Balchem expands VitaCholine production to meet rising demand for cognitive health supplements

13 Dec 2023 --- Nutrition and health ingredients manufacturer Balchem has expanded its VitaCholine production capacity in the US. The upgraded facilities are expected to increase output by 50%, allowing the company to meet the rising demand for cognitive health and performance supplements.

“This milestone demonstrates our commitment to providing an expanded supply of quality human choline to help our partners’ global growth in early childhood nutrition, dietary supplements and food and beverage applications,” says Frédéric Boned, SVP and general manager of human nutrition and health at Balchem.

“Boasting numerous quality certifications, VitaCholine is the gold standard in choline salts and provides the highest levels of choline of any product form — effectively helping with the dosage challenges associated with most supplement formulations.” 

Expansion highlights
Balchem’s capacity expansion was completed in August 2023 and is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year.

According to Balchem, consumers are increasingly aware of the health benefits of choline, particularly its role in supporting cognitive health.Key highlights of the project include its increased production capacity, achieving a 50% increase in choline production capacity through a facility extension of almost 2,230 sqm, accommodating state-of-the-art machinery.

Other technology upgrades include new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and packaging automation, ensuring better environmental conditions, improved air quality and process consistency.

Balchem asserts that the expansion aligns with the company’s sustainability goals and the UN Global Compact as it implements energy-efficient systems and initiatives to reduce water and waste.

To ensure safety, the new facilities eliminate manual handling, and the shift to automated packaging processes enhances safety in the work environment.

Boned highlights the global expansion strategy, combining the US facility with the Italian VitaCholine site and the Norwegian K2VITAL site. 

“We are actively expanding our global footprint so we can support customers by providing quality ingredients in all markets. Our international presence, combined with the synergies among our integrated branded ingredients, enables us to offer formulators a scientific advantage in strategic health areas, unlocking new opportunities,” the VP concludes. 

Meeting consumer demand
According to Balchem, consumers are increasingly aware of the health benefits of choline, particularly its role in supporting cognitive health. Recent years have seen a surge in the popularity of choline, evident in an increase of more than 55% in Google searches in 2023 compared to 2020. 

The US Council for Responsible Nutrition-International conference report, released earlier this month, spotlighted choline as one of the three key nutrients with the potential to make a difference in global nutrition.

The cognitive health category has witnessed rapid growth, registering a 7.2% increase in 2022, surpassing the overall industry growth of 1.9%, according to data shared by Balchem. This trend spans across generations, with consumers seeking supplements not only to preserve but also to enhance memory and brain function.

Innova Market Insights data suggests a similar trend — supplements with claims related to brain benefits have experienced an average yearly global growth of 21% from 2018 to 2022 and a compound annual growth rate of 83% in product introductions targeting brain and mood health. 

Clinical studies underscore the critical role of choline throughout life stages. Higher prenatal choline intakes have demonstrated improvements in cognitive processing speeds, increased attention levels and enhanced docosahexaenoic acid uptake during pregnancy and early childhood development.

Research also suggests that choline’s benefits extend to adults, enhancing cognitive performance.

By Milana Nikolova