Life & Bio, a company specializing in health functional foods, announced on the 4th that its omega-3 product for infants and toddlers, 'Genius New', surpassed sales of 130,000 bottles (including pre-orders) approximately one and a half years after its launch. It was explained that all 11 batches of sales were sold out consecutively, with monthly sales exceeding 15,000 bottles.

Life & Bio is a domestic health functional food specialist company that has caught the attention of the global private equity firm Morgan Stanley Private Equity (PE). It operates its official mall Phytonutri as a major sales channel and develops its own children's nutrition brand 'Grow Lab'. The company was acquired by Morgan Stanley PE Asia in 2022, benefiting from the growth trend in the domestic and international health functional food markets.

According to Life & Bio, Genius New uses plant-based ingredients and improves the fishy taste and smell characteristic of omega-3. It applies the proprietary technology 'Ollomega Baby Smart' to enhance the absorption rate of key ingredients DHA and ALA in the body. Life & Bio analyzes that the use of safe plant-based ingredients and the improvement of the fishy taste, a drawback of existing adult omega-3, positively influenced sales. This is evaluated as pioneering the 'infant and toddler omega-3' market.

Research results related to child nutrition also increased consumer interest in Genius New. According to research presented at the Korean Nutrition Society's autumn academic conference, DHA and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), nutrients for brain development in infants under 24 months, are not sufficiently synthesized in the body, making them easy to lack in children. The perception of them as essential nutrients, like vitamin D or probiotics, is also weak. Additionally, most omega-3 products are in jelly or capsule form, limiting intake by infants and toddlers.

In this market environment, Life & Bio introduced Genius New, a brain nutrition product that infants and toddlers can consume, after over three years of research and development. As mothers' interest in child brain development, growth, and nutrition increases, the demand for omega-3 products for infants and toddlers is naturally rising. Life & Bio introduced Genius New as a liquid product, developing oil extracted from perilla and purslane, and based on plant-based ingredients, it was made so that children can consume it without rejecting the fishy taste and smell. Additionally, Life & Bio reported that perilla and purslane oil were recognized for their immune-enhancing functionality by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2021.

With the increase in sales of Genius New, the company is also promoting the expansion of its product lineup and production volume. A Life & Bio representative stated, “We have developed a new product 'Tokcaps' using a squeezable capsule technology designed for the oxidation and freshness management of DHA and ALA, and we are entering full-scale sales,” adding, “Currently, supply cannot keep up with demand, so from the second half of the year, we will increase production volume to enable sales of more than 30,000 units (bottles) per month to secure a smooth supply system.”

Meanwhile, Life & Bio announced that it plans to submit its major products to renowned international awards from this year to gain recognition for the excellence of Genius New in the global market.

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