Roundtable Discussion; The Future of Mineral Sands. Watch the video here.
Agree Analyzer, slow progress but ready to produce bulk sugar substitute then introduce SweetBiotix into Opti products. But some months from the "real" deals. Is it to early to say, "the shutters are coming up and Stephen's sweetshop is open for business"?
Extract from wordy RNS
"Given recent progress, the Company's focus has moved on from manufacturing scale up to engaging with commercial partners to launch products. Discussions are ongoing but are likely to involve a phased introduction of SweetBiotix® products as a direct bulk sugar substitute and then introduced into OptiBiotix's and partners consumer products across an increasing range of applications. With growing consumer and industry concerns over traditional sugars and sweeteners, the Company is in a strong position to exploit its low calorie, high fibre SweetBiotix® products as a safe, natural and healthy alternative to sugar and sugar substitutes."
Https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-66735012
Think this also came up on local SW news. Lack of availability of weight loss drugs for diabetics. Obvious opportunity for Opti. Article even says, drug popular as suppresses appetite. Also, these patients have associated blood pressure problems (PBX).
RNS to confirm Michael L appt today, and departure of Mikkel HH.
Further to other post. Overwhelming impression was that nearly the whole shop was aimed at gut health. With SlimExpert (SlimBiome) a small, difficult to find display. ** But the very helpful assistant said lots more slimming products online. I asked her what she knew about SlimBiome and she said they'd been given training on it about 3 years ago. She also said a lot of customers didn't really ask if products were backed by scientific trials. I told her about WellBiome and LeanBiome which were not in store. Also told her about Cholbiome, which I didn't expect to see. And indeed, SweetBiome. She was extremely polite and thanked me for extending her education. Poor girl!!
** In same display were competitors BoomBod and XLS (?). And someone else's gummies too.
Just been in Marks in Plymurf. Big sign advertising the Zoe gut shot. So, decided to go in H&B. SlimBiome hidden at back of store, but did have a small display card explaining the clinical backing. More to follow on H&B experience.
He almost seems more suited to Skinbiotix.
Has worked at Deerland, Bifodan and most recently, Lactobio. Another "chief"? So will have to prove his worth.
Michael Litichevski. Not surprisingly Danish speaker and worked with Steen and Nils before. Seems popular if number of comments (40) to his posting on LinkedIn anything to go by.
Happy New Year's eve. On checking, I think I have held Opti for 5.5 years. I was first drawn to the company via an article in a newspaper. At that time, the focus was probably on SlimBiome. So perhaps I liked the idea that a slimming product had science backing it up. But as time went on I became more of a fan of LPLDL /Probiotix. And of course in the background, we have the carrot (or sweety).
SlimBiome appears to be holding its own, in a very crowded market. Backed by what appear to be some promising deals abroad. SBTX and more recently PBX, have been cut adrift, and we now have to rely on the two SAs being able to build on what SOH oversaw. In again, increasingly crowded markets. Though not as crowded as slimming. And for SweetBiotix, we are having to show unending patience. Ditto Microbiome Modulators.
As far as SOH is concerned, my impression is that he is a genuine person. He can be a bit vague regarding the value of deals made and timescales for new products. But he is a canny operator, having run this company for well over 10 years, with no debt and very little dilution. Though SBTX holders will be irked by his sale of Opti's stake in the former.
I will continue to hold, at a loss (ave=mid 50s)in the hope that SweetBiotix starts to bear fruit, sweets or carrots. But the longer Sweet takes, the more competition in the natural sweet fibres market. And the less ultimate reward.
For info, I hold Opti, PBX and SBTX. My Opti holding is much greater than PBX and SBTX, though none is particularly large. Having held various FTSE 100 and AIM shares, these are my remaining holdings. I have just been offered 5.8% on renewal of an NS&I savings product for 3 years. And that is a certainty! IMO most AIM shares are an expensive hobby/gamble. And most AIM CEOs are greedy, overpaid and nowhere near what they are cracked up to be.
What a load of old waffle!! :) Sorry, not much on telly and weather awful. Cheers MU.
Perhaps wishful interpretation of "in due course" by me. As a matter of interest, "whispering Steve" put out a podcast type broadcast on Soundcloud between Christmas and New Year last year. Further straw clutching? Merry Christmas one and all.
Mol, interesting article and, as you say, competition from a big player. Our SlimBiome, etc products are in a very crowded market. Though perhaps not so much if you take into account science/trials evidence. Of which we have a few.
Also, potential competition to PBX, though Nestlé didn't attach numbers to cholesterol improvement.
FS, I was expecting /hoping for an update like you. Before calendar year end. But pretty unlikely now I suppose.
If SweetBiotix is a good product it needs to get to market. Competitors won't wait forever to launch alternatives. C'mon SOH !!