Around every corner there is a problem awaiting a solution. That’s the life of new product development.
At Thorne, we strive for constant innovation, redefining what a supplement can be and do. No product line exemplifies this more than our revolutionary line of dissolvable supplement discs, which are also known as “print suite” products.
I’m Aaron Denzler, Thorne’s Printed Technologies Research Manager, and I oversee various aspects of our print suite products such as Prebiotic +, Sleep +, and Kids Multi +. I have worn many hats during my time with Thorne, ranging from research and development, quality, process engineering, production, and even sanitation — just to name a few.
What are Thorne’s dissolvable discs? These supplements are the eco-friendly answer to the functional beverage industry. How? We’ve essentially removed water from the “enhanced water” equation. Only a small amount of liquid is used to dissolve an individual disc. In fact, our discs use one-third of the water and produce 53-percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions per 8-ounce serving, compared to the industry standard of shipping water-bloated, single-use bottles. The method of delivering a supplement solution through a disc — rather than through an alternative delivery form like sugary gummies — is unique, and reduces our carbon footprint.
The packaging for our revolutionary discs is also plastic-free, compostable, made from recycled materials, and certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
Each dissolvable disc made by Thorne is about two inches in diameter and is designed to be mixed on the spot, dissolving rapidly in hot or cold water or beverage to create a flavored, nutrient-filled drink.
The idea for Thorne’s dissolvable disc line was sparked by a small team, with a mind for ecological responsibility and desire for an alternate delivery method for nutritional supplements. (You can read more about the spark for our dissolvable discs from our Chief Innovation Officer, Dr. Stephen Phipps.)
Developing a new product, especially one that hasn’t been done before, can be a process filled with starts and stops and unforeseen challenges. Our first dissolvable disc product was Prebiotic +, and it helped me learn valuable lessons for our subsequent products. For Prebiotic +, we had no preset instructions to follow and had to rely on our skill sets to translate the new concept into a viable product.
Bringing a laboratory concept to life in a manufacturing setting is the key. When you are embedded in developing a new manufacturing process for a scientifically researched formula, attention to detail is critical.
The process behind creating a new disc product
Each new disc product starts with a base formula designed by Dr. Phipps. This formula defines the required ingredients and their anticipated quantities per serving. I transform this into a prototype via small scale experimentation. This is where I define what additional ingredients need to be added to create physical structure, color, flavor, solubility, and manufacturability. During this phase we can research new materials and collaborate with our Procurement team.
At this stage, we have a preferred iteration of the base formula, and we conduct in-house tests with our Medical, Quality, and Marketing teams. A pilot batch is made, which enables us to scale up our laboratory process to a full manufacturing run.
A big challenge in the beginning was developing packaging that provided the necessary shelf-life stability, while holding true to our central premise of a plastic-free supplement. The tough part (and a bit ironic) is that our dissolvable discs love water — that’s what makes them dissolvable. Typically, plastic packaging is most effective at keeping water out. We had to develop a method to balance each disc’s water-absorptive nature without plastic and maintain an acceptable shelf life. Part of this challenge involved designing new equipment to store the discs before they are pouched in our plastic-free and biodegradable packaging. I also collaborated with our Engineering team on designing the unique mixing equipment for our disc ingredients.
I could go on about all the little innovations we implemented to bring this to life. It was not easy. Unforeseen challenges and pressures to solve every hiccup along the way were guaranteed. The process of research and development demands that you be thick-skinned and accustomed to failure.
It was a demanding but rewarding effort to transform our dissolvable disc lineup to what it is today. I am proud to have reached our goal.
The future of Thorne’s dissolvable disc lineup involves introducing new disc supplements, expansion of manufacturing capabilities, and continued perfection of current disc products. I can’t wait to see how Thorne’s supplement discs continue to shake up the functional beverage market.
