demand for services certainly requires more BCBAs to enter the field to close the capacity constraint gap -- but that takes time. As we work to draw more professionals into our field, broader technology adoption and utilization by today’s providers and clinicians will allow us to collectively reduce the number of families on waitlists, increase the number of children we can help, improve the outcomes of those individuals and do so while improving the efficiency and profitability of our practices – the definition of a win-win outcome for our businesses and most importantly for the community we serve.
24|October 2021|www.insightscare.com
Tammy Keiser Director of Sales & Marketing – Americas
Building Better Health on the Foundations of Innovation and Expertise
01| MM 2021|www.insightscare.com
10 Most Innovative Companies in Nutraceutical Market
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utraceuticals are the new frontier in health and wellness — conceived from the mix of the nutrition and pharmaceutical disciplines.
nutrition and health, certified by SQF Food Safety & Food Quality, FDA, and Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Ingredia’s dairy-based In a day and age where personal health needs prioritizing of a tantamount nature, it’s not just about what we eat, but also how it affects our body on a molecular level from the inside out. Whether you’re looking for better skin, more energy, or weight loss, companies operating across the global nutraceutical market strive continuously to bring the customer just what they want. One prominent name among such global leaders is Ingredia Inc., a major player in the global industry of dairy ingredients that develops and produces natural ingredients such as proteins and bioactives coming from milk cracking. A specialist in quality dairy ingredients, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, Ingredia promotes all the milk produced by the members of the cooperative group La Prospérité Fermière. The company aims to help food and beverage manufacturers make the most of dairy ingredients. It provides them solutions that contribute to innovation in products and enhanced productivity in their plants, while staying true to a responsible production approach.
bioactive ingredients are used in numerous applications such as dietary supplements or functional foods and beverages.
from Ingredia’s cow’s milk produced in an integrated chain in the dairy area around the factory. This makes it evident that Ingredia has regional proximity to its supply and can guarantee full traceability of the raw material from collection to processing. In addition, through its expertise, Ingredia uses gentle, non-denaturing milk separation methods in the production of its natural ingredients for
“Committed in sustainability, Ingredia Inc. dairy ingredients rely on high quality specifications. Experts in innovation, we work alongside our customers to support them to generate success for them – now and into the future,” says Tammy Keiser, the Director of Sales and Marketing at Ingredia. Tammy has a passion to help others find healthy solutions both personally and professionally. She has 12 years of experience in the dairy industry working with both bioactive and dairy products. Tammy comprehends the value dairy products bring to the healthy lifestyles people work towards and promote, and that is exhibited in her contributions towards accomplishing Ingredia’s vision and mission. When asked Tammy about the steps that Ingredia took to pivot from the challenges imposed by the pandemic, to which she says, “The medical world deems it more important to consider a patient’s state of health in general in order to best assess the state of their
Ingredia’s dairy-based bioactive ingredients are used in numerous applications such as dietary supplements or functional foods and beverages. They are clinically proven and sought after for their recognized positive effects on health and wellbeing. Milk proteins used in the creation of bioactives for health come directly
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immune system. Age, overweight or obesity, often high blood sugar levels, complications from diabetes and other health problems are all factors that could lead to severe COVID-19 symptoms. Ingredia’s new bioactive Pep2Dia® is a natural ingredient designed to help health-conscious consumers maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Thanks to its ability to inhibit the action of alpha-glucosidase enzyme, Pep2Dia® shows significant results in reducing glycaemia in several clinical studies.” Taking a look at the awards and recognition that Ingredia has achieved thus far: Selected by the ANIA from major names in the food industry and before a prestigious jury, Ingredia was awarded in 2021, the prize for excellence of an entire industry. This prize for social and environmental commitment is the recognition of a group of women and men united by CSR, an agile and innovative company, promoting all the links in the regional dairy chain. Ingredia offers bottles of milk, cream, and dairy ingredients under blockchain, a world first, which raises Ingredia from BtoB to FtoC (Farmer to consumer), with real time audit by the consumer. Looking ahead, at the Pet Food Forum USA and Vitafoods Europe 2021, Ingredia will showcase its nutritional products for Healthy Ageing: Lactium® for stress management, Pep2Dia for blood sugar management, Prodiet® Lactoferrin to booste immunity, Osteum® CPP for bones health and Prodiet® Creamy for clinical nutrition market.
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Reasons Why the
Nutrition Industry Boomed
During the Pandemic
E
very crisis is an opportunity to learn. The pandemic is one such crisis, where people learned about an old adage, ‘The first wealth is health,’ written by the American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson in 1860, anew. And their learning and the severity of the pandemic boosted the nutrition industry in an unprecedented way. And there were many good reasons or causes for this positive effect. But the five major reasons were awareness, immunity, demand, supply, and access. Let us look at them quickly. • Awareness Staying healthy means staying contagion-free. This awareness broadened the consumers’ outlook towards their own health. Many surveys conducted during the pandemic prove it. It shows that people are deeply caring about the kind of fitness they are currently having and the level of health they need to fight the onslaught of many new diseases and
coronavirus variants. And the level of health is based directly on the kind of nutrition people are taking in their diets. Because a better diet means better nutrition, and better nutrition means better fitness, which ultimately means better health. Thus, instead of fast foods, junk foods, and unhealthy outside foods, people are looking for hygienic, homecooked, and nutrition full food. Now, nutritional foods include fruits and berries, nuts and seeds, vegetables, grains, bread, legumes, tubers, dairy products, eggs, meats, fish and seafood, and fats and oils. All these foods have seen increased popularity amongst the general population and experts who are recommending them increasingly. • Immunity Though our immunity is our one constant companion throughout our lifetime, people only recognize it in the time of illness/sickness. But during the pandemic, it came into the limelight as everyone was talking about it. In fact, many of those who were completely ignorant of the concept became an overnight enthusiast. Because, when people went deeper into the concept of health, they found that their immunity is the backbone of their being healthy, and that immunity and health are two different concepts altogether.
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Cause and Effect This revelation brought them to the concept of boosting their immunity. And obviously, they began searching for immunity-boosting foods and products. The immunityboosting foods include blueberries, turmeric, oily fish, shellfish, broccoli, sweet potatoes, spinach, ginger, garlic, sunflower seeds, almonds, oranges, and kiwifruits, citrus fruits, papaya, chicken, yogurt, and red bell pepper. The immunity-boosting products include dark chocolates, green tea, kefir (a fermented drink containing cultures of bacteria that are beneficial to health), and vitamins and minerals supplements.
• Supply According to the USDA, the production and manufacturing of food during the pandemic were closely monitored (with state and federal partners) and widely dispersed throughout America. They were and are in regular contact with local grocery stores and food manufacturers. Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) kept assisting in the government’s wide efforts in ensuring all Americans are properly and regularly supplied their food.
• Demand The nutrition category has emerged as the major contributor to the consumer health industry’s immense growth during the pandemic. Especially, the segment of immunity and immunity-boosting nutritional products saw the biggest boost in demand. People from urban areas who used to consume more processed and fast food before the pandemic have shifted their eating habits, with a positive behavioral change in nutritional diet consumption. As per the Food and Health survey conducted by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) 2020, almost 85% of Americans changed the way they eat or cook their food due to the coronavirus pandemic. As many as 60% of the respondents said that they are cooking at home more. This was the biggest positive change in consumer behavior. It meant that these consumers’ demand for fresh foods which they could cook at their homes increased. An Italian survey of 3533 Italian respondents published in the Journal of Translational Medicine showed that the majority indicated an increased demand for organic fruits and vegetables, cereals, and legumes, especially in the North and Center of Italy. In short, the general population around the world started making healthier food and nutritional choices than they made before the pandemic. Consumers everywhere began demanding more fruits and vegetables and less fried food, sugars, and salts.
According to the Elsevier Public Health Emergency survey, in the United States, during the six weeks of the first wave in 2020, dietary supplement sales increased by 44% (US$435 million) as compared to the 5% increase in the same period in 2019. It was also reported that in March 2020, sales for multivitamins spiked by 51.2%, with total sales of vitamins and supplements touching 120 million units for the period. Similarly, the UK saw a 63% increase in vitamin sales, and France saw a growth of 40 to 60% in sales of vitamins in the same period. • Access As per the research by Euromonitor, people above the age of 60 are validating on-the-pack statements in an effort to limit their intake of artificial sugar, salt, GMOs, high fructose corn syrup, and other artificial chemicals and ingredients. Now they are seeking out positive nutrients like fiber more to stay healthy. The survey also showed increasing access to foods that improved gut health, for example, pro-and-prebiotics, fiber, and fermented foods. As personal health, global pandemic, and sustainability are strongly driving the consumer’s shifting interest, the nutrition industry’s plant-based R&D has shifted its own focus from mimicking meat, fish, and dairy onto the nutritional optimizing options which are more natural and sustainable. Let us hope that the shift will remain postpandemic too. - Gaurav Wankhade.
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Life Extension Your Partner on a Journey to Better Health
S
ince the ancient age, people have been in search of increasing their life span. From meditation to Yoga, individuals have practiced many techniques to maintain a healthy lifestyle for a longer period. In the same quest, medical science has advanced towards new zeniths in recent years. As a result, lifestyle and wellness products have become more accessible to people. Today, the term wellness can be seen marketed everywhere, be it on commercials, healthcare magazines, or even on food packaging. Wellness products and solutions have become a popular choice for a healthy and fulfilling life. Especially in this fastpaced world, where it is essential to manage our nutrition and diet. Hence, educating people about healthcare solutions and their scientific information is necessary. This is the reason why Life Extension is dedicatedly providing health solutions to its customers. The professional team at Life Extension provides personalized counsel to aid people in choosing the right products for nutrition, optimal health, and personal care. In an interview with Insights Care, Paul Gilner, the CEO of Life Extension, sheds light on the journey of his company, its offerings, and the recent trends in the nutraceutical space. Below are the glimpses of the interview:
We lend our expertise to those conducting meaningful investigations into health and longevity. Please brief our audience about Life Extension, its mission, and the key aspects of its stronghold within the nutraceutical solutions niche.
well, to further substantiate ingredient benefits and establish optimal dosages. After reviewing the science, we then formulated our products using the same nutrients at the same doses that showed benefits in the studies. We source only the finest ingredients, which are rigorously verified for purity and potency through independent lab testing. A certificate of analysis (CoA) is a document that contains the data from the finished product lab testing, and Life Extension freely offers the CoA for any product of any lot.
Life Extension has been in the business for over 40 years as a privately held company. Our mission is to help people live their longest and healthiest life. We achieve this through educating the public on the most current and cutting-edge scientific information available. Our clinical researchers are constantly seeking innovative ways to improve health and wellness, and we share this knowledge in our comprehensive Health Protocols, in our monthly Life Extension® Magazine, and online in our wellness Guide.
Tell us more about the products that have built Life Extension’s stronghold as a major player in the global industry?
In addition to that, Life Extension has funded over $180 million towards antiaging and disease research. We also provide raw materials and lend our expertise to those conducting meaningful investigations into health and longevity. And our Life Extension scientists conduct clinical research, as
Life Extension has been pioneering health information for decades. Back in the 1980s, we introduced anti-aging nutrients CoQ10 and DHEA. In the 1990s, we introduced the American public melatonin for sleep support and SAMe (S-adenosyl-methionine) for mood support.
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10 Most Innovative Companies in Nutraceutical Market
About the Leader Paul Gilner has led Life Extension for more than two decades, first as a CFO and then as CEO. He started with the organization in 1998. Paul had previously worked as a controller for Sunglass Hut. As its CEO, Paul has made a huge impact on the growth of Life Extension by implementing a solid foundation across multiple areas, including quality control, manufacturing, ingredient sourcing, scientific validation, legal compliance, distribution, and marketing.
Paul Gilner CEO
Many of these departments and processes did not exist when he first started at the organization. For example, Paul launched our reseller channel initiatives, and now Life Extensions is available through major vitamin and supplement retailers, such as Vitamin Shoppe, Vitacost, and Amazon.
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entrepreneurs and nutrition enthusiasts aspiring to venture into Healthcare Services?
Our mission is to help people live their longest and healthiest life.
In 2010, we introduced PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone), which promotes the growth of new mitochondria. And as we move into the 2020s, our track record continues. Our formulation scientists persist in looking for innovative ways to enhance the absorption of important nutrients and strive to update dosages based on current research. Our new liposomal vitamin C formula is combined with a galactomannan hydrogel which achieves up to seven times greater vitamin C blood levels over a 24-hour period when compared to regular vitamin C. We also updated our Vitamin K2 (menaquinone-4) dose to provide a 45,000-mcg option to help maintain bone density. These are just a sampling of Life Extension’s long history of industry achievements. As a seasoned business leader, what is your opinion on the effects of the pandemic on the nutraceutical space, and what were the challenges that Life Extension came across? The pandemic brought forth new proactive consumers looking for efficacious ways to support immune health. The focus shifted to diet, exercise, and dietary supplementation to promote overall health. Most consumers do their own investigation and rely on trusted sources of information. This has opened the door to a larger customer base who are seeking validated and safe ways to ease stress, support immune health, and promote more restful sleep.
Life Extension’s science-based approach to health has allowed us to continue to reach and educate larger audiences. One challenge that arose for many in the industry during the pandemic was shortages and supply chain issues. Life Extension has cultivated great relationships with our suppliers and manufacturers over the years, and because of these relationships, we had minimal disruptions to our inventory. With the implementation of technologies such as AI and ML, what is your prediction about the future of the nutraceutical solutions niche? To speed up the research process, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) definitely have their place. The amount of available scientific information pertaining to nutritional ingredients is overwhelming. Deep learning AI is an invaluable tool for identifying nutrients for specific health goals, which is why Life Extension has an exclusive collaboration with Insilico Medicine, Inc. to find combinations of ingredients to support human longevity.
Stick to the science. Consumers are savvy and looking for efficacious formulas backed by research. And always be truthful and transparent. Companies who freely offer a product CoA can build trust with their consumers by providing transparency of exactly what is in the bottle. How do you envision scaling Life Extension’s operations and offerings in 2022 and beyond? Life Extension continues to improve eCommerce operations for our directto-consumer channel and plans on partnering with additional potential resellers to expand distribution. In addition, since new ingredients and science continues to evolve, Life Extension will continue to aggressively upgrade and launch new products to address consumers’ wellness needs. Provide us details regarding the awards and recognition that your company has achieved thus far since its inception. Life Extension conducts its own internal NPS surveys, and we consistently score a 9.8 out of 10 in terms of customer satisfaction. Also, Life Extension has been ranked as the top Internet/Catalog Merchant by consumers year after year. According to the latest 2021 Consumer Satisfaction, Life Extension has been rated #1 Catalog/Internet Merchant based on the results of the 2021 and earlier ConsumerLab.com surveys of supplement users.
Our GEROPROTECT® line of products provides the ingredients identified by Insilico Medicine’s computerized AI technology. The GEROPROTECT® line continues to grow, predicting the continued use of AI technology for assisting in product formulation. What would be your advice to the
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10 Most Innova ve Companies in Nutraceu cal Market
Providing Access to Premium Quality Bioac ve Compounds
Companies are trying to include more plant extracts in their products after discovering the numerous health benefits of doing so. The various natural and healthy properties found in different parts of the plant have the potential to completely transform an individual’s health. Recognizing this potential of the plant extracts, Natac came into existence. The company is a prominent researcher, developer, manufacturer, and marketer of natural ingredients that contain bioactive compounds beneficial for humans and animals. These naturally obtained vital components are extracted from plants like Olive, Saffron, Rhodiola, Echinacea, Artichoke and are used in food supplements, functional food, and much more. In the following interview, Antonio Delgado, MBA, CoFounder and CEO, and Jose Carlos Quintela, Ph.D., Chief Scientist Officer of Natac, share with us the insights of their industry and organization. Please brief our audience about Natac, its mission, and the key aspects of its stronghold within the nutraceutical solutions niche. Natac is a company in the natural ingredients business that researches, develops, manufactures, and markets botanical extracts with a clear mission, “to transfer scientific knowledge to industrially viable and sustainable projects that create value and improve people’s lives”.
,,
P
lant extracts are becoming increasingly popular in various industries like the pharmaceutical space, cosmetics industry, food, and beverage, etc., to produce multiple goods that are highly beneficial to human and animal health.
,,
Find the right human team, people that believe in your idea, your project, and the rest will follow.
From the beginning of our establishment as a company, we’ve completed dozens of projects that make the industry more sustainable, and in doing so produce added value ingredients with unique health benefits for the end consumer. Sustainability and health are the ultimate goals for a company that aims to take “Science to Market”. Tell us more about the products that have built your company stronghold as a major player in the global industry? Natac has a strong focus on European plants, mainly those key players in the Mediterranean diet such as Olive, Saffron, Artichoke, Grape, Pomegranate, but also Rhodiola and Echinacea, to name a few. These plants have traditionally been used for their healthy properties, but a growing body of scientific literature has confirmed what many ancient civilizations have known about their benefits. As a seasoned business leader what is your opinion on the effects of the pandemic on the nutraceutical space, and what were the challenges that your company came across?
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About the Leader In 2010 Antonio Delgado, MBA, and Jose Carlos Quintela, Ph.D., joined forces to create Natac, a company in the natural ingredients sphere that aimed to create new products under the philosophy of bringing ‘Science to Market’ through botanical ingredients that improve people’s lives and fully u lize natural resources. Antonio Delgado has more than 25 years of experience in the Execu ve Management of food and pharma companies, with a strong ability to iden fy business opportuni es, and viable innova ve projects. Dr Quintela holds more than 24 years of experience in the R&D of new healthy ingredients and medicaments produced from plants. Together, they started a project that would become one of the most innova ve and thriving companies in the botanical industry. Today, Natac is a mul disciplinary team of 100 professionals at the forefront of the industry.
Antonio Delgado MBA
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The pandemic has put a spotlight on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. People are more aware that healthcare must be a priority. The healthier our body is, the better it will be able to defend itself from external aggressions that may jeopardize our lifestyle. We also learned how connected our lifestyle is to our mental health. Natac was an example of leadership and proactiveness during this pandemic. On the one hand, we continued to see increases in demand for our products, but we also had to be creative about keeping our team safe, and healthy. While other companies struggled with their supply chain and their ability to ensure their employees’ safety, Natac was able to support our clients with an increased production and distribution capacity, while our human team quickly adjusted to new safety procedures and protocols. Our employees and the company culture we had built before the pandemic proved to be our key to success in navigating such an unprecedented crisis. For the industry as a whole, it´s been difficult to meet and connect with each other, but we´ve managed to continue sharing ideas and experiences through virtual conferences and digital communication. Once again, the sense of community that we have among our client base has really held us together through a time when many companies are losing their connections. With the implementation of technologies such as AI and ML, what is your prediction about the future of the nutraceutical solutions niche? This is more a reality than a prediction. We are strongly implementing tools such as ML and AI in general to personalize nutritional advice and product development. These tools will allow precise solutions for specific health needs which will result in an improved lifestyle and life’s quality. On a different level, ML and AI are already being used to improve production which positively affects efficiency, new product development, and sustainability. What would be your advice to the entrepreneurs and nutrition enthusiasts aspiring to venture into Healthcare Services? Perseverance, resiliency, and a lot of work hours. Find the right human team, people that believe in your idea, your project, and the rest will follow.
How do you envision scaling your company’s operations and offerings in 2021? Natac has just completed the construction of a new manufacturing site that is the most sustainable, efficient, and modern in the industry. This will allow us to triple our production capacity, resulting in a larger capability to reach a greater market scope. We´re already seeing the ripple effects of this huge step, as researchers, partners, and investors have reached out to collaborate with our work in various ways. We´re really excited about doing the work we do on a larger scale, with greater impact. For those of us that are committed to sustainable solutions and health, a larger capacity allows us to apply our scientific and technical expertise in ways that weren´t possible before. Provide us details regarding the awards and recognition that your company has achieved thus far since its inception. Spain Start-up & Investor's Summit 2013 Award, in the category of Science & Biotech. However, Natac’s most regarded recognition is the 98% customer satisfaction that our clients awarded us in the last survey conducted in 2021
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