Martek Announces Distribution Agreement in China

In China, the edible cooking oils market is excess of $9 billion and continues to grow each year. China is the world's largest consumer of edible oils, at 24 million tons per year.

1 Apr 2010 --- DHA omega-3 innovator and maker of the life'sDHA brand, Martek Biosciences Corporation has signed a five-year agreement with Fortune Global 500 company COFCO Food Sales & Distribution Co., Ltd, a branch of the COFCO group, for the use of Martek's life'sDHA in COFCO cooking oils and potentially other categories.

COFCO launched its first consumer product featuring Martek's life'sDHA this month. COFCO's Fortune Natural Grains Blended Cooking Oil with life'sDHA is now available at major retailers across China and features the life'sDHA logo on the product packaging and in related marketing, advertising and promotional materials. This is the first cooking oil with DHA to be launched in China.

"Our new Fortune Natural Grains Blended Cooking Oil with life'sDHA signals a new era of scientific and technological innovation in the cooking oil industry," said Chen Gang, COFCO's general manager.

In China, the edible cooking oils market is excess of $9 billion and continues to grow each year. China is the world's largest consumer of edible oils, at 24 million tons per year.

"We are pleased to be working with COFCO, a leader and innovator in the Chinese cooking oil industry, to introduce the first healthy cooking oil with life'sDHA to Chinese consumers to help support brain, eye and heart health," said David Abramson, president of Martek. "This product launch is a significant milestone as we seek to expand our presence in international markets like China, and as we continue to diversify our product applications, including the large and growing cooking oil category."

DHA omega-3 is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that serves as a primary building block for the brain and the eyes and supports brain, eye and cardiovascular health throughout life. There is a large and growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating that people of all ages benefit from an adequate supply of DHA omega-3 in their diets. Scientific reviews have highlighted the importance of DHA omega-3 in proper brain and eye development and function, as well as its importance in cardiovascular health. Leading experts around the world have noted that DHA is an important nutrient for health throughout the life cycle. Yet despite its importance, most consumers do not get enough DHA in their diets.

"This is a very innovative product," said Shanghai senior nutritionist Chen Wen. "DHA is important for brain, eye and heart health throughout life and we believe Fortune Natural Grains Blended Cooking Oil with vegetarian life'sDHA will appeal to the Chinese market."