This week we caught up with Steven Hicks of innovative Swedish healthcare company, BioGaia, which has been a world-leader in dietary supplements with probiotics for more than 30 years. He gave Nursery Online a little background to the company – and explained why probiotics are so important for infants and toddlers:

“At BioGaia, we’re passionate about probiotics. That’s why, for over 30 years, we’ve conducted scientific research on gut health, and the significance of bacteria for our health. The result is a range of scientifically researched  products that support overall health and immunity from birth and through every stage of life. Today we are a world leader in probiotics and our products are used in over 100 countries.  BioGaia’s products contain strains of the lactic acid bacterium L. reuteri – a probiotic that is especially well suited to colonise the human body. Results from clinical studies with BioGaia’s probiotic strains have been published in more than 200 articles in scientific journals, proving them effective and safe in children and adults.”

Why are probiotic products especially important for babies and toddlers?

“Probiotic products are important at any age, but a lot of focus should be placed on the baby and toddler age group.  The newborn baby establishes its gut bacteria and intestinal microbiota from birth and during the first three years of life. Directly after birth the newborn baby is almost sterile but very soon bacteria start to colonise every part of the body – the skin, the mouth and most importantly the gastrointestinal tract. The number and diversity of bacteria continue to increase until the age of three. At that time the microbiota resembles the composition of an adult and then, more or less, remains the same throughout life.

The interest in gut bacteria and the infant’s microbiota has exploded in recent years and research has shown that the infant microbiota plays an essential role in human health. A diverse microbiota may help the infant to optimise the development of the gastrointestinal tract and contribute to better health later in life.”

Parents are (understandably) very discerning when it comes to their children’s health. How does BioGaia work to reassure them that their products are safe – and good for them?

“It is right that parents should want to know the provenance of products.  We can reassure them that we have been producing our range for over 30 years and we sell millions of packs around the globe that are used safely by parents everywhere.  We have rigorous quality checks on every batch.”

Why should a retailer stock BioGaia products?

“We are already seeing a significant demand for our products in the UK despite only having launched at the start of the year.  We expect this demand to grow and we anticipate that consumers will look to nursery retailers for our products as a trusted vendor.”

How can retailers become BioGaia stockists – and how do you support them?

“Please contact us directly at sth@biogaia.co.uk – we have a number of initiatives to support retailers including POS, free gifts and digital toolboxes.”

What sets BioGaia apart from its competitors?

“Our products are high quality and safe to use, they are fully researched by our scientific team.”

Through which marketing channels is the brand communicated to consumers in the UK?

“You will see us on social media, your tube and digital display advertising around the UK.”

Can you share any specific plans or developments for BioGaia for the year ahead?

“We plan to launch further products from our range over the coming months so watch this space!”

Contact details for retailers to find out more:

Website: www.biogaia.co.uk
Email address: info@biogaia.co.uk
Facebook: BioGaiaUK
Instagram: Biogaia_uk