Maeil Health Nutrition COO Park Seok-jun, right, and Hologram Sciences CEO Ian Brady hold copies of a signed memorandum of understanding, Monday. Courtesy of Maeil Health Nutrition

By Lee Kyung-min

Maeil Health Nutrition, formerly Maeil Dairies, has signed a strategic partnership with Hologram Sciences, a consumer-facing personalized nutrition solutions provider based in New York and Boston, for personal healthcare, the Korean firm said Monday.

Maeil will be able to better provide tailored products to Korean consumers of all age groups with varying health and nutritional needs, in cooperation with Royal DSM, a Dutch multinational chemical firm with which Hologram Sciences drew a $100 million (143 billion won) investment last year.

The Korean firm will roll out a new product lineup in the first half of next year, including an enhanced vitamin D product that is absorbed up to three times faster compared to similar products currently available on the market.

A test kit provided will help consumers check their vitamin levels, and nutrition coaching services will make recommendations on food intake and exercises.

"The growth of the personal nutrition market has been and will continue to be explosive," a Maeil official said in a statement. "The consumer demands and needs on the personal healthcare marketplace will subsequently increase."

Under the law, local firms face numerous challenges involving product imports. However, Maeil said it will be able to introduce innovative products and services in a timely manner.

"We will make continued efforts to provide the most up-to-date products and services to local consumers," the official said.

Additionally, DSM, a healthcare and nutrition market player with an emphasis on personalized nutrition, will help the two combine capabilities and resources to advance and fortify personalized nutrition value chains.

Hologram Sciences, according to its website, will provide state-of-the-art consumer-facing personalized nutrition services that have been clinically proven to address a variety of consumer health needs.

Their solutions, which are validated in the market will be shared so as to benefit DSM customers. "Hologram will also work to incubate products with DSM customers and partners, based on the latest consumer insights and leveraging their agile approach," it said.