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- Holista CollTech has received approval that its flatbreads have a lower GI reading than other products
- These products are expected to contribute up to $1.2 million in 2020 to Holista
- The flatbread is expected to be launched in Malaysia and the United States by the end of 2019
- Holista shares are down 7.25 per cent, trading for 6.4 cents apiece
Holista CollTech’s flatbreads have a significantly lower glycemic index (GI) reading than products currently sold.
Holista said that the Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service (SUGiRS) had tested the flour-based products which showed a reading of 50 for chapati and 53 for paratha.
A report in June 2018, stated that Malaysia is currently ranked as Asia’s most obese nation with 13.3 per cent of the population is obese. This is due to the rising occurrence of diabetes primarily caused by diet.
Most Malaysia flatbreads currently have GI reading of about 70 but with Holista’s GI Lite, the reading has been reduced by 25 to 30 per cent.
GI is a measure in which food products are ranked between 0-100 according to their impact on the blood sugar levels.
The lower the GI the more time it takes to digest and absorb the glucose, while the higher the GI the faster it digests and spikes up the blood sugar levels, thus causing diabetes.
Holista, which specialises in breakthrough low-GI innovative formulas and products, has used its proprietary mix GI Lite to produce low-GI flatbreads in partnership with Malaysia’s largest manufacturer of Asian food, Kawan Food.
It’s GI Lite is a blend of okra, barley, lentil and fenugreek (a type of leaf belonging to the legume family). It does not affect the overall taste, mouthfeel, or food production methods.
When mixed with white flour it lowers the GI reading of the final product without compromising taste or texture.
Since the partnership creation in January 2019, Holista has shipped a maiden order of GI Lite worth $74,500 to Kawan Food as part of its [Holista’s] first-year sales of $1.2 million.
Both the chapati’s and paratha’s are expected to launch in Malaysia in November 2019 and in the U.S. on December 2019.
Holista now hopes to expand international sales to enter other Asian countries and beyond.
Holista shares are down 7.25 per cent, trading for 6.4 cents apiece at 3:13 pm AEST.
