Mead Johnson Nutrition Company, a paediatric nutrition company, forayed into the Malaysian adult-nutrition space with the launch of its PROVITAL Immuna Plus milk formula this month. The purportedly immunity-boosting milk formula was launched following the spread of new variants of Covid-19 and the common flu.

Mead Johnson describes PROVITAL Immuna Plus as a blend of nutrients such as yeast beta-glucan, selenium and vitamin C, which are claimed to ensure a healthy immune system and stronger immune response against infections. The milk powder formula is claimed to prevent nutritional deficiencies and use the correct nutrients to aid adults in arresting the decline in their immune system as they age.

The Covid-19 outbreak in 2020 sent consumers seeking food, drinks and supplements with immunity-boosting ingredients such as ginger, turmeric, vitamins, antioxidants, probiotics, adaptogens, herbs and botanicals. With waves of Omicron, Delta and other mutant strains of Covid-19 emerging worldwide, Malaysians have come to realise that the pandemic is far from over. These apprehensions continue to sustain consumer demand for immunity boosters this year. This is evident from GlobalData’s Q1 2022 consumer survey, in which 60% of Malaysian respondents felt that the claim ‘contains immunity-boosting ingredients’ was an essential or key driver of the purchase of food and drinks+.

 

The launch of PROVITAL Immuna Plus was accompanied by a marketing campaign tagged ‘Activate Your Immunity, Stay Protected’, which commemorated World Immunity Month in partnership with the Malaysia Society of Allergy and Immunology (MSAI). The campaign is intended to spread awareness about the importance of immunity, and empower adults to stay healthy amid the uncertainties of the health crisis. Mead Johnson encourages Malaysians to self-assess their immunity levels using an online tool, Immunity Calculator, which is endorsed by the MSAI.

As highlighted by the above survey results, interest in immunity-boosting supplements is most pronounced among the so-called ‘Baby Boomer’ generation. This is attributed to elderly consumers being more vulnerable to Covid-19 morbidities due to their advanced age and, therefore, buying nutritional and health supplements to boost their immunity.

For many consumers, such habits acquired during the pandemic will remain long after the health crisis dissipates, thereby ensuring healthy demand for immunity-boosting products such as PROVITAL Immuna Plus for the immediate future. The product launch is also timely given that falling fertility rates will continue to constrain the growth of the Malaysian baby milk market, while the fast-ageing populace will drive the growth of the adult nutrition space.

Sources:

+ GlobalData Q1 2022 Consumer Survey – Malaysia, published in March 2022
# Malaysia Baby Food, 2021 Update – Market Size by Categories, Consumer Behaviour, Trends and Forecast to 2026
* https://www.minimeinsights.com/2022/03/25/mead-johnson-nutrition-provital-immuna-plus-world-immunity-month-launch/

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