By Sheldon Baker11.01.17
The company’s head office is in New York City, where Mr. Ahuja has made his residence since 2008. Mr. Ahuja has spearheaded Nutracode's mission to provide consumer friendly and innovative supplement delivery systems, specifically liquid vegan capsules and VidaSpheres time-released beadlets. The Nutracode companies are well-recognized experts in sourcing, formulating, and utilizing unique nutritional ingredients in their contract manufacturing business. Mr. Ahuja’s lifelong commitment to inspiring health in others has driven him to teach tennis, yoga, and pursue a homeopathic and holistic lifestyle.
Health E-Insights: Is Nutracode primarily a contract manufacturing firm?
Mr. Ahuja: Yes, we work with startup brands, decades-old legacy companies, large ingredient houses, and others. We execute daily on manufacturing projects, which require significant product development work ups to create distinct formulations. We also do private label. However, a good deal of work revolves around production of stock items, and toll work, companies that ship us their branded ingredients to be encapsulated into liquid capsules or converted into beadlets using proprietary methodologies.
Health E-Insights: What innovative services sets you apart from your competition?
Mr. Ahuja: We produce liquid capsules, vegan or gelatin, with or without beadlet delivery systems. We are manufacturing specialists in these areas. There is a class of brands that has recognized the remarkable quality in the industry, and we help make the transition as smooth as possible for our clients during their shift from softgels to liquid capsules and beadlets.
Health E-Insights: What are a few primary features of the delivery systems you offer?
Mr. Ahuja: A few primary features which differentiate us are a cleaner, simpler, more transparent aesthetic look. This value alone gives brands with liquid capsules an edge, but the oil-filled capsule also provides faster absorption, five times less shell material, and a higher quality shell makes the decision straightforward for most brand owners. We also have a growing and innovative line of business which involves two types of small spherical beadlets called VidaSpheres, which are time-released ingredients. Think vitamins, minerals, and amino acids having functional uses such as either suspended in liquid capsules or dispersed into powders, such as protein or pre-workouts.
Health E-Insights: Do you focus primarily on the North American marketplace?
Mr. Ahuja: Currently, we source materials and serve clients globally. Although, the bulk of our business is based in the U.S., we have a commitment to and a vision for global commerce, with offices in New York, Mumbai, and Dubai.
Health E-Insights: What are the top two metrics to which your company pays the closest attention?
Mr. Ahuja: Short answer is time and quality. Nothing is more expensive than time, and quality can make or break a business in a blink of an eye. Internally, we have heavy focus on supply chain management and ingredient procurement, and an emphasis on time management and logistical awareness are key. Whether it’s a matter of R&D or completing a project before a deadline, we think timing issues are paramount to our partners and clients. We also see growth in clean label and more rigorous lab testing. Consider where the market will be in 10-20 years; that’s the level of integrity and quality of product we target. It’s critical.
Health E-Insights: Where will the most significant growth occur in the company in the next few years?
Mr. Ahuja: Liquid capsules and beadlets, of course. In all seriousness, we have seen robust growth over the past three years in the interest and adoption of these novel delivery systems. Tremendous potential exists in both areas. As we pioneer forward and continue to collaborate with different companies, we can identify and create new and effective delivery systems. We even surprise ourselves sometimes with the outcome. We forecast phenomenal growth in consumer interest in immune health and preventive care.
Health E-Insights: How do you feel your business and the supplement industry has changed since you first got into it?
Mr. Ahuja: Looking back to the 1990s, when I first began to have a keen interest in sports nutrition and stepped into my first GNC, I recall that was seemingly the only option to buy supplements. Even in the recent past the dominance of brick-and-mortars, and mom and pop health food stores continued to dominate the industry. Now, these have all but been replaced by e-commerce and online-only brands with extremely niche product lines. There is no question the consumer has become vastly more info-hungry and conscious of what they consume, thereby making healthier supplement choices.
Health E-Insights: Is there a part of your business that just gets you shaking your head?
Mr. Ahuja: Perhaps, it is the extremes we see in individual lifestyles of Americans, from obsessions with health and fitness to those who have gone in a total opposite direction, complete disparity, really. I get concerned that fad diets or obsessive supplementation which can potentially decrease quality of life. In the end, we are all here to make the best of our lives, to work hard, but also to enjoy life’s simplicities intermingled with its complexities, such as eating and sleeping well, exercising daily and keeping stress to a minimum. Smile and laugh often.
Health E-Insights: How do you continue to find inspiration in the work you do?
Mr. Ahuja: We launched a retail brand this year, which has given me a new outlet to explore my creative energy and the whole team has certainly been invigorated. It’s truly inspiring to bring your ideas into the hands of the consumer, as a manufacturer but even more so when you can put your name on a unique product. Exciting ideas are emerging at Nutracode HQ. For as long as I can remember I was quite passionate about fitness and nutrition. As my career progressed, I knew as an entrepreneur, I would be best suited to continue along the nutracode path. It’s a holistic commitment on a personal level and in a sense a spiritual one as well, with a mission to contribute to our expanding wellness culture. With healthier living, we are developing a future we can all be proud members of and always improving and pursuing a sense of betterment.
Sheldon Baker is CEO of the Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical marketing communications and public relations campaigns for many well-known companies and brands. For Health E-Insights interview consideration or public relations consulting, contact him at SBaker@BakerDillon.com.
Health E-Insights: Is Nutracode primarily a contract manufacturing firm?
Mr. Ahuja: Yes, we work with startup brands, decades-old legacy companies, large ingredient houses, and others. We execute daily on manufacturing projects, which require significant product development work ups to create distinct formulations. We also do private label. However, a good deal of work revolves around production of stock items, and toll work, companies that ship us their branded ingredients to be encapsulated into liquid capsules or converted into beadlets using proprietary methodologies.
Health E-Insights: What innovative services sets you apart from your competition?
Mr. Ahuja: We produce liquid capsules, vegan or gelatin, with or without beadlet delivery systems. We are manufacturing specialists in these areas. There is a class of brands that has recognized the remarkable quality in the industry, and we help make the transition as smooth as possible for our clients during their shift from softgels to liquid capsules and beadlets.
Health E-Insights: What are a few primary features of the delivery systems you offer?
Mr. Ahuja: A few primary features which differentiate us are a cleaner, simpler, more transparent aesthetic look. This value alone gives brands with liquid capsules an edge, but the oil-filled capsule also provides faster absorption, five times less shell material, and a higher quality shell makes the decision straightforward for most brand owners. We also have a growing and innovative line of business which involves two types of small spherical beadlets called VidaSpheres, which are time-released ingredients. Think vitamins, minerals, and amino acids having functional uses such as either suspended in liquid capsules or dispersed into powders, such as protein or pre-workouts.
Health E-Insights: Do you focus primarily on the North American marketplace?
Mr. Ahuja: Currently, we source materials and serve clients globally. Although, the bulk of our business is based in the U.S., we have a commitment to and a vision for global commerce, with offices in New York, Mumbai, and Dubai.
Health E-Insights: What are the top two metrics to which your company pays the closest attention?
Mr. Ahuja: Short answer is time and quality. Nothing is more expensive than time, and quality can make or break a business in a blink of an eye. Internally, we have heavy focus on supply chain management and ingredient procurement, and an emphasis on time management and logistical awareness are key. Whether it’s a matter of R&D or completing a project before a deadline, we think timing issues are paramount to our partners and clients. We also see growth in clean label and more rigorous lab testing. Consider where the market will be in 10-20 years; that’s the level of integrity and quality of product we target. It’s critical.
Health E-Insights: Where will the most significant growth occur in the company in the next few years?
Mr. Ahuja: Liquid capsules and beadlets, of course. In all seriousness, we have seen robust growth over the past three years in the interest and adoption of these novel delivery systems. Tremendous potential exists in both areas. As we pioneer forward and continue to collaborate with different companies, we can identify and create new and effective delivery systems. We even surprise ourselves sometimes with the outcome. We forecast phenomenal growth in consumer interest in immune health and preventive care.
Mr. Ahuja: Looking back to the 1990s, when I first began to have a keen interest in sports nutrition and stepped into my first GNC, I recall that was seemingly the only option to buy supplements. Even in the recent past the dominance of brick-and-mortars, and mom and pop health food stores continued to dominate the industry. Now, these have all but been replaced by e-commerce and online-only brands with extremely niche product lines. There is no question the consumer has become vastly more info-hungry and conscious of what they consume, thereby making healthier supplement choices.
Health E-Insights: Is there a part of your business that just gets you shaking your head?
Mr. Ahuja: Perhaps, it is the extremes we see in individual lifestyles of Americans, from obsessions with health and fitness to those who have gone in a total opposite direction, complete disparity, really. I get concerned that fad diets or obsessive supplementation which can potentially decrease quality of life. In the end, we are all here to make the best of our lives, to work hard, but also to enjoy life’s simplicities intermingled with its complexities, such as eating and sleeping well, exercising daily and keeping stress to a minimum. Smile and laugh often.
Health E-Insights: How do you continue to find inspiration in the work you do?
Mr. Ahuja: We launched a retail brand this year, which has given me a new outlet to explore my creative energy and the whole team has certainly been invigorated. It’s truly inspiring to bring your ideas into the hands of the consumer, as a manufacturer but even more so when you can put your name on a unique product. Exciting ideas are emerging at Nutracode HQ. For as long as I can remember I was quite passionate about fitness and nutrition. As my career progressed, I knew as an entrepreneur, I would be best suited to continue along the nutracode path. It’s a holistic commitment on a personal level and in a sense a spiritual one as well, with a mission to contribute to our expanding wellness culture. With healthier living, we are developing a future we can all be proud members of and always improving and pursuing a sense of betterment.
Sheldon Baker is CEO of the Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical marketing communications and public relations campaigns for many well-known companies and brands. For Health E-Insights interview consideration or public relations consulting, contact him at SBaker@BakerDillon.com.
