Today, the Global Prebiotic Association (GPA), the trade association representing the global prebiotics market, announced the addition of a new board member Univar Solutions, new member level organization Kyowa Hakko Bio and associate level members Anagenix and Firmenich.

“We know from our consumer research that prebiotic awareness among supplement consumers is up to over 85% according to our latest ITC Insight reports and this category continues to grow rapidly,” said GPA Executive Director Len Monheit. “Adding these new members is significant because they extend GPA’s global presence, they are all getting quite deeply engaged and they also represent category best in class.”

New Board Level

• Univar Solutions is a leading global specialty chemical and ingredient distributor representing a premier portfolio from the world’s leading producers.

“We are excited to join the board of the Global Prebiotic Association and work together in raising awareness for prebiotics,” says Matthew Ottaway, senior vice president of global consumer solutions for Univar Solutions. “Univar Solutions has been promoting and selling prebiotics for over a decade, and joining the Association strengthens and signals our commitment to this rapidly growing market and our global strategic partners in this space.”   

New Member Level 

• Kyowa Hakko Bio is an international health ingredients manufacturer.

 New Associate Level Companies

• Anagenix is a New Zealand science-based company operating in the supplement, functional food, and nutraceutical space.
• Firmenich is the largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company.

Adds Monheit, “GPA has an extensive work plan which is focused on increasing public awareness about the production, quality and science of prebiotic products, expanding understanding of the solid science supporting both well-known and newfound benefits, and creating needed transparency about their interaction with the microbiome. Expanding our member roster helps GPA expand its scope and reach, doing more for the category globally.”

As part of its work, GPA defines a prebiotic as ‘A product or ingredient that is utilized in the microbiota producing a health or performance benefit’ and a prebiotic effect as:

‘A health or performance benefit that arises from alteration of the composition and/or activity of the microbiota, as a direct or indirect result of the utilization of a specific and well-defined product or ingredient by microorganisms.’

GPA champions the prebiotics category by increasing public awareness and understanding of the science supporting both well-known and newfound benefits, and creates needed transparency about prebiotics and their interaction with the microbiome. GPA has dedicated committees and working groups that execute the work plan against the association’s four strategic pillars of Thought Leadership and Authority, Technical and Regulatory Leadership, International Engagement, and Membership Value & Growth.