Two friends who bonded over shared concerns over their bone health have formulated a bioavailable calcium chew using milk protein from Finger Lakes dairy farms.
Adrienne Bitar, a food studies lecturer in American studies in the College of Arts & Sciences, and clinical pharmacist Dr. Jennifer Han, are the co-founders of Seen Nutrition. Less than a year since launching, Bitar and Han’s company is growing 35% per month. With new national interest in menopause healthcare, Bitar and Han have grown a customer base from Hawaii to Florida to Alaska.
“At two months postpartum, I fell and broke my back and was diagnosed with a rare form of osteoporosis,” said Han, who manages the pain program at the U.S. Department of Veterans Health Affairs in Syracuse. “I wasn’t eating a lot of dairy, so my doctor told me I’d need supplements, but none of them met my needs in terms of the absorption rate, the ingredients, the taste or the enjoyability.”
Bitar was also recently diagnosed with osteopenia, an early sign of osteoporosis. With their combined expertise in food, pharmacy and nutrition, the pair formulated a calcium supplement derived solely from food, rather than synthetic chemicals.
After 18 months in research and development, Bitar and Han determined the ideal balance of vitamins and minerals needed and foods that could supply those. Taste tests at Cornell’s Food Innovation Lab in Geneva, N.Y. were instrumental in developing the flavor profile, which customers describe as “caramely” and like “banana bread.”
The final formula for their chews — for which they have a provisional patent pending — includes organic dates; milk minerals and protein; almonds and Vitamin D white button mushrooms. Each chew provides consumers with a precise balance of vitamins and minerals to increase absorption of the 500 mg of calcium needed for optimal bone support.
Bitar and Han were selected to participate in Cornell's Dairy Runway Program and are members of the Cornell Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture. The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Council also awarded them a highly-competitive $20,000 grant.
That support was key as they developed the product, Bitar said. “We asked our mentor at the Dairy Runway program so many questions and she connected us to other entrepreneurs,” she said. They also received support from the Small Business Development Center in Binghamton and hosted two interns last summer through Entrepreneurship at Cornell.
Once they perfected the product, “then we started to go to trade shows, to a conference for independent pharmacies and really getting the word out,” Bitar said. Dubbing themselves “the calcium queens,” the pair have also developed a social media following.
Women going through menopause or perimenopause need calcium to strengthen their bones during this critical life stage. So Bitar and Han debuted their product this fall at menopause symposia hosted by Bobbi Brown, Naomi Watts, Dr. Vonda Wright, and women's healthcare providers. They were also invited to table for Women’s Health Day and Dairy Day at the New York State Fair.
Bitar and Han also educate their customers – so their website provides guidance about recommended calcium intake, the importance of exercise and the differences between calcium pills, gummies and chews. Today, their calcium chews are available online and at select pharmacies across the country, including Cornell Health.
Another important message is delivered through their company name, Seen.
“Women are sometimes overlooked and not seen as important, especially when it comes to health,” Bitar said. “Puberty and pregnancy are celebrated, but not menopause. We want to celebrate women in all of our life stages.”
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