Neptune Strengthens Position in Krill Oil Market

16 Jun 2014 --- Neptune Technologies & Bioressources announced the opening of its newly constructed plant in Sherbrooke, Québec. The new facility is able to produce more than 150 metric tons of krill oil annually and is equipped to allow for a doubling of capacity going forward. On top of focusing on the production of Neptune’s proprietary krill oil (NKO), three new formulations will be launched that benefit heart and circulation, bones and joints, and brain and vision health.

The new plant features robust safety measures and technologies, which allow for optimized manufacturing. For instance, because of the phospholipid content of krill oil, suppliers sometimes encounter issues of flowability and appearance. At Neptune’s new facility, both equipment upgrades and new manufacturing practices overcome these challenges. The result is a product with improved viscosity, which facilitates encapsulation, and enhanced bioactives, giving Neptune customers distinct advantages in marketability.

“We’ve gone to great lengths to protect our process, employees and ability to provide superior forms of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids,” said Michel Timperio, Senior Vice President, Global Sales. “In the last 18 months, we’ve revisited our processes to, expanded capacity and developed new products featuring NKO. In a market where product differences are scarce, Neptune’s products put the Corporation in a strong position to offer our customers a differentiated offering.”

While under construction, Neptune developed three new condition-specific formulas. Each includes NKO, which enhances absorption rates of complementary ingredients.

• NKOBeat -- Neptune added Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) among other ingredients to support heart health and healthy circulation. Combined with NKO, Neptune’s study showed CoQ10 had 25 times better absorption rate when compared to a generic CoQ10.
• NKOFlex -- Neptune added Vitamin D to NKO along with other ingredients to support bone and joint health. Combining high potency vitamin D with NKO results in up to two times increased digestion of vitamin D2.
• NKOFocus -- To support brain and vision health, Neptune formulated a blend that includes thiamine and lutein among other ingredients. When combined with NKO, Neptune’s studies show lutein’s absorption is improved by as much as eight times.

Neptune pioneered the krill oil industry in 2003 with the introduction of NKO which gave the company a stronghold in the market and a coveted ingredient among nutraceutical manufacturers and distributors. NKO has the highest amount of bioactives in the industry. Research has found that the phospholipid-enhanced omega-3 in NKO allows for easier digestion and 2.5 times (2.4x) higher absorption rates than those found in fish oils. Because of a patented extraction process, NKO also supplies seven times (7x) more antioxidant, astaxanthin, than other krill oils.