swisse
{{Short description|Australian vitamin company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Swisse
| logo = Swisse logo.svg
| type =
| traded_as =
| foundation = Melbourne, (1969; {{years ago|1969}} years ago)
| location = Cambridge Street, Collingwood, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| key_people = {{Plainlist|
- Kevin Ring (Founder)
- Radek Sali (ex-CEO)
}}
| industry = Health supplement
| locations =
| products = Vitamins and supplements
| revenue =
| parent = H&H Group
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| subsid =
| homepage = 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.swisse.com/en-au/products/vitamins-supplements|title=Vitamins & Supplements}}{{cite web|url=https://www.swisse.com/en-au/products/skincare|title=Skincare|access-date=29 September 2016|archive-date=26 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126181037/https://swisse.com/en-au/products/skincare|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.swisse.com/en-au/products/sports-nutrition|title=Sports Nutrition}} The company is currently an official team partner for the Australian Olympics Team through to 2024.{{Cite web|title=Swisse Vitamins|url=https://www.olympics.com.au/aocsponsor/swisse-vitamins/|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Australian Olympic Committee|language=en-AU}}
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.{{cite web|url=http://www.afr.com/street-talk/end-looms-for-swisse-sale-hony-in-pole-position-20150916-gjoeak|title=Hong Kong-listed Biostime takes Swisse prize|date=16 September 2015}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/swisse-bought-by-hong-kong-company-biostime-for-more-than-15-billion-20150917-gjoqir.html|title=Swisse bought by Hong Kong company Biostime for $1.67 billion|last=Hawthorne|first=Mark|date=2015-09-17|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=2018-02-01|language=en-US}} Measured by sales, it is Australia's top multivitamin brand.{{Cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170926005415/en/Australias-Top-Multivitamin-Brand-Swisse-Wellness-Re-Enters|title=Australia's Top Multivitamin Brand Swisse Wellness Re-Enters U.S. Market|access-date=2018-02-01|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2019/10/01/Swisse-marks-return-to-US-market-with-launch-of-jelly-supplements|title = Swisse marks return to US market with launch of 'jelly' supplements| date=October 2019 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2020/02/17/Swisse-Wellness-debuts-new-website-and-touts-US-exclusive-product-line|title=Swisse Wellness debuts new website and touts US-exclusive product line|date=17 February 2020 }}
Products
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.{{cite web |url=https://swisse.com.au/our-products/general-health |title=General Health {{!}} Swisse |website=swisse.com.au |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226170930/https://swisse.com.au/our-products/general-health |archive-date=2020-02-26}}
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."{{Cite web|url=https://www.nutraingredients-asia.com/Article/2020/04/27/Swisse-s-new-hemp-range-Supplements-and-skin-care-products-to-play-key-role-in-Australian-growth-strategy|title=Swisse's new hemp range: Supplements and skin care products to play 'key role' in Australian growth strategy|date=28 April 2020 }} Swisse Beauty's 'Healthy Beautiful' range launched in early 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://insidefmcg.com.au/2020/04/14/swisse-takes-natural-approach-to-relaunch-of-skincare-line/|title=Swisse takes natural approach to relaunch of skincare line|date=13 April 2020}}
Legal issues
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.{{cite news|last=Butler|first=Ben|title=ABC show defamed me, Swisse patriarch claims|url=http://www.theage.com.au/business/abc-show-defamed-me-swisse-patriarch-claims-20130502-2ivvo.html|accessdate=31 May 2014|newspaper=The Age|date=2 May 2013}} The ABC stood by the segment,{{cite news|last=Ross|first=Annabel|title=ABC keeps Swisse segment online despite legal action|url=http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/abc-keeps-swisse-segment-online-despite-legal-action-20130503-2ixhk.html|accessdate=30 April 2022|newspaper=The Age|date=3 May 2013}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Russell |first1=Mark |title=Judge refuses to strike out Swisse defamation suit against ABC show |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/judge-refuses-to-strike-out-swisse-defamation-suit-against-abc-show-20130802-2r3kx.html |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=August 2, 2013}} The company promptly registered a new product with the same ingredient under the name 'Ultiboost Hunger Control' instead of 'Ultiboost Appetite Suppressant.' The case was eventually settled out of court with no settlement paid and each party paying its own legal fees.{{cite news |last1=Brennan |first1=Bridget |title=Public health expert raises concerns about ABC partnership with supplements brand Swisse Wellness |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-23/concerns-raised-as-australia-plus-partners-with-swisse-wellness/7778488 |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=Australian Broadcasting Company |date=August 23, 2016}}
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."{{cite news |last1=Vagg |first1=Michael |title=Trust me, I'm 'clinically proven'! |url=https://theconversation.com/trust-me-im-clinically-proven-6067 |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=The Conversation |date=March 28, 2012}}
Spokespeople
Swisse's global ambassadors are actor Chris Hemsworth,Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/hxBc7uKtrpU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190507095219/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxBc7uKtrpU Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxBc7uKtrpU| title = Chris Hemsworth – Swisse Men’s Ultivites | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} Nicole Kidman and Elsa Pataky.{{cite press release| url = https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elsa-pataky-joins-the-swisse-wellness-quest-for-health-and-happiness-300863760.html| title = Elsa Pataky Joins the Swisse Wellness Quest for Health and Happiness}} Other ambassadors include Ricky Ponting and Ashley Hart.{{cite web|url=https://www.swisse.com/en-au/our-story/swisse-ambassadors|title=Swisse Ambassadors}} Indian stars Nushrat Bharucha and Kriti Kharbanda supported Swisse's launch in the Indian market in early 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.naturalproductsglobal.com/health-and-nutrition/australian-wellness-brand-swisse-celebrates-major-india-launch/|title = Australian wellness brand Swisse celebrates major India launch|date = 29 April 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nutraingredients-asia.com/Article/2020/03/16/The-right-time-Swisse-MD-on-venturing-into-India-as-firm-turns-50|title = 'The right time': Swisse MD on venturing into India as firm turns 50| date=16 March 2020 }}{{Cite press release|last=Swisse|title=Melbourne's Swisse Launches Globally Acclaimed Wellness Products in India|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/melbourne-s-swisse-launches-globally-acclaimed-wellness-products-in-india-883700090.html|access-date=2022-02-06|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://swisse.com.au/}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Health care companies established in 1969
Category:1969 establishments in Australia
Category:Manufacturing companies based in Melbourne
Category:2015 mergers and acquisitions