Consumers shop for outcomes like better sleep, steady energy, and healthy skin. Glanbia's Designing Smarter Supplementation campaign shows brands how to build supplements around those outcomes.
Ask people why they take a supplement and you'll rarely hear an ingredient name. You'll hear "I need more energy", "I want to sleep better", or "I want my skin to look better". Consumers shop by outcome, but many supplement shelves are still organized by ingredient.
That mismatch creates confusion. In Glanbia's consumer research, 25% of consumers said they're unsure which supplements to choose, rising to 35% among Gen Z. The motivation is there, too: Innova data in Glanbia's campaign shows 31% of consumers globally say the ability to personalize to their own needs has pushed them toward a more self-sufficient approach to health, and 34% prefer to take charge of their own healthcare.
Motivated shoppers who don't know what to buy are an opening for any brand that makes the path to a result obvious.
Designing Smarter Supplementation: Part Two of Two Ways to Win
Glanbia built its second-half 2026 campaign, Designing Smarter Supplementation, on two tracks. Part One covered the experience track: the gummies, chews, powders, and flavor systems that keep people taking their supplements, plus the technical work that keeps the quality and dose intact. This article covers the benefit-led track, which is about what goes into those formats and how it's organized around a consumer's goal.
It also delivers the breakdown we promised in Part One: Glanbia's full prototype and concept lineup, sorted by the benefit each product targets. For the nutrient-system background, see our look at Glanbia's Custom Premix Solutions.
The Modern Stack Starts With a Multivitamin
Benefit-led products don't replace the basics, but instead build upon them. According to Glanbia's 2025 consumer research, 52% of people who take just one supplement choose a multivitamin or multimineral, and the multi doesn't disappear as routines grow. It's still there for 63% of heavy users (four or more supplements) and 81% of ultra-heavy users (nine or more).
Glanbia sums it up this way: multivitamins start the routine, and benefit-led solutions expand it. Its 2026 Pulse survey of the US, UK, and China shows that expansion at work. People who use combined supplements, meaning formulas designed for a specific need like sleep, digestion, or heart health, take an average of 3.6 supplements per week versus 2.8 among supplement users overall. Combined supplements reached 17% of respondents over three months, with higher use among Gen Z and Millennials (19% each) and active 18-to-49-year-olds (22%) than among Boomers (12%).
Multivitamins start the routine, and 81% of ultra-heavy supplement users still take one.
Product launches are following that demand. Innova data in Glanbia's campaign shows energy and stamina claims jumped from 21% of global supplement launches (April 2020 to March 2021) to 30% (April 2024 to March 2025), the biggest gain of any top claim, partly fueled by sports nutrition crossover products. Brain and mood, skin, and digestive claims each gained six points. Immune health stayed on top at 34%.
Energy and stamina claims gained nine points in global supplement launches, the biggest jump of any top claim.
Three Principles of Benefit-Led Design
Glanbia's research sorts supplement buyers by mindset rather than by product. Some want daily health hacks, small choices that keep them functioning well today. Some want steady, long-term progress on digestion, sleep, stress, weight, and muscle. Others want to reach their full potential through performance, recovery, mental sharpness, and beauty from within.
Different mindsets lead to the same playbook: define the outcome, then build backward. Glanbia breaks it into three steps:
- Start with the need. Pick the outcome first (immune support, steady energy, better sleep, healthy skin), then the consumer and the occasion.
- Build the solution. Combine vitamins, minerals, botanicals, and bioactives into one targeted formula instead of asking the consumer to stack five bottles.
- Design the experience. Deliver it in a format and flavor people enjoy enough to keep using, which was the focus of Part One.
Calm & Clarity: Three Steps, One Stick Pack
Glanbia's concept products follow that sequence, and the Calm & Clarity mood and focus drink mix shows it best. The need is printed right on the box: "Less Buzz. More Ahhh."
The build starts with a nutrient base: the All N® Relax Premix Accelerator (vitamin D3 and GABA), plus functionally optimized KSM-66® Ashwagandha, L-theanine, and magnesium from Glanbia's TechVantage® technologies. Then comes the bioactive layer, PepForm® Tryptophan, covered below. The experience is a 14-count box of stick packs in Sour Apple Passion Fruit, built on the fastest-rising flavor in social conversations about mood.
Glanbia's beauty gummy and immune chew concepts follow the same three steps: premix, bioactive, then flavor and format.
Calm & Clarity runs through all three steps: premix, bioactive, then flavor and format.
Four Benefit Platforms, Built Out
In its most recent campaign, Glanbia focused on four supplement benefit platforms:
- Immunity and vitality
- Energy and focus
- Stress and sleep
- Beauty-from-within
A great formula does nothing from the back of a cabinet. Glanbia's Designing Smarter Supplementation campaign makes the case that format, flavor, and the technical work behind them decide whether people keep taking their supplements.
For each platform, the campaign maps consumer demand, rising ingredients (based on growth in North American supplement launches), the claims that resonate with consumers, and the Glanbia building blocks that fit.
Two ingredients cross platform lines. Magnesium bisglycinate is on the rising list for immunity, energy, and sleep, while ashwagandha is rising in immunity and energy and is already a top ingredient for stress and sleep.
Every platform also comes with builds in two categories. Prototypes are finished products that Glanbia has formulated and can sample. Concepts are blueprints: starting points that a brand can take, adapt, and improve with its own doses and positioning.
Immunity & Vitality
Immunity is still the biggest single need in the category. FMCG Gurus data in Glanbia's campaign shows 40% of global consumers took supplements to improve their immunity in the past 12 months.
- Rising ingredients: vitamin K2, prebiotics, CoQ10, ashwagandha, and magnesium bisglycinate
- Claim language gaining traction: "immune strength", "resilience", "immune defense", and "recovery & rejuvenation"
Eight vitamins, three minerals, a botanical extract, and a sweetener blend. Nearly all from different suppliers. One late shipment and your production run stalls. Glanbia's Custom Premix Solutions turn that whole list into a single tested ingredient.
Glanbia's anchor bioactive here is Immunel™, a colostrum low molecular weight fraction (CLMWF). Glanbia's proprietary fractionation process isolates roughly 50 small bioactive peptides and growth factors from whole bovine colostrum. Compositional research on CLMWF, which is filtered to keep only molecules under 5 kilodaltons, found the powder is mostly lactose (about 58%), along with minerals, taurine, L-carnitine, B vitamins, and nucleotides.[1]
The human study Glanbia cites gave 12 healthy adults a single 150mg dose of CLMWF or a placebo in a randomized, double-blind crossover trial. Within two hours, CLMWF increased the phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear cells (white blood cells that engulf invaders) and raised circulating T cell counts compared to placebo, while natural killer cell numbers dipped at one hour and recovered by two.[2] The researchers suggested the fraction interacts with immune cells in the gut lining, triggering effects throughout the body within hours. It's a small study, but it lines up with Glanbia's "fast acting" positioning.
The small dose is a huge advantage. Glanbia lists its whole-colostrum ingredients, ColostrumOne® (15% to 30% IgG) and ColostruMune® (20% to 40% IgG, with validated insulin-like growth factors and sialic acid), for powders, tablets, and capsules. Immunel™ works at just 100mg per serving in Glanbia's prototypes, which enables application into gummies and chews. Glanbia rounds out the platform with Bioferrin® lactoferrin, a whey-derived protein that binds iron, and the All N® Immunity Premix Accelerator for gummies and powders.
- ImmunWell Gummies (prototype, Berry Pomegranate Elixir): Two gummies deliver 100mg of Immunel™ plus the All N® Immunity Premix Accelerator, which brings 100mg of NutraShield® vitamin C, 5.5mg of zinc, and 25mg of elderberry extract, all in 20 calories.
- Immunel™ Ready-to-Mix Immune & Hydration Powder (prototype, Passion Fruit Yuzu): 100mg of Immunel with 1.5g of the All N® Electrolyte Premix Accelerator, sweetened with allulose and stevia for 0g of sugar.
- Immunel™ Orange Cream Tablet Chew (prototype): 100mg of Immunel in a 1g chewable tablet.
- Daily Defense Immune Support Chew (concept, Mandarin Orange Lemongrass): Functionally optimized vitamin C, zinc, and vitamin D3 plus Immunel™.
Immunity is still the category's biggest need, with 40% of global consumers taking supplements for it in the past year.
ImmunWell Gummies pair 100mg of Immunel™ with the All N® Immunity Premix Accelerator.
Energy & Focus
Energy is the fastest-growing positioning in new supplement launches, and the demand is broad: FMCG Gurus data cited by Glanbia shows 51% of global consumers want to manage their energy levels with supplements.
- Rising ingredients: magnesium bisglycinate, alpha-GPC, ashwagandha, L-theanine, and moringa
- Claim language gaining traction: "sustained energy", "functional energy", "mental sharpness", and "stamina"
That claim language tells you where the category is headed. Consumers want steady, sustained energy paired with the focus to stay sharp throughout the day. That favors caffeine combined with focus ingredients over caffeine alone. Glanbia's toolkit leans on NutraShield®-coated caffeine, choline bitartrate, and L-theanine (the coating helps with processing losses and bitterness, as we covered in Part One), plus the All N® Essential Energy and Vitamin B Complex Premix Accelerators for powders and the All N Cognition accelerator for gummies.
- EnergiFuel Chews (prototype, Watermelon Splash): 50mg of NutraShield® caffeine per chew, broken down in Part One.
- Cognitive Support Gummy (concept, Berry Prickly Pear): NutraShield® choline bitartrate, L-theanine, caffeine, and vitamin B12, plus creatine.
- Whole Body & Mind Support Chew (concept, Blackberry Boost): Creatine with NutraShield® vegan vitamin D3 and vitamin K2.
- BCAA & Electrolyte Drink Mix (concept, Strawberry Dragon Fruit): 4g of AminoBlast® BCAAs per serving with the All N® Electrolyte Premix Accelerator.
Creatine shows up in two of those concepts, a sign of how far it has traveled from the gym bag into cognitive positioning. How much creatine fits in a chew or gummy is exactly the kind of call a brand makes when it takes a concept forward.
Energy claims are shifting toward sustained energy and mental sharpness.
Stress & Sleep
Sleep and stress are deeply intertwined. Innova data in Glanbia's campaign shows 60% of global consumers report sleep-related health issues, with stress and anxiety contributing to poor sleep, and poor sleep in turn fueling fatigue, restlessness, and changes in mood.
- Rising ingredients: magnesium bisglycinate and L-threonate, glycine, L-theanine, tryptophan, and hops
- Claim language gaining traction: "restful", "restorative", "refreshed", "calm", and "sleep quality"
Tryptophan's spot on that list is where PepForm® Tryptophan comes in. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid the body converts to serotonin and, from there, melatonin.[3] Instead of delivering the hormone, it supplies the raw material for the body's own melatonin. That's a different approach from the melatonin gummies we covered in Part One, where measured doses ranged from 74% to 347% of label claims.
Research on free L-tryptophan centers on sleep continuity. A 2022 meta-analysis found that supplementation shortened time spent awake after first falling asleep, with stronger effects at 1g per day or more.[4] In a placebo-controlled crossover trial of 98 adults, 1,000mg of tryptophan taken before bed for a week improved actigraphy-measured sleep efficiency and wake time after sleep onset.[5]
PepForm® attaches tryptophan to a peptide carrier, which Glanbia says significantly improves solubility and amino acid utilization, a useful trait in a drink mix. Glanbia also reports results from its own study (data on file): improved daytime functioning, alertness, and performance, along with faster times on the trail making test (a timed connect-the-dots task that measures processing speed and mental flexibility) after two weeks.
KSM-66® Ashwagandha is the other workhorse here, available NutraShield®-coated and inside the All N® Relax Premix Accelerator for powders.
- ZenGems Gummies (prototype, Berry Bliss): 300mg of NutraShield® KSM-66® Ashwagandha per gummy, covered in Part One.
- Calm & Clarity Drink Mix (concept, Sour Apple Passion Fruit): The stick pack from our walkthrough above.
- Mood Relaxing Drink Mix (concept, Tea Lemonade): NutraShield® KSM-66® Ashwagandha and vitamin D3, plus GABA.
60% of global consumers report sleep-related issues, and tryptophan is on the rising-ingredient list.
Beauty-From-Within
Beauty supplements have moved well past biotin. FMCG Gurus data in Glanbia's campaign shows 55% of global consumers now link skin, hair, and nail health to overall wellness, and growing interest in the gut-skin axis is pulling probiotics into beauty products.
- Rising ingredients: probiotics, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C-rich botanicals (acerola, amla, and camu camu), vitamin K2, and astaxanthin
- Claim language gaining traction: "radiant", "glowing", "revitalized complexion", and "improved barrier"
Finally! Creatine that stays stable in beverages thanks to Glanbia's CreaBev™ technology. Plus OptiATP® brings actual cellular energy to RTDs -- not just caffeine. Add in Collameta™ marine collagen tripeptides & TruCal® bone minerals = strength from every angle. Read about all four ingredients in Glanbia's Strength Platform
Glanbia's headliner is Collameta™, a marine-based collagen with 50% tripeptide content that we first covered in Glanbia's 2025 Strength Throughout Life Campaign. Tripeptides are three-amino-acid collagen fragments such as Gly-Pro-Hyp, and Glanbia says the ingredient's high tripeptide share means brands need only about one-tenth of a traditional collagen dose (500mg to 1g per day), which it bills as 10 times the efficacy.
The absorption side of that story has support. In a human study of collagen tripeptide preparations, including one with roughly 50% tripeptides, blood and urine levels of Gly-Pro-Hyp and Pro-Hyp rose with the amount of Gly-Pro-Hyp ingested, which the researchers took as evidence that collagen is absorbed efficiently in tripeptide form.[6] That study measured absorption rather than skin outcomes and didn't test Collameta™ itself. For skin results at a similar daily amount, a 12-week placebo-controlled trial of a different low molecular weight collagen peptide (more than 15% tripeptides) found 1,000mg per day improved skin hydration, wrinkling, and two of three elasticity measures.[7]
Collameta™ is fish-derived, so Glanbia's collagen prototypes carry a fish allergen statement. On the vitamin and mineral side, the All N® Beauty Premix Accelerator for gummies covers vitamins A, B, C, and E, zinc, lutein, lycopene, and collagen, while UniTrit® biotin and NutraShield® beta carotene handle the trickier micronutrients.
- GlowUp Effervescents (prototype, Pineapple Passion): 1g of Collameta™ per tablet with NutraShield® beta carotene, vitamins D3 and E, and selenium.
- Collagen Peach Citrus Gummies (prototype): Collameta™ collagen in a 30-calorie gummy serving.
- Beauty-from-Within Chews (concept, Tropical Peach): Collameta™ plus the All N® Vitamin B Complex Premix Accelerator, with NutraShield® B vitamins, UniTrit® biotin, folate, and B12, and Glanbia's Modz™ masking flavor blend.
- Glow & Radiance Gummy (concept, Blueberry Honeydew): The All N® Beauty Premix Accelerator, Collameta™, and EdiSparklz® edible glitter.
55% of global consumers now link skin, hair, and nail health to overall wellness.
Beyond the Four
Glanbia's lineup doesn't stop at four platforms. A Digestive Wellness Effervescent Tablet concept (Honey Ginger Berry) combines low-fermenting fiber, a postbiotic, and NutraShield® potassium chloride. And for brands serving GLP-1 medication users, Glanbia offers an All N® GLP-1 Complement Premix Accelerator for gummies, powders, and chewable tablets.
What Brands Need From a Development Partner
Benefit-led products are harder to build than single-ingredient ones. More actives mean more interactions, more off-notes to mask, more stability problems, and more suppliers to qualify. Glanbia's message is that one partner can cover the whole chain:
- Consumer insight: Most of the data in this article comes from Glanbia's own research programs, including its Pulse surveys and Attitude & Usage studies, backed by Innova and FMCG Gurus market data.
- Ingredients and technology: All N® premixes, TechVantage® functionally optimized nutrients, and bioactives such as Immunel™, Collameta™, and PepForm® Tryptophan.
- Flavor: Glanbia's flavor houses, Flavor Producers and Foodarom, build masking systems and benefit-matched profiles.
- Application expertise: Format-specific know-how for gummies, soft chews, and ready-to-mix powders, from overage tuning to pilot-lab testing.
Glanbia isn't a contract manufacturer, but it connects brands with co-manufacturers suited to their category and scale, or works alongside the one a brand already uses. We covered the premix side of this in detail in our custom premix article.
Design Around the Outcome
Regular consumers don't wake up wanting "300mg of an ashwagandha extract". They want the experience and results -- to feel calmer, sleep through the night, push through the afternoon, or see healthier-looking skin. Brands that want to reach them should start there and work backward: pick the need, build the formula around it, then deliver it in a format people look forward to taking.
Glanbia's campaign gives brands a head start on all three steps, from consumer data to finished prototypes. Brands can request Glanbia's Supplement Design Experience Kit and watch its on-demand Designing the Future of Smarter Supplementation webinar through the Designing Smarter Supplementation page.
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