A new study south of the border strongly suggests that a number of weight loss and workout supplements that continue to be sold in US health shops contain an amphetamine-like chemical that endangers the health of users.
In a December 2014 advisory, Health Canada announced that the product Jetfuel Superburn had recalled because it contained “amphetamine-like drug substances” that posed “serious health risks.” Their e-mailed statement said, “These stimulants can increase blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature; lead to serious cardiovascular complications (including stroke) at high doses; suppress sleep and appetite, and be addictive.” When caffiene is combined with beta-methylphenethylamine and phenylpropylmethylamine. It can seriously increase these effects.
Health Canada said that the substances wouldn’t be permitted “in natural health products because they are not naturally derived and therefore do not meet the definition of natural health product substance” under the agency’s applicable regulations.
Dutch scientist, Bastiaan Venhuis, compared BMPEA to DMAA, an stimulant known to cause heart attacks and strokes. Supplements that contain DMAA were banned from US military bases after being implicated in the deaths of two soldiers.
Despite two year old documentation about the dangers of BMPEA, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recalled the products nor issued a health alert to consumers.
Pointing to the fact that two top FDA officials tasked with overseeing supplements were once leaders of major trade and lobbying groups in the industry, which has led to accusations of conflicts of interest.
“To have former officials in the supplement industry become the chief regulators of that industry at the FDA is like the fox guarding the hen house,” says consumer advocate, Michael Jacobson.
Supplements listed in the study as containing BMPEA include JetFuel Superburn, JetFuel T-300, Jetfuel MX-LS7, Aro Black Series Burn, Black Widow, Dexaprine XR, Fastin-XR, Lipodrene Hardcore, Lipodrene Xtreme, Stimerex-ES and Yellow Scorpion. A number of these products are available at US locations of the Vitamin Shoppe – which has refused to comment.
Canada Ahead of the Curve – Banning Speed in Weight Loss Products
Watch it. Lose it.
Lose It! the comprehensive app-based weight-loss program, has released Lose It! for Apple Watch. The new offering provides members with detailed personal insights, quick-tap logging, and easy meal tracking to enhance members’ abilities to live healthier lives.
“Weight loss that fits your wrist is now a reality,” says Charles Teague, CEO of Lose It!. “Weight loss is a highly personal journey, one that we believe begins with small day-to-day choices and builds to complete lifelong change. Apple Watch is an exciting extension of the Lose It! weight-loss program and will make wellness as easy as glancing at your wrist to receive daily health alerts and as simple as tapping a screen to log nutrition for the day.”
Lose It! for Apple Watch, likeLose It!, for smartphones, tablets, and PCs, is free and is available in the Apple store. Images, press resources, and a video of the app in action can be viewed at www.loseit.com/applewatch.
Business Crowdfunding Still a Head-in-the-Clouds Idea?
The success of crowdfunding in supporting music, publishing and other artistic projects has begun migrating into the business world – as start-ups and established companies alike test the waters for this funding source.
Now, Scientific Nutrition Products, Inc., a company dedicated to addressing health conditions with scientifically sound nutritional formulations, has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo for its first product, Food for Sleep. The company is aiming to raise over $20,000 to improve the formulation and increase awareness of its product, obtain NSF Sports certification and gain market availability.
Food for Sleep is a science-based drink, made only from foods, that enhances muscle recovery and promotes healthy sleep. The main ingredients are Montmorency tart cherry juice and a whey protein that is high in tryptophan. These foods have been clinically demonstrated to help people fall asleep safely, improve recovery and wake up feeling energized the next morning.
“Sleep is an essential process for muscle recovery and natural health. Our mission at Food for Sleep is to educate the public on the importance of sleep and provide a gentle and effective solution for those who need it, especially workout enthusiasts,” says Bob Jones, CEO and Founder of Food for Sleep.
Because Food for Sleep contributes to both sleep and muscle repair, a number of marathon runners have tested the drink and chosen to continue with Food for Sleep as part of their training regimen. The team also decided to pursue NSF Sports certification after many inquiries from professional athletes.
“I continue to enjoy incredible benefits from the improved sleep I’ve experienced from using Food for Sleep. My consistent pattern of restful sleep has been restored, and my running performance has improved,” says Rick Muhr, the co-founder of the Marathon Coalition and a Boston Marathon running coach.
Scientific Nutrition Products chose to raise funds on Indiegogo because crowdsourcing is a big investment trend: it helps startup companies validate ideas and provide customers with the best product possible. The company expects to grow its community and obtain valuable feedback through this campaign, in order to better serve customers and increase brand awareness. The team has interviewed early users and is working on improving the formulation of the product to best fit its customers’ needs and priorities.
New Name, New Look: Wholesome Sweeteners Becomes Wholesome!™
Wholesome Sweeteners, the leading North American brand of Organic, Fair Trade and Non-GMO sugars and sweeteners, has a new name and a new look. Now known as Wholesome!™, the new brand enjoyed a successful Canadian debut at CHFA West, where the company revealed its latest sweetener, Organic Coconut Palm Syrup – that will appear on Canadian shelves this fall.
The company is staying true to its Organic and Fair Trade roots and will still sell its same popular line of gourmet sugars, syrups, molasses and stevia but with a different look. The Wholesome! logo and packaging incorporate a bright variety of colors, playful fonts and baking icons and quite literally lead with the heart. Not only is there a heart on the front of each item, but its packaging speaks about the love, care and consideration that was put into creating each product. The focus is on the satisfaction of the consumer, the well-being of the farmer who nurtured the product and maintaining the health of its natural environment.
“Wholesome! is the way we feel about our products, our farmers and our customers,” said Nigel Willerton, Wholesome! chief executive officer. “It encapsulates our organic and social mission and how much everyone in the company cares about delivering the best-tasting, highest quality products possible.”
Wholesome! Organic Coconut Palm Syrup is made from the nectar of the coconut palm tree flower. A warm, caramel flavor with a honey-like consistency, it is a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine, but also makes a great baking ingredient or sweet topping for dishes like oatmeal, pancakes and waffles. This syrup is Certified Canada Organic, Non-GMO, Vegan and Kosher and will be sold in 245mL recyclable bottles.
Wholesome! is dedicated to Fair Trade and partners with caring farming families across the globe ensuring them a fair price for their crops. Since 2005, Wholesome! has paid more than $10 million in Fair Trade premiums to farming co-operatives and partners worldwide helping bring clean water, electricity, schools and health care to villages in Malawi, Mexico, Brazil and Paraguay.
Canada Ahead of the Curve with Speed in Weight Loss Products
A new study south of the border strongly suggests that a number of weight loss and workout supplements that continue to be sold in US health shops contain an amphetamine-like chemical that endangers the health of users.
In a December 2014 advisory, Health Canada announced that the product Jetfuel Superburn had recalled because it contained “amphetamine-like drug substances” that posed “serious health risks.” Their e-mailed statement said, “These stimulants can increase blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature; lead to serious cardiovascular complications (including stroke) at high doses; suppress sleep and appetite, and be addictive.” When caffiene is combined with beta-methylphenethylamine and phenylpropylmethylamine. It can seriously increase these effects.
Health Canada said that the substances wouldn’t be permitted “in natural health products because they are not naturally derived and therefore do not meet the definition of natural health product substance” under the agency’s applicable regulations.
Dutch scientist, Bastiaan Venhuis, compared BMPEA to DMAA, an stimulant known to cause heart attacks and strokes. Supplements that contain DMAA were banned from US military bases after being implicated in the deaths of two soldiers.
Despite two year old documentation about the dangers of BMPEA, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recalled the products nor issued a health alert to consumers.
Pointing to the fact that two top FDA officials tasked with overseeing supplements were once leaders of major trade and lobbying groups in the industry, which has led to accusations of conflicts of interest.
“To have former officials in the supplement industry become the chief regulators of that industry at the FDA is like the fox guarding the hen house,” says consumer advocate, Michael Jacobson.
Supplements listed in the study as containing BMPEA include JetFuel Superburn, JetFuel T-300, Jetfuel MX-LS7, Aro Black Series Burn, Black Widow, Dexaprine XR, Fastin-XR, Lipodrene Hardcore, Lipodrene Xtreme, Stimerex-ES and Yellow Scorpion. A number of these products are available at US locations of the Vitamin Shoppe – which has refused to comment.
Axxess Comes Out Swinging
During the first quarter of 2015, Axxess Pharma – a specialty pharmaceutical and nutritional supplements company through its wholly-owned subsidiary, AllStar Health Brands Inc. – continued their global expansion of their TapouT product line, while fulfilling re-orders from the United States military. During this time, Axxess Pharma also remained focused on generating additional sales through strong marketing, increased global distribution channels, launching new, all-natural products and forming marketing partnerships with globally branded multi-million dollar and multi-billion dollar companies.
So far in 2015, Axxess Pharma has signed a major promotional deal with ROC Nation. Under the agreement AllStar Health Brands partnered with Roc Nation Sports on their first three boxing events under the throne boxing banner. The first event took place at Madison Square Garden on Jan 9. Axxess Pharma and Roc Nation Sports will work together to promote the TapouT Muscle product line and throne boxing events.
The company recently received approval by a major Canadian distributor to sell Muscle Spray and TapouT Pain Relief Towelettes to over 2,000 independent pharmacies across Canada. This represents approximately ten percent of all Canadian pharmacies.
In the US, Axxess received FDA approval to sell TapouT high potency Omega-3 fish oil, Muscle Growth, Muscle Recovery supplements and Turbo Blend Protein Powders in overseas markets where enhanced regulatory approvals are necessary.
Management is now preparing to launch their latest round of all-natural products by the third quarter of 2015. These lines include Ready to Drink Protein Shakes and Protein Bars. The products – which are flavor-tested, contain high protein content, lactose free, gluten free and have less than one gram of sugar – are expected to be the biggest sellers in 2016.
Dr. Bagi, President of Axxess Pharma, stated: “We are thrilled to have consummated these very important recent events, and will integrate the TapouT line of products into global platforms and aggressively market these with our new partners. The TapouT product lines which represent natural yet effective sports and fitness options provide a perfect synergy for military basis around the world as well as everyone else focused on fitness and personal health.”
For more information, please visit www.axxesspharmainc.com, or contact Investor Relations at (973) 351-3868.
Nut industries eye profits in milking growing non-dairy drink market
Rising demand for non-dairy milk alternatives has Australian nut industries excited about a potentially lucrative new market.
In the United States, sales of almond milk have overtaken soy milk, and the Australian macadamia industry has just launched a range of macadamia milks to try to claim their share of a health conscious big-spending market.
In Australian supermarkets, shelves that once stocked long life milk, and perhaps a small range of soy milks, are now brimming with a huge variety of non-dairy milk products, including oat milk, rice milk, coconut milk, and increasingly a range of nut-based drinks, like almond, cashew and macadamia milk.
Nicolas Raiber, senior brand manager with Patons macadamia company, has just returned from the United States where the market for non-dairy milk drinks is huge and growing. He observed, “The US is probably five to eight years ahead of us in terms of the non-dairy category, especially the milk. What I saw is just amazing. Still almond and soy are probably the two main products that you will see on a shelf, but I came back with samples of quinoa milk, hazelnut milk, cashew, hemp (milk), so it’s just amazing the number of products that they are launching.”
Non-dairy market share
Figures from Retail World for 2014, show sales of non-dairy milk products were worth $171.9 million, up 6.9 per cent on the previous year, while traditional milk sales were worth $2 billion, up 1.3 per cent.
Tim Jackson, marketing manager with almond company, Almondco Australia, has been surprised that customer are willing to pay up to $4 a litre for a product that is about 90 per cent water.
Dairy Australia consumer marketing manager Glenys Zucco said “We know that from the recent Australian health survey that on the day of the survey 68 per cent of Australians had cow’s milk and only 3 per cent were having soy, or other alternatives, so it really is a small part of the market,”
She added that while non-dairy products may be labelled as “milk”, they did not have the same characteristics.
Nicolas Raiber, of Patons, said when the company launched its macadamia milk in Canada later this month, it would not be allowed to call it milk due to Canadian regulations on labelling of non-dairy products. Instead, it will be sold as a macadamia beverage or drink. Dairy Australia believes Australia should consider similar regulations.
Consumer group Choice said consumers needed to be aware that milk alternatives were not always nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk, with rice milk much lower in protein, and almond milk often not calcium-fortified.
Wildflower Adds New Joint Venture Partner for US Market
Wildflower Marijuana Inc. has signed a Letter of Intent with a manufacturer of cannabis e-juice. The joint venture is established to develop a line of e-juice products for Wildflower. The joint venture partner is currently a licensed Tier 3 producer and processor in the State of Washington.
Pursuant to the joint venture, Wildflower will grant an exclusive license to manufacture, market and sell certain products, recipes, and promotional materials under the Wildflower brand in the State of Washington. As part of the agreement, Wildflower will issue 400,000 shares and pay $85,000 to its joint venture partner. In consideration, Wildflower will receive a licensing fee equal to 20% of the gross sales of Wildflower branded products.
Wildflower’s new joint venture partner specializes in the manufacture of cannabis e-juice/ vaporized delivery systems market sector. E-juice is a concentrated form of cannabis juice that is consumed through vaporization. The expertise, research and development from Wildflower’s new partner will help develop a full line of e-juice products for Wildflower both in the recreational and medicinal market segments in Washington and other markets.
Vaporizing e-juice is growing at an accelerating pace ensuring that, Wildflower will be providing a full line of products to address this trend and growing demand. In the Colorado market, the trend continues to move away from consumption of dried cannabis with fifty per cent of products sold being ancillary products such as edibles, e-juice, infused drinks, topical products, tinctures and oils.
In Washington State, licensing requirements stipulate that all license holders and their shareholders, directors, officer and financiers must be Washington State residents. While Wildflower cannot hold any interest in any license in Washington State it can license its brand and provide consulting services. These consulting services will involve the implementation of Wildflower’s Quality Assurance Program, Standard Operating Procedures and Good Manufacturing Practices to ensure all products associated with the Wildflower brand are of the highest quality.
The Washington State government continues to work hard to create a viable legal cannabis market. Recent reports show that only 118 retail shops currently report any earnings. The state has legislated giving out 334 retail licenses this year. Retail sales have risen in excess of 100 per cent in the past six months. Washington State has also revisited their taxation system and have now legislated removing any excise tax which reduces the burden placed on the producers and processors. Instead they will now have one sales tax of 37% at point of purchase.
President and CEO William MacLean states, “Much like Coca Cola has bottling companies to manufacture and distribute products all over the world, Wildflower will continue to develop strategic partnerships with companies in emerging cannabis markets. These partnerships will be integral to not only developing products and addressing trends in the sector but in positioning Wildflower to set new trends. I am excited with the progress we have made and look forward to continuing to develop the Wildflower brand and product line.”
Natracare Cracks Spring Must-Have Top 10 on Breakfast Television
Great TV segment on Toronto’s Breakfast Television. US Lifestyle Expert Karen Firsel appeared on Toronto’s #1 morning show. Toronto is the 5th largest media market across North America and #1 in Canada. The show has a Media Relations Rating Point of 934,000!
Karen featured her TOP 10 SPRING MUST HAVES FOR MOMS including Natracare make up removal wipes. The product looked great on the table with nice close up shots.
Enjoy the segment here: http://www.bttoronto.ca/videos/4179110709001/
The Changing Face of Grocery Shopping
Loblaws is working with Uber in Toronto to make your grocery shopping more effortless than ever. Uber is the American/international transportation app that uses crowd sourcing to connect riders to drivers. From April 14-20, shoppers can enjoy a free Uber ride to and from one of three Loblaws Click & Collect locations.
The process is actually pretty easy. You buy your groceries at shop.loblaws.ca – then you call Uber with the appropriate promo code. The cost of your ride (up to $30) will be refunded within a week and you’ll be entered to win $1,000 in groceries.
Whether it’s a pilot project or just a short term joint promotion – it will be interesting to see how consumers respond.
Or maybe it was meant to throw up a smoke screen to obscure the launch of startup company InstaBuggy – which boasts that it is an independent business and is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by retailers .- but rather simply uses the existing network of grocery stores to effectively warehouse inventory – so that they can deliver groceries to your door-step in as little as one hour.
They explain that their in-store personnel does the shopping for you – and their delivery team picks up and delivers your groceries from your favorite local supermarkets to your home, office or other choice of destination.
The delivery cost drops as the size of your order increases – so that if order is over $60.oo it will be delivered free.
InstaBuggy prices vary from the store’s price since they are not affiliated to or associated with any in store pricing policies, promotions or sales. But they do honour some coupons and have their own sales and promotions.
