Yorkshire firm launches weight loss bars and shakes in Australia and New Zealand

OptiBiotix is helping people to lose weight across the globe

York-based OptiBiotix Health, which develops compounds to tackle obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes, will launch its meal replacement shakes and bars containing

its OptiBiome proprietary weight management technology in Australia and New Zealand.

The meal replacements will be sold under the Optislim brand in Woolworths, ChemistWarehouse and on the OptiPharm Pty online store.

The simultaneous launches build on a licence agreement entered into in March, granting OptiPharm exclusive use of the OptiBiome trademark in Australia, parts of Asia, New Zealand, Middle East, the Gulf States and North America.

In August, OptiBiotix announced that the licence will be extended to include Europe.

OptiPharm is a privately owned Australian company which has been operating for 24 years. OptiPharm’s flagship brand, Optislim, is the No. 1 Australian weight management brand incorporating shakes, soups and bars available as total (very low calorie diet) or partial (low calorie diet) meal replacements.

Garry McDonald, managing director of OptiPharm, said: “We are delighted to announce the release of our Optislim – Optibiome range of meal replacement shakes and snack bars.

"Products will be available to Australian consumers from the week commencing October 12 via the Chemist Warehouse group and the Woolworths supermarket chain.

"Release will follow shortly throughout New Zealand with contracts currently being finalised for a number of regions throughout Asia. Essentially, we are revolutionising meal replacements utilising OptiBiome, the award winning, patented ingredient from OptiBiotix. We look forward to a long and successful association with the OptiBiotix team.”

Dr Fred Narbel, managing director of OptiBiotix’s prebiotics division, added: “We are very pleased to announce the commercial launch of these weight management products containing OptiBiome under OptiPharm’s Optislim brand.

"OptiBiotix’s partnership with Australia’s No. 1 weight management brand combined with the retailers’ distribution network allows the company to access a wide base of customers in Australia and New Zealand and provide them with a scientifically proven and award-winning ingredient to help them achieve their weight loss.

"This first commercial step with OptiPharm highlights the strength of the relationship between the two companies and we look forward to future commercial launches beyond

Australia and New Zealand.”