Vitafoods Europe 2024: GC Rieber VivoMega predicts expansion of algal oils in omega-3 industry
13 Jun 2024 | GC Rieber VivoMega
GC Rieber Vivomega launched a new microalgae-based oil with both EPA and DHA at this year’s trade show. Ståle Søfting, the company’s sales and marketing director, explained the industry need for algal-based omega-3s. He asserted that the company’s vegan oil’s efficacy and associated health benefits are comparable to fish oils. Søfting also illustrated GC Rieber Vivomega’s sensory analysis, which monitors volatile components to select the “best-tasting and smelling” fish oils.
This is Yolanda van Gaal from Nutrition Insights.
I'm here at Vidy Foods Europe 2024 with Stala Sufing, who is a sales and marketing director director at GC Riber Vivo Makeup.
Thank you for joining us today.
What can you tell us about the new algal oil that you're launching at V Foods this year?
Yeah, so the product we're launching now is an ingredient algal-based oil with the EPA and DHA.
So this is a big announcement for us.
So last year we launched the DHA.
And now we are able to offer the EPA and DHA combination of alga.
And how does this product compare to fish oil omega 3s, which you also of course offer as?
In terms of the efficacy, it's the same, so active ingredients, the same molecules.
So you get the same health benefits.
Now the difference of course is that our goal is not from fish, not from the ocean as such, and of course it's a vegan option as.
Awesome.
And, and what other products or what else are you featuring at the show this year?
But this year we're actually also talking a bit about our technology.
We have launched actually a new branding for our technology for our quality and as as a new sensory analysis we have initially developed for fish oils where we are able to basically monitor volatile components.
And thereby select the best tasting and smelling fish oils.
This can be a way to kind of differentiate in the marketplace because there is obviously a lot of competition and if you are able to highlight the quality of the ingredients, that can be a positive.
OK, awesome and Can you tell us what the role is that sustainability plays at the company and maybe some examples of how that plays a role?
Sure, so sustainability is a core part of our strategy.
We are doing very concrete steps to improve.
So the latest we did now is that we installed an electric steam boiler.
That means that we're able to phase out the use of fossil fuels completely in our production, and that has a huge impact on our CO2 footprint.
Awesome.
And just to go a little bit broader into the omega 3 industry, where do you see that heading and what trends do you expect will increase?
So on the ingredients side, we expect to see more development on the algal omega 3 oils.
There's definitely a need to have more sources of omega 3 for the future.
So, so we expect that trend to continue, when it comes to the finished products, there's obviously a strong trend in gummies still going on and that looks likely to continue and hopefully also will improve as in terms of payload and stability so you can get the high dosage also there in the future.
How does JC Riber respond or anticipate in those consumer trends that you just mentioned?
Yeah, so we were taking quite an active position now in terms of the, the algal space and set up our distribution and and supply chain and all that, so, so taking very concrete steps because we're not just doing it for a short term looking at volatility in fish oil supply or pricing.
We, we are long term and we definitely think this will have a long term piece to play in the omega 3.
OK, perfect.
Thank you.
Thank you.
