New consumer data shared at the 2026 Regenerate Symposium reveals why product experience, formulation, and accessibility deserve as much attention as the health benefits on the label.
Omega-3 innovation has focused on what these essential fatty acids can do for health. But what happens after consumers purchase a supplement? Do they enjoy taking it? Does the format meet their needs? Does the packaging deliver a positive experience? And what ultimately encourages them to buy again?
These questions were central to a presentation by Afif Ghannoum, CEO of CPG Radar, at the 2026 Regenerate Symposium hosted by Ahiflower® in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Drawing on an analysis of 2,530 human omega-3 products, 36,287 consumer topic mentions, product labels, retail listings, and 12 months of sales data, Ghannoum presented ten findings with practical implications for brands, formulators, and ingredient innovators.
The overarching message: Developing successful omega-3 products requires looking beyond the ingredient to understand the complete consumer experience.
1. Consumers may already believe in omega-3. The product experience still matters.
One of the most notable findings was the positive consumer sentiment surrounding omega-3 effectiveness, quality, and taste.
Across the analyzed consumer mentions, effectiveness received 86.8% positive sentiment, quality received 84.5%, and taste received 82.3%.
Packaging, however, stood apart, with 47.5% of mentions classified as negative.
The findings suggest that while consumers may have confidence in omega-3 products, there is still room to improve their experience with individual products.
For supplement brands, this creates an opportunity to evaluate the entire customer journey, from selecting a product on the shelf to opening the package and taking the supplement consistently.
Packaging integrity, ease of use, taste, and convenience are not simply finishing touches. They are product-development considerations that can influence how consumers perceive what they buy.
2. The most severe complaint isn't necessarily the biggest business problem.
Packaging had the highest negative mention rate in the analysis, but price generated the greatest number of negative mentions overall.
The distinction matters.
A high negative rate can indicate a particularly frustrating experience among consumers who mention a topic. A high volume of negative mentions can indicate a problem affecting a larger number of consumer conversations.
Brands need to understand both measures when deciding where to invest in improvements.
For example, packaging may require targeted quality or usability improvements, while price concerns may call for a broader review of perceived value, serving costs, or product positioning.
The lesson is straightforward: Prioritize product improvements based on both the intensity and the scale of consumer concerns.
3. The absence of a problem can be a meaningful product benefit.
Fishy burps and aftertaste are familiar concerns in the omega-3 category. Yet Ghannoum's analysis found that 71% of mentions raising fishy burps described the issue as absent. The net complaint rate was 4.5%.
This finding highlights an opportunity for brands to think differently about product communication.
When a product addresses a familiar consumer concern, that improvement may be worth communicating rather than leaving consumers to discover it themselves.
The same principle can apply to ease of swallowing, flavor, smell, and other elements of the supplement experience.
However, messaging should always reflect the actual characteristics of the finished product and be supported by appropriate substantiation.
For product developers, the implication begins even earlier: sensory experience and tolerability should be considered during formulation, not only after a product reaches the market.
4. Delivery format involves trade-offs between dose and experience.
Consumers can choose from softgels, capsules, liquids, gummies, and other omega-3 formats. Each offers a different combination of convenience, nutrient delivery, and sensory experience.
In Ghannoum's analysis, the median EPA+DHA amount per serving was 600 mg for softgels compared with 200 mg for gummies and chewables.
The findings illustrate a key consideration for formulators: a format that improves convenience or consumer experience may also involve a different nutrient dose.
Brands should therefore define the intended consumer and product requirements before selecting a delivery format. Relevant considerations include the desired nutrient profile, serving size, ease of use, sensory characteristics, and the product's intended role in the market.
The goal is not to declare one format universally superior. It is to design a product that balances nutritional objectives with the needs and expectations of its intended audience.
5. Plant-based and algal oils offer opportunities, but formulation still matters.
The analysis also explored consumer feedback across fish-sourced, plant-based, and algal oils.
Plant and algal oils showed lower swallowing-related complaint rates than fish-sourced oils in the dataset. However, their sensory profiles differed. Plant oils had a higher negative mention rate for taste than fish-sourced oils, while algal oils had a higher negative mention rate for scent.
These findings reinforce an important point for ingredient and finished-product innovation: plant-based and algal sources should not be treated as interchangeable, and neither should be assumed to deliver the same consumer experience without thoughtful formulation.
For brands exploring plant-based omega solutions, the opportunity is to match the ingredient, delivery format, and sensory system to the needs of the finished product.
Ingredient selection is only one part of the equation. Flavor, scent, stability, serving format, and consumer expectations all deserve consideration during product development.
There may also be opportunities to broaden access through formulation choices. For example, Ghannoum noted that 85.2% of the softgels in the analyzed product set contained gelatin, potentially limiting options for some plant-based, ethical, and allergy-conscious consumers.
Non-gelatin alternatives may help brands serve these audiences, provided the finished product meets its intended performance and quality requirements.
6. More ingredients don't automatically mean a better-selling product.
The presentation also explored the relationship between formula complexity and monthly sales performance.
In the dataset, 34.2% of products with one to three ingredients reached the analysis's threshold of 1,000 units sold per month, compared with 14.6% of products containing seven to twelve ingredients.
This is an observed association, not proof that adding ingredients causes sales to decline. Factors such as price, positioning, distribution, and competition may also influence performance.
Nevertheless, the finding raises a useful question for product-development teams: does every ingredient in a formulation have a clear purpose?
Complexity can be valuable when it serves a defined consumer need. But adding ingredients without a compelling rationale may make a product harder to communicate, differentiate, or position.
Successful formulation starts with the intended benefit and consumer need, then identifies the ingredients required to deliver the product's purpose.
Turning consumer insights into omega-3 innovation
Taken together, Ghannoum's findings offer a practical framework for the next generation of omega-3 products.
They encourage brands and ingredient suppliers to ask questions beyond nutrient content and health positioning:
Consumer experience: Is the product pleasant and convenient to take?
Formulation: Does the ingredient combination serve a clear purpose?
Delivery format: Does the format balance nutrient delivery with ease of use?
Accessibility: Are there opportunities to serve consumers with different preferences or needs?
Communication: Does the packaging clearly communicate meaningful, substantiated product benefits?
Commercial performance: Are product-development decisions informed by consumer feedback and sales data?
These questions are particularly relevant to our team as the industry explores opportunities to diversify omega-3 sources and expand how omega nutrition can be delivered across supplements, food, and beverages.
Ahiflower® oil is a plant-based omega source with a distinctive fatty acid profile. As brands evaluate new ingredients and applications, understanding consumer needs alongside ingredient science can help inform product concepts, formulation decisions, and positioning.
No single ingredient or delivery format will meet every consumer need. The opportunity lies in creating products that bring together a meaningful nutritional proposition, a thoughtful consumer experience, and a clear reason to choose them.
The takeaway: Innovation must connect science with the consumer.
The omega-3 category has an established nutritional story, but continued innovation requires attention to what happens beyond the label.
Ghannoum's presentation demonstrates the value of combining consumer feedback, product data, and sales analysis to identify opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked.
For brands, formulators, and ingredient innovators, the next step is to translate these insights into better product decisions, from selecting ingredients and delivery formats to refining packaging and communicating product benefits.
Because understanding what an omega-3 product can deliver is important. Understanding what consumers want from the experience may be just as valuable.
This article summarizes findings presented by Afif Ghannoum, CEO of CPG Radar, at the 2026 Regenerate Symposium. To view the presentation, visit The Ahiflower YouTube Channel here.