The Covid-19 pandemic influenced the habits and lives of the global population as a whole in several spheres, including the perception of preventive health. This period highlighted the relevance of personal and collective health care, shaping the way in which people view the prevention of diseases and the promotion of well-being.
Although many health habits remain negligent, there is a notable greater awareness among the population about the importance of daily choices for a longer and healthier life, including the influence of nutrition and physical exercise on strengthening immunity, among other aspects. The Research “The Value of Health — what changed with the pandemic and Brazilians' wishes for the future”, carried out by Abbott, well illustrates this change within Brazil.
The study in question surveyed more than 2,000 men and women, aged over 25, from classes A, B, and C, from all regions of Brazil, including people with chronic conditions. Most of the interviewees understand that health is related to not being sick and to the lifestyle led by the individual.
Among the main insights, the interviewees rated some aspects as fundamental to maintaining a healthy life, namely: eating well (52%), sleeping well (40%), having a high immunity (37%) and not depending on medicines (37%). Another important point raised by the research was that the population said they were more likely to maintain the healthy habits acquired during the pandemic. Among them, there is a decrease in the consumption of industrialized products (58%), hamburgers (60%) and soft drinks (61%).
The Global Vitamin Market
In the midst of these changes and the search for a healthier life as a source of disease prevention, there is a worldwide growth in the markets for health foods, vitamins and supplements, for example. O Future Market Insights (IMF) published a report that provides some insights into the growth of the vitamin supplement market.
The report highlights that awareness about one's own health has been growing globally, stimulating this search for vitamins and supplements. Other factors contributing to this demand are the aging of the population, a more focused approach to preventive health care, the influence of social networks and the growth of e-commerce.
In this regard, the Future Market Insights report estimates a valuation of US$ 57.63 billion in 2023 and US$ 133.94 billion by the year 2033 for the global vitamin supplement market. They also indicated a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 8.8% during the forecast period placed.
The Brazilian market, the importance of vitamins and vitamin E
This trend of the search for a healthier life, strongly influenced by the pandemic, was also echoed in Brazil — that's what she tells us Augusto Cruz, founder of Vitaminate yourself, a company invested in Green Rock focusing on health, beauty and well-being. He reports that the startup's story began in 2021, under the perception of the opportunity of the prevention market in Brazil.
“The vitamin market in Brazil only reaches 6% of the population. This percentage represents around 20 million Brazilians. If we think about the potential, it's a market of 80 million people. In other words, it is clear that it is a market to be conquered, three times larger than the current one”, explains Augusto.
The Nutritionist Nicolle Zanini, in an interview with Green Rock, explains that “vitamins are organic compounds essential for the proper functioning of the body”. In short, they act on the immune system, metabolism, disease prevention, and overall health.
Regarding their benefits, the nutritionist reports that they “support the proper functioning of the immune system, bone, skin and eye health, in addition to contributing to energy metabolism”. In addition, Nicolle indicates that they also play a fundamental role in preventing nutritional deficiencies, help in the production of enzymes necessary for essential body processes, and may also have antioxidant effects.
Based on this perception of the importance of vitamins and the market potential, the founder of Vitamin-SE says that they started some research to understand the reason behind this gap and why Brazilians are not used to consume vitamins. According to him, most of the population has no clear understanding about the consumption of vitamins and understands that they are medicines. A second installment believes that they have no effect and there is still a third layer that has the false belief that vitamins make you fat. “In short, there is a lot of educational noise,” he points out.
Nicolle demystifies these false perceptions, explains the difference between vitamins and medicines, and reiterates that they cannot be confused or seen as substitutes for each other. The nutritionist clarifies that while vitamins are nutrients necessary for the execution of the biological functions mentioned above, the remedies target a specific disease. “While vitamins play important roles in promoting health, they should not be considered as substitutes for medications prescribed for medical conditions,” she says.
Regarding possible contraindications and adverse effects, the nutritionist warns that they may be due to the excessive use of vitamins. “Some vitamins, when ingested in very high amounts, can cause toxicity. In addition, certain health conditions, interactions with medications, and individual characteristics may influence vitamin intake recommendations,” he adds.
In this regard, Nicolle states that, especially in the case of ingesting high doses, it is important to consult a health professional or a nutritionist to ensure that this amount will meet the individual's specific needs. “A balanced approach based on professional guidance is essential to optimize the benefits of vitamins and avoid health risks,” he concludes.
Faced with the problem of misinformation, the founder of Vitamin-SE points out that there are two fundamental pillars for exploring this market: education and communication. “When I combined the size of the market, its potential and understood the impact of Covid-9 in relation to prevention and the changes in the population's perception of their own health, the great asset of which would be communication, I decided to enter this business”.
The creation of the company and the personalization of vitamins
Based on this, Vitamin-SE initially emerged as an e-commerce company that personalizes vitamins according to the demand of each individual through data intelligence. The company seeks to provide a healthier lifestyle, following the user and the different needs they may have at each stage of their life.
“To make this customization, we took a Centrum, which is a multivitamin, turned it horizontally and isolated the vitamins. With this isolation, we were able to maximize the concentration of each vitamin. Then, we managed to combine these 19 vitamins that we released industrially isolated in a colorful jar as if it were a Lego. That way, if your focus is energy, for example, we give you a composition of two to four vitamins to achieve energy,” he explains.
Since the creation of the company, Augusto reports that they were able to constitute a good database based on a questionnaire on the Vitaminwebsite. “We have a quiz with 21 questions on the site that was conducted through surveys with about 50 nutritionists. This quiz ends up being the largest source of data we have, especially in the sense of listening to people and what they are needing”.
He explains that there are more than 100,000 answers, which provided the company with very advanced data intelligence compared to other players in the market. With the information collected by the questionnaire, the company focused on monitoring the daily lives of users. In other words, he explains that, “in the case of a woman, if she has PMS, vitamin-SE provides a solution for this; if in the afternoon, for example, she likes to eat a snack, we have a healthy option; if she trains in the morning and needs energy, we also have vitamins focused on that”. After that, the founder says that the company was getting its product portfolio right.
The answer to the disinformation challenge: communication
Augusto understands communication as Vitamin-E's greatest asset and the answer to misinformation. However, he believes that the educational issue is a long-term job that is permeated by several challenges. “This is a business that will last a long time yet, but the pharmaceutical industry in Brazil is very closed and has the issue of the regulatory body, because we know that Anvisa is very strict. In that sense, to speak, in plain Portuguese, about the benefits of the vitamin is still a challenge,” she explains.
In view of this, he says that the first step took place immediately in the name of the brand, which is very clear in relation to the category in which it operates and is also an invitation for the individual to enter this universe. “Just as the name 'Vitamin' is self-explanatory, it's also a 'call-to-action. '”
Another central point concerns colors, so that each color has a meaning and brings a benefit. For example, in the case of vitamins aimed at good shape, skin, aesthetics and hair, there is a focus on pink and lilac, which is proven to be attractive for this benefit. He points out that this is central to removing the stigma of medicine and bringing vitamins closer to the idea of a healthy lifestyle.
The challenges surrounding healthy habits
Despite the strategies used, Augusto points out that the educational process of vitamins and prevention is more challenging than in other segments. This is because, according to him, it reflects a change in the person's health routine, in their usual behavior. “Food companies also go through this. For those who want to sell healthy food, it is necessary to convince the person to stop eating a snack to consume a healthier snack. So we struggled with an endless process of explaining the vitamin's benefit.”
After convincing the person to start a healthy habit, he points out that there is a second challenge: that of perseverance. “As much as I convince you or you convince yourself to enter this market, you need discipline to remember to take the vitamin every day. This is as significant as the rejection of those who think it is medicine. These are two very important moments. But when a person feels the benefit, they never give up on it again.”
E-commerce and the physical channel
As mentioned before, Vitamin-SE started only in the e-commerce sector, but Augusto shares that the company found space in the physical pharmacy space as a young, attractive and premium brand. “We went from 285 pharmacies in December last year to more than 4,000 today. Basically, today, the company is doing well selling vitamins in pharmacies and in the food channel, where 75% of the purchase in this category is accounted for”.
In addition, he points out that this incorporation of the physical channel reflects a demand that comes with social changes. “The one who popularized vitamins in the world was Pelé, as a poster boy. But not only did Pelé stop playing soccer many years ago, but he has also sadly passed away, but those brands that were represented by Pelé are still in pharmacies with practically the same 'clothing'”.
Thus, he highlights that there is a need for latent renewal that accompanies and dialogues with current generations, given that many brands are still offering benefits in an anachronistic language. Augusto says that Vitamin-SE responds to this demand mainly through the research platform and the quiz on the site. “We offer pharmacies what Brazilians are really looking for. The degree of success, purchase and permanence in the physical channel is going very well”, he adds.
Next steps and partnerships
Regarding the company's next steps, the founder says that the main focus is on increasing the number of points of sale. Today in Brazil there are around 90,000 pharmacies and there are about 4,000 vitamin E products. However, he makes one caveat: of this total of 90,000, between 12,000 and 13,000 pharmacies represent 50% of sales. After that, he estimates that in 2025 and 2026, the company should direct its gaze to the green food channel and independent pharmacies.
“Right now, the total focus is on the 23 brands of the Brazilian Pharmacy Association. We also have an eye on the development of more and more attractive products based on the benefits that the population asks of us, and that also accompany the individual on their daily journey”, he adds.
Regarding the partnerships that the company has established, Augusto highlights Oak Berry, Ambev and JBS. “In the case of Oak Berry, we noticed a strong affinity between concept and brand purpose. Regarding Ambev, the company saw a worldwide need for functional beverages. She carried out a market analysis and we launched 'Relax', which is the world's first ready-made anti-stress drink. Most recently, we partnered with JBS. They built a collagen factory and chose us to launch this product in the Brazilian consumer market. When they ask me: 'but why take vitamins? ', I understand that it's because the brand is growing, it's young, attractive and obvious”, she concludes.
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