Balchem and Orthomol launch chelated Albion Minerals in DACH market

Specialty chemicals manufacturer Balchem has partnered with German supplement brand Orthomol to incorporate Albion Minerals chelated minerals into the new Orthomol Essentials range available on the DACH (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) regional market. The products have launched through Orthomol’s new online shop, an exclusive direct-to-consumer platform for the region. 

The portfolio includes magnesium bisglycinate chelate, among additional Albion Minerals solutions. The product range also features Balchem’s OptiMSM, marketed as the purest and most researched methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) for beauty-from-within, muscle health, and mobility.

“With Orthomol Essentials, we are strategically expanding our portfolio to address new market demands and evolving customer needs,” says Jörn Weißenfeld, managing director, Product Development, Medical & Regulatory Affairs, Technical Operations at Orthomol.

“Through our partnership with Balchem, we have now been able to launch selected branded ingredients in the new Essentials line that perfectly meet our high standards for quality and science, and represent modern nutritional formulations.”

Science-backed chelated minerals

Phytate and oxalates found in seeds, grains, and legumes can bind to minerals such as iron and zinc, reducing their absorption. Albion Minerals highlights that this is not the case with chelated minerals, which are bound to amino acids that protect the minerals from interacting with phytate and oxalates. 

The brand details that unlike commonplace, inorganic minerals, mineral amino acid chelates “emulate nature’s packaging,” optimizing absorption for optimal benefits.

Balchem and Orthomol have signed a new deal to expand Albion chelated minerals across Orthomol supplements in the DACH regional market.Balchem highlights that Albion Minerals has been pioneering chelation research since 1956, with its minerals backed by over 160 peer-reviewed publications, nearly 80 human studies, and decades of patented advances in mineral bioavailability and tolerability.

Meanwhile, Orthomol has more than 35 years of research into orthomolecular nutritional medicine in Germany, developing scientific micronutrient formulations.

Balchem says that the partnership reflects a broader trend toward “targeted,” branded ingredient concepts being adopted in new business models across supplements.

“Orthomol and Albion are cut from the same cloth — both originals in our respective fields, both built on science, and committed to doing things the right way,” says Dominik Mattern, VP of Marketing and Science, Human Nutrition & Health at Balchem.

“Orthomol Essentials is focused on transparency, science, and delivering value to increasingly informed consumers.”

Nutrition Insight previously hosted an exclusive webinar with Balchem executives to explore magnesium bisglycinate chelate as a highly bioavailable mineral. Albion’s chelation process enhances absorption and tolerance by binding magnesium with glycine.

Demand for targeted supplementation

Balchem highlights that consumer preferences in the supplement market continue to shift toward specificity and quality.

“While general health supplements remain the largest category, products addressing defined health needs — such as healthy aging, brain health, and menopause — are growing significantly faster, reflecting a move toward more personalized nutrition solutions,” it highlights.

In other company news, Thailand’s FDA recently approved Balchem’s OptiMSM ingredient, applicable for beauty-from-within, muscle recovery, joint health, and active aging supplements. The ingredient can be taken daily at a maximum dose of 1 g.