Health solutions firm seeks FDA nod on new products

CEBU, Philippines - A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certification is expected to stir up the market for wine, tea, and juice using Roselle, a highly nutritious plant of the gumamela family sought after by consumers in the US and Europe.

Cocobless, the company that manufactures the products, is obtaining a license to operate (LTO) from FDA in order to market Roselle (Rosella sabdariffa or wild hibiscus) products and reach out to consumers who are increasingly becoming more health conscious.

“We’re expecting an FDA LTO in two to three months. By then we’ll be able to distribute our products to major supermarkets,” said Meland G. Dilodilo of Cocobless.

The Roselle products are being promoted by Verve Health Solutions (VHS).  Its Roselle  products wine, tea, and juice have recently been exhibited at the Bureau of Agricultural Research’s (BAR) Techno Forum.    

These products are made mainly from the leaves and calyces of the Roselle plant.  It will also be available in the future as chips which can be used as an ingredient in salads and pastries, and even in capsule form.

“We’re really developing products that are indigenous but have high nutrition value craved for in the market,” said BAR Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar.

The company also needs the FDA LTO in order to distribute Roselle products to institutional or corporate buyers and to major export markets.

“You can’t go to the export market until you have capacity in tonnages.  As of the moment, we go for the local market, and once we have built up our capacity to produce and manufacture, we will be targeting the global market,” said Dr. Naomi Joy Dilodilo, Cocobless co-founder.

While still on a small scale production, Cocobless aims to grow its operations by putting up facilities for spray drying, vacuum drying, and freeze drying, which need approximately P3 million to P10 million to set up. It currently utilizes a technology comparable to these processes involving simple machines.

One of the current projects of Cocobless is the analysis of its Roselle products for nutritional information and expiry date.  This is a requirement for food distribution. It also has plans to collaborate with Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) and SGS on packaging and labeling.

According to BAR, Roselle has a growing global market because of its known medical value.

Malaysia supplies much of the Roselle raw materials in the world. Australia is also a producer of finished goods like the Roselle tea.  These products are exported to the US and Europe, with Germany as a major buyer.

Cocobless Roselle products, particularly the RosellaWild Hibiscus Tea, will be marketed to health and wellness clinics and hospitals.

The company is strengthening its marketing efforts since the weakness of most research and development (R&D) operations is on the business aspect, officials said.

Roselle is found in many countries in Africa, South America, the Middle East, and Asia.  Interestingly, Roselle is indigenous to the Philippines.

Founded by a group of medical professionals who believe that nutrition should play a greater role in the maintenance of health, Verve Health Solutions aims to spread this message to the world.  Harnessing the best nature has to offer, Verve Health Solutions provides an alternative for healthy, vibrant lifestyle. /JMD (FREEMAN)