Balchem Debuts Refreshed Brand Image
Balchem is returning to Vitafoods Europe to debut a refreshed brand personality and innovative product concepts. The specialty human nutrition and health ingredients manufacturer will be at the event from May 14-16 setting the stage for its two key themes: "Power your Performance" and "Maximize your health span." The company is educating on its TruQ initiative, a program built around setting new market quality benchmarks through transparency, authenticity, safety ,and efficacy in bioavailability and bioactivity. There are also new developments with the brand's flagship ingredients VitaCholine, K2VITAL, Albion Minerals and OptiMSM.
A3 Delivering Faster Antioxidant Ingredients
American Aronia Accelerator (A3) is cultivating aronia ingredients at a condensed supply chain in North Dakota for maximized potency. The ingredient is derived from aronia berry, which have one of the highest ORAC values (antioxidant capacities) of any commercially available berry, and arrives at product formulators at faster rates leading to a reduced lag time between harvest to implementation in food, beverage, and nutraceutical products, the company says. “Getting one’s antioxidants is important, and aronia berries are the most immune boosting berry available,” said A3 founder Blake Johnson. “A3 is proud to bring product manufacturers aronia ingredients through a fast, reliable system that upholds their rich nutritional properties.”
Ethical Naturals Reports Increased Cranberry Harvest
Ethical Naturals, Inc. (ENI) is reporting that after a 5.4% decrease in 2023, good weather and ideal growing conditions have led to a 17.5% increase in Oregon cranberry harvests. Cranberries grown in that area are typically better quality ingredients than ones from other states because of its deeper red color and higher PAC (proanthocyanin) level. Cal Bewicke, CEO of Ethical Naturals shared his optimism for the year ahead: “Though demand for the high-grade material continues to grow, we see more favorable pricing and supply through 2024 due to the robust harvest in Oregon.”
PhytoGaia Earns Preferred Supplier Seal
The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) has recognized PhytoGaia as a preferred supplier member. Accredited for its strict standards and dedication to quality and integrity, the acknowledgment certifies that PhytoGaia's products meet the highest industry standards. Derived from sustainably-sourced palm fruits and designed to support healthy animal skin and fur, PhytoGaia is the first palm phytonutrient company to be accepted into the program. “We are thrilled to receive this approval from the National Animal Supplement Council. It aligns perfectly with our mission to improve the well-being of pets through safe, effective and high quality supplement/food ingredients,” said Dr. Ariati Aris, Scientific Affairs Specialist at PhytoGaia. "Our membership in NASC and our ability to use the blue NASC’s Preferred Supplier seal further solidifies the credibility of our products, providing brands, formulators and pet owners with the assurance they need when selecting ingredients."
GNT Reduces Carbon Intensity
GNT's latest sustainability report shows the company has made significant carbon cuts and achieved a 22% reduction at its EXBERRY factory since 2020. The report also highlights the company's progress towards increasing its water efficiency, expanding its Policy on Sustainable Sourcing compliance rate, and 74% of the farmers in its supply chain achieving a minimum of Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) Silver standard. GNT, manufacturer of colors from non-GMO fruit, vegetables, and plants, has embarked on a decades long mission to optimize its environmental and social impact through 17 intentional targets. Three years into its journey and GNT says its total carbon footprint from its Netherlands, Germany, and US locations has already diminished enough to bring the company halfway to its goal of 50% reduction by 2030.
GC Rieber VivoMega Hones Renewable Energy
GC Rieber VivoMega's three omega-3 facilities feature new electric steam boilers and are now running on 100% renewable energy. With the capacity to double its output, the standing cylindrical, fully welded steam boiler was built in accordance with PED 2014/68/EU and outputs 7.5MW to power the company's marine and microalgae omega-3 operations, the company shared. “The energy supplied comes from our green hydropower plants and replaces our oil boiler that burned fish oil for energy. This means that the fish oil we burned previously can instead be repurposed into the food chain to produce fish feed and that GC Rieber VivoMega emissions will be vastly diminished," said company COO, Frode Jenssen, of the new energy source.
BENEO Reduces CO2 Emissions
Functional food, feed, and pharma ingredients manufacturer, BENEO, will be updating the equipment at its Wijgmaal, Belgium rice ingredients plant to better reduce its CO2 emissions. Heaten, an industrial heat pump solutions company, will provide a state-of-the-art large-scale industrial pump that recovers energy from wastewater to contribute to the drying process of rice starch or rice protein. The new addition will significantly reduce the company's natural gas consumption and improve its sustainable energy management. This news marks the latest move by BENEO towards reducing carbon emissions and making its plants as efficient as possible.
