Swisse
| Industry | Health supplement |
|---|---|
| Founded | Melbourne, (1969; 55 years ago) |
| Headquarters | Cambridge Street, Collingwood, Melbourne, VIC, Australia |
Key people |
|
| Products | Vitamins and supplements |
| Parent | H&H Group |
| Website | https://www.swisse.com/en-au/home |
Swisse is a vitamin, supplement, and skincare brand. Founded in Australia in 1969 and globally headquartered in Melbourne, and was sold to Health & Happiness, a Chinese company based in Hong Kong previously known as Biostime International, in a $1.7 billion, two-step deal in 2015 & 2016.
Swisse states that they aim to select the most nutrient-rich ingredients worldwide, and uses formulations based on scientific and traditional evidence.[1][2][3] The company is currently an official team partner for the Australian Olympics Team through to 2024.[4]
Swisse products are currently available in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, India, the U.S., France, Italy, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Swisse's parent company is international family health and wellness provider H&H Group, publicly listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.[5][6] Measured by sales, it is Australia's top multivitamin brand.[7][8][9]
Products
[edit]The Swisse vitamin and supplement product range caters to multiple stages of life – from pre-conception supplements for men and women, to infants, children, teenagers and adults of various ages to the elderly. In recent years it has released products in a number of consumption formats, such as liquids, vegetarian-friendly capsules, dissolvable powders and effervescents with natural fruit flavourings. Swisse aims to avoid added sugars, and work to ensure products are as ‘clean’ as possible in formulating for bioavailability and minimising excipients.[10]
Swisse has also recently released a product range combining probiotics, nutrients, and herbs, as well as a range using Australian hemp seed oil, which the company believes "will play an important role in the delivery of incremental growth for Swisse ANZ in 2020."[11] Swisse Beauty's 'Healthy Beautiful' range launched in early 2020.[12]
Legal issues
[edit]In 2013 Avni Sali, the father of former CEO Radek Sali, sued the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for defamation over a The Checkout segment on Swisse products which claimed that he manipulated clinical tests of a Swisse appetite suppressant to benefit the company.[13] The ABC stood by the segment,[14] and Australia's dietary supplement regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), nullified the product's legal registration due to "insufficient evidence to support the indications for the product and the presentation of the product was unacceptable" during the course of the suit.[15] The company promptly registered a new product with the same ingredient under the name 'Ultiboost Hunger Control' instead of 'Ultiboost Appetite Suppressant.'[15] The case was eventually settled out of court with no settlement paid and each party paying its own legal fees.[16]
In 2012, the TGA's Complaints Resolution Panel ordered the company to cease use of the terms “clinically proven” and “independently tested” in its promotional materials, in addition to the tagline “Tired? Stressed? You’ll feel better on Swisse.” [17]
Spokespeople
[edit]Swisse's global ambassadors are actor Chris Hemsworth,[18] Nicole Kidman and Elsa Pataky.[19] Other ambassadors include Ricky Ponting and Ashley Hart.[20] Indian stars Nushrat Bharucha and Kriti Kharbanda supported Swisse's launch in the Indian market in early 2020.[21][22][23]
References
[edit]- ^ "Vitamins & Supplements".
- ^ "Skincare". Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ^ "Sports Nutrition".
- ^ "Swisse Vitamins". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
- ^ "Hong Kong-listed Biostime takes Swisse prize". 16 September 2015.
- ^ Hawthorne, Mark (17 September 2015). "Swisse bought by Hong Kong company Biostime for $1.67 billion". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
- ^ "Australia's Top Multivitamin Brand Swisse Wellness Re-Enters U.S. Market". Retrieved 1 February 2018.
- ^ "Swisse marks return to US market with launch of 'jelly' supplements". October 2019.
- ^ "Swisse Wellness debuts new website and touts US-exclusive product line". 17 February 2020.
- ^ "General Health | Swisse". swisse.com.au. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020.
- ^ "Swisse's new hemp range: Supplements and skin care products to play 'key role' in Australian growth strategy". 28 April 2020.
- ^ "Swisse takes natural approach to relaunch of skincare line". 13 April 2020.
- ^ Butler, Ben (2 May 2013). "ABC show defamed me, Swisse patriarch claims". The Age. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
- ^ Ross, Annabel (3 May 2013). "ABC keeps Swisse segment online despite legal action". The Age. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ a b Russell, Mark (2 August 2013). "Judge refuses to strike out Swisse defamation suit against ABC show". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ Brennan, Bridget (23 August 2016). "Public health expert raises concerns about ABC partnership with supplements brand Swisse Wellness". Australian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ Vagg, Michael (28 March 2012). "Trust me, I'm 'clinically proven'!". The Conversation. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Chris Hemsworth – Swisse Men’s Ultivites. YouTube.
- ^ "Elsa Pataky Joins the Swisse Wellness Quest for Health and Happiness" (Press release).
- ^ "Swisse Ambassadors".
- ^ "Australian wellness brand Swisse celebrates major India launch". 29 April 2020.
- ^ "'The right time': Swisse MD on venturing into India as firm turns 50". 16 March 2020.
- ^ Swisse. "Melbourne's Swisse Launches Globally Acclaimed Wellness Products in India". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 6 February 2022.
