With rising costs due to energy prices as well as demand in the European market. We've watched raw material prices increase each month since the middle of 2007. Most amino acids rose little by little each month, while all forms of Vitamin C and Vitamin B5 had severe price spikes. Fortunately the Vitamin prices have dropped, but still have not dropped to the levels they were prior to 2007. Amino Acids remain higher than they were 18 months ago, but have seem to level off and fortunately as we write this in Dec. 2008 do not seem to be continuing their rise.

In order to offset these price increases without giving up on quality of the raw material, we began having 90% of our powders manufactured in F.D.A. approved foil pouches. Many of you have received these and have been since early 2008. Feedback has been great since we implemented these pouches. However there has been a few individuals that are used to the hard plastic containers and have made comment that they simply didn't expect a pouch. So therefore we make this page available.

By implementing these pouches we are able to maintain our prices to you by cutting costs on packaging. It also benefits us as well as you as a consumer with shipping costs. As we are able to fit more product in a box and continue to offer flat rate shipping. Shipping costs is another aspect that has seen sharp increases as The Post Office (as they always do) increase their prices. UPS and FEDEX have increased their fuel surcharges which translate into 10-20% higher costs on our end.

We are proud to be able to say we have been able to keep our prices stable with only minor increases on a couple products that have very little margin for us to begin with. Vitamin C we have almost completely eliminated due to the severity of the pricing. Vitamin B5 we continued to carry due to the volume we move on that product.

 

Other than package costs and savings on shipping these pouches offer further benefits: They offer a tighter seal than normal containers and give a longer shelf life which is important with some semi bulk powders that may sit in your cabinet for months before you use it all. The Foil Stand Up pouches enable all the air to be forced out and sealed air tight with the plastic ziplock feature. They take up less room in pantries and gym bags. For products that are susceptible to air and that requires more than a couple weeks to use to completion in 1 Kilogram quantities, we will generally ship in multiple 250 Gram containers. The benefit is that you open only 250 Grams while the other 750 Grams are still factory sealed without exposure to air or moisture. This adds shelf life to bulk supplements and allows you to use them with less risk of moisture and air.

US pouch demand to reach $6.5 billion in 2010.

Demand for pouches in the US is forecast to rise 6.3 percent annually through 2010 to $6.5 billion, spurred by continued  expansion of the stand-up pouch segment and healthy gains for flat pouches in certain markets. Pouches, particularly stand-up types, will benefit from increasing incorporation of such value-added features and properties as spouts, zippers, retortability and microwaveability. The fastest-growing markets for stand-up pouches will be cheese, processed foods, and consumer and industrial products, while strong growth for flat pouches will be registered in such markets as fresh produce, medical and pharmaceutical products, and consumer items.

Stand-up pouch demand will be driven by aesthetic appeal, reclosability, freshness protection and ability to differentiate products on store shelves. Innovations such as retortable zippers and sleeve-in-pouch designs will also stimulate demand and expand the number of applications for stand-ups. Additionally, the relatively novel position of stand-up pouches as a packaging format will bolster gains as product manufacturers look to update the packaging of mature lines in order to boost sales and consumer interest.

Flat pouches will maintain their position as the dominant pouch type through 2010. Side seal pouches will post above-average gains due to healthy growth in such markets as cheese, yogurt, pudding and pharmaceuticals. Demand for side seal pouches will also be buoyed by technical innovations that make the incorporation of reclosable zippers using existing form/fill/seal machinery more cost-effective than in the past. Pillow pouches will remain the largest flat pouch category based on their extensive use in large markets like snack foods.

In food and beverage markets, pouch demand is projected to increase 6.1 percent annually through 2010 to $5.2 billion, with above-average opportunities present in beverages, processed foods, pet food, fresh and frozen meats and seafood, and fresh produce. Nonfood pouch demand will climb 6.9 percent per year to $1.3 billion, supported by increasing use of pouches in the packaging of pharmaceuticals and consumer products like lawn and garden consumables.

 

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