Overview

On August 18, 2009, the Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) came up with a new law strengthening the Regulatory capacity of the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) to ensure the safety, quality, and efficacy of medicines and other health products. The Philippines nutritional supplements market is driven by a robust demand for herbal supplements and is fully regulated under the Philippines FDA. As per Administrative Order No. 37 s. 1979, imported food products are required to be registered with BFAD prior to their distribution in the domestic market (Philippines). The importer is required to obtain the License to Operate (LTO) from the exported, and the former should be authenticated by the Philippines Consulate in the country of origin. A local company in the Philippines must secure an LTO from the BFAD before applying for product registration.

The Philippines’ nutraceuticals market, currently in its early stages, is growing due to the rising middle-class population and their reliance on the traditional pharmaceutical medicine system. The Philippines nutraceuticals market can be divided into three (03) major categories, which are as follows:

• Vitamins and Dietary Supplements
• Functional Beverages
• Functional Foods

Freyr recommends that companies operating in the nutraceuticals market can expand their market share to the Philippines and increase the revenue generated by focusing on product innovations in vitamins and dietary supplements, launching new flavor variants for functional foods and beverages, and opting for online distribution channels for their products. Freyr assists manufacturers in entering the Philippines market in compliance with the Philippines FDA regulations.