BLT - Blis Technologies

[simla]

That nationwide product is good news. It's great to see them constantly turning out new achievements.

[simla]

And great to hear all you pet lovers getting enthusiastic. That suggests that Blis sales into the pet market may have some promise!

[simla]

Interesting to note that the Jarrow gum is/will be for sale at Whole Foods Market, which Wikipedia describes as a supermarket chain (revenue $9 billlion, 55th largest retailer in the US 2005). That's the first supermarket outlet for Blis, isn't it? Therabreath Multi Symptom Probiotics is in Walgreens (wiki reports is the largest drugstore chain in the US). And Bioguard Advanced is selling in Costco, warehouse/wholesale retailer. We're not sure, but I assume other supplements are largely for sale in "vitamin shop" type outlets.

Thus Blis is now available in the US in at least one example of every main large type of sales outlet except petrol stations and hardware stores, and maybe large in-shopping-mall general retailers (Farmers like). Have I missed something maybe? It's definite progress.

[THEONE]

Any predictions for the AGM? I would like to go, but I am in Auckland.

[simla]

Not from me, TheOne. The current world situation is sufficiently complex that expectations are pretty hard to form for any company whatsoever, no? Sovereign debt has rather taken over the news lately.

Blis is a plucky little company with plenty of wits and abilities, and great products. It will be interesting to hear updates.

[simla]

The update for another AGM released. Very interesting, as always. Many thanks to the hard working team at Blis who probably feel they deserve an easier time from the world economy!

https://www.nzx.com/companies/BLT/announcements/211826

GRAS status achieved. "GRAS status, will dramatically expand market opportunities for the company", "The company has plans to immediately start promotion to food manufacturers such as ice cream, yoghurt and other dairy producers in the United States."

And just when you thought Blis couldn't tell us the unexpected any more, "the company has acquired the assets of the Dunedin based ice-cream company, The Gourmet Ice Cream Co", "it provided necessary cash flow to assist in the global roll out" and lets Blis into the dairy market.

Exchange rate and sales revenue mean "an increased operating deficit in the current financial year". Accordingly, "The terms of the Share Purchase Plan including the price for new shares will be announced in coming weeks."

https://www.nzx.com/files/attachments/143347.pdf

In the presentation, "For food applications, yoghurt, ice cream and powdered beverage are the initial delivery vehicles planned." Powdered beverage is a new one?


Well, GRAS is meant to be the big one ("dramatically expand market opportunities"), but they apparently don't expect that to show on the bottom line this year ("an increased operating deficit in the current financial year"), but which has just 8 months left to run now. However, might we shareholders reasonably hope for things next year?

We live in interesting times at present, so we will no doubt see how this all plays out. Meanwhile - and as always - individual investors have the opportunity of judging the return they expect on Blis in future and to decide if each views the current share price as an opportunity. That's what news is for.

[brucea]

!!! Great news from Blis and well done for gaining GRAS approval!! Now if you guys at Blis can just hurry up and make that ice cream available in Auckland...and Nigel the cat is waiting with baited breath for a feline version of Throatguard (he went to the vet on Wed to have his teeth cleaned at over $400, so if K12 works on felines this should save him money in the future)

[simla]

The new NZX page on BLT seems to be stuck showing Thursday's prices for this weekend. A glitch presumably, as it's a new look site.

Actually the price rose. Here's a different site to view in the meantime if you want http://home.nzcity.co.nz/finance/sha...spx?symbol=BLT

[POSSUM THE CAT]

SIMILA you must be looking in the wrong place this link up to date according to DB https://www.nzx.com/markets/NZSX/securities

[simla]

Thanks. I think they must have fixed it since then, as my link now works too.

Hard to know how to react to the news. The GRAS is excellent news, of course. We just don't know what to make of it. Wouldn't it be great if we were looking at this potential: "Yakult Honsha Ltd of Japan, managed to sell 30 million bottles of probiotic drinks a day throughout the world" http://thestar.com.my/health/story.a...health/7877605 But that is presumably after some considerable effort and time. That article also says they make "280,000 bottles of Yakult per day to give this new entrant to Malaysia an estimated 30% of the local cultured milk pie".

That article also discusses the advertising aspect of probiotic foods. In Europe we know things are tough, but which Blis has reported they see some room for hope with. In the US, the advertising of food probiotics seems to be controlled by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), who are stirring the pot with probiotics, but are quoted in that article as, "Companies shouldn’t exaggerate the strength of scientific support for their products", which leaves plenty of room to advertise still - especially given the strong research with Blis already.

If GRAS means Blis can more directly advertise the benefits of the probiotics, that could be pretty good.

NZ and Australia are looking at doing that too with Proposal 293 http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/food...relatedclaims/ but that has been in the pipeline for many years. http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/cons...andard5081.cfm Still, it looks like it will make it into law sometime, but not yet. I haven't found anything yet on what the various Asian countries require.

In the meantime, there is some money to raise, and more partners and more market penetration to pursue, along with more regulatory work. The company is obviously a whole lot further down the road than it was though. And meanwhile in nationwide distribution, they now have Bioguard Advanced, Therabreath Multi Symptom Probiotics, and Jarrow Oral Probiotic Gum, plus numerous supplements across the US, and in multiple countries.

What to make of Blis buying the ice cream company? Who knows!