>>What's new overseas?


Product: Jeunesse range

Company: Parmalat

Country: Italy



Beauty foods and drinks form an established market in some parts of Asia-Pacific, notably Japan and South Korea. Recent introductions there have included an onion drink in South Korea with claimed beauty benefits, a peach-flavoured alcoholic beverage with collagen and even dehydrated soup with collagen. In Japan, such products are claimed to aid beautiful, youthful-looking skin as well as wellbeing.

Beauty foods are now slowly beginning to appear in Europe, where consumers are becoming more aware of how what they eat can affect their beauty and wellbeing.

In Italy, Parmalat has introduced the Jeunesse range, comprising yoghurts, fruit desserts, ready-to-drink juices and milk. All are fortified with coenzyme Q10 and antioxidant vitamins. The brand name Jeunesse positions this as an anti-ageing range, as the word translates as youth.

Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant, often found in facial care and skincare creams, where it is associated with an anti-ageing effect. It is not completely new in food and beverages, but it is rare to find it in a product from a mainstream company.

Health and beauty-conscious consumers will also be familiar with the common antioxidant vitamins contained in Jeunesse, both from fortified beverages and their skincare regimes.

The Jeunesse juice drinks - available in orange & mango and peach & guava varieties - have a minimum fruit content of 20% and only 27 calories per 100ml serving.

The yoghurts are available in seven varieties, including the unusual coffee or papaya & aloe vera flavours. They contain only 0.1% fat per 125g pot.

The positioning of this brand fits well with the growing trend towards a more holistic approach to health and beauty.

How long before companies decide to plunder the skincare market for other active ingredients that can offer more than just external wellbeing?