Vital Foods

Vital Foods, founded in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1990 by Deborah Helen Hollier, Mike Hollier, and Bruce Donaldson, specialized in manufacturing natural, kiwifruit-based digestive aids. The company focused on products clinically demonstrated to support long-term intestinal health.

The core of Vital Foods' product line was Zyactinase™, a unique active ingredient derived entirely from New Zealand green kiwifruit through a proprietary process. This led to the creation of two main products. The first, Kiwi Crush™, was developed in 1992 and initially launched in New Zealand hospitals in 1994 as a treatment for constipation, particularly for post-surgery patients. It is a functional beverage, available frozen or as a freeze-dried powder, that utilizes the natural prebiotics and enzymes in kiwifruit to maintain regular bowel health. The second product, Phloe™, is a chewable supplement also made from Zyactinase™, designed for effective bowel health management. Launched in 2007, Phloe became a significant over-the-counter laxative product in New Zealand.

The business operated by developing and selling these natural health products directly to consumers through pharmacies and supermarkets. Over its history, Vital Foods secured investment from several institutions, including Nestlé Health Science in a funding round on July 14, 2011. In September 2018, the company sold its Zyactinase-based digestive health product asset portfolio to Mundipharma. According to industry data, the company is now considered deadpooled or out of business as of early 2020.

Keywords: digestive health, kiwifruit supplements, natural digestive aids, Zyactinase, bowel health, constipation relief, Phloe, Kiwi Crush, gut health, prebiotics, food enzymes, functional foods, New Zealand kiwifruit, natural health products, nutraceuticals, gastrointestinal health, dietary supplements, over-the-counter remedies, plant-based supplements, food science