Euromed, S.A., a leading producer of standardised herbal extracts, announced the appointment of industry veteran Chris Tower to the position of General Manager of its key subsidiary Euromed USA Inc. Chris will replace current General Manager Guy Woodman, who will be retiring later this year. He is a highly experienced, senior level executive with an extensive range of skills and more than 25 years of successful sales, business development and operations expertise in the U.S. and global botanical extract industry.
He has previously held key management positions with an array of leading botanical extract manufacturers, including serving as VP Sales and Marketing of Sensient Natural Extracts (formally Mazza Innovation), founding President and CEO of Layn USA Inc. (subsidiary of Layn Natural Ingredients Corp.) and VP Sales and Business Development for leading Italian and German botanical extract manufacturers.
EARI Beverage Group, a diversified beverage and media group, announces the acquisition of the Blossom Botanical Water Brand.
Adding to the EARI Beverage Group portfolio, the acquisition of Blossom Botanical Water expands the footprint in the functional and craft beverage market segments. The Blossom brand fits perfectly with EARI’s strategy of identifying and acquiring brands in high-growth categories that have proven operating models and clear consumer acceptance. Blossom is credited with creating a new sub-category of plant-based waters using botanicals. The brand has distribution along the US East Coast and Midwest and has generated roughly USD 4 million in gross sales since inception.
About Blossom Botanical Water
Founded in Massachusetts 10 years ago and inspired by nature, Blossom Botanical Water is distinguished by its use of flower botanicals as a key flavour component across its portfolio of products. At only 20 calories per 16.9 oz bottle, it’s a delicious, healthy alternative to both plain water and high-sugar sodas or juices. Blossom infuses pure spring water with the taste and aroma extracted from real blossoms, then uses a complementary fruit to create five hand-crafted unique flavours of distinctive appeal: Lemon Rose, Plum Jasmine, Mango Hibiscus, Pomegranate Geranium and Grapefruit Lilac. Blossom Water is further enhanced for your health by providing scientifically proven benefit to strengthen immunity, the body’s best defense for maintaining wellness and vitality. Each bottle contains as much immune system support as 1 billion CFUs of probiotic from the strain Bacillus coagulants GBI-30 6086. Blossom Water’s drinks are certified non-GMO and free of gluten, caffeine, and sodium. They have no artificial flavours, sweeteners, colours, or preservatives, and they are kosher and vegan.
Kerry, one of the world’s leading taste and nutrition companies, has announced it has completed the acquisition of U.S.-based Natreon, Inc., a leading supplier of branded Ayurvedic botanical ingredients.
Natreon supplies branded and scientifically studied and tested Ayurvedic extracts to the dietary supplement and functional food and beverage industries across the globe. The acquisition significantly expands Kerry’s leadership position and ProActive Health portfolio of science-backed branded ingredients, furthering the company’s technology growth. The branded ingredients in Natreon’s portfolio are protected by a wide range of U.S. and foreign patents and supported by a total of 52 clinical studies which support the efficacy of their health benefits. Natreon’s portfolio consists of the following:
- Sensoril® – Ashwagandha extract for cognitive health benefits including stress, anxiety, and sleep.
- PrimaVie® – Shilajit extract for sports nutrition and healthy aging.
- Capros® – Amla extract for cardiovascular support.
- Crominex® – Chromium complex for diabetes.
- Ayuflex® – Terminalia chebula extract for bone and joint health benefits.
- Ayuric® – Terminalia bellirica extract for uric acid health.
The ingredients will be integrated into Kerry’s ProActive Health portfolio and leveraged by Kerry’s broad customer base. The ingredients will be supported by Kerry’s global application and R&D network, including continued investment in the science and clinical evidence supporting the brands.
Kerry has been building a leading position in science-backed functional ingredients within its ProActive Health portfolio for the past several years, most recently with the acquisition of Spain-based company Biosearch Life in 2021.
Firmenich, one of the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste companies, and Finlays, a leading supplier of tea, coffee and botanical solutions, have entered an agreement giving Firmenich full sales rights to Finlays’ European tea and coffee extracts portfolio in Europe, effective immediately.
As a part of this new agreement, Firmenich will focus on commercializing two core parts of Finlays’ extracts business in Europe: its world-leading Cold Brew Coffee portfolio and its Tea Extract portfolio. The Cold Brew Coffee portfolio serves a rapidly growing segment within the European region, and is crafted using a proprietary process which delivers a distinctly smooth, rich flavor experience. Finlays’ Tea Extract portfolio includes The Wellbeing Collection, a range of premium, all-natural tea extracts which are rich in bioactive compounds associated with various health benefits. These extracts are sustainably sourced from Finlays’ own tea farms, with on-site extraction facilities that enable tea leaves to be harvested and extracted on the same day, thereby preserving their fresh flavor and natural bioactive composition.
Under the new agreement, Firmenich is responsible for the full sales process, from commercial relationship to brief management, supported by the Finlays team. The partnership focuses exclusively on Finlays’ ranges of tea and coffee extracts, and covers European markets only.
Leading botanical extracts company to produce pharmaceutical grade CBD for the international market, using Italian biomass
Indena, a leading Italian company in international markets, has been authorised by the Italian Ministry of Health and Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) to produce cannabinoid-based cannabis extracts. Indena will produce pharmaceutical grade cannabidiol (CBD) for the global market for clinical and commercial use.
Indena is the first company in Italy to receive authorisation from the Ministry of Health to manufacture cannabinoid-based cannabis extracts. The approval process continued and Indena has also received authorisation from the AIFA, making it one of the few companies in the world able to produce cannabidiol (CBD) for the pharmaceutical market. CBD is an active ingredient obtained by extraction and isolation from the inflorescences and aerial parts of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.).
With its 100 years of experience in the production of high-end botanical extracts, Indena is well placed to produce high purity CBD. The raw material will be grown and processed in Italy. The supply chain, which complies with the strict criteria set out in the Italian regulations, is controlled, certified and fully traced by the company. Indena’s traditional rigour in managing the production chain was a key factor in obtaining authorisation.
Indena uses registered varieties of hemp with a THC level of less than 0.2 % in accordance with European standards. It also guarantees a residual THC content of less than 0.02 %, well below the limits defined by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and by DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). This approach enabled Indena to promptly submit the DMF (Drug Master File) for this product to the FDA.
“We have been working a long time for this outcome. It is the result of an intense and fruitful collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the AIFA, for the construction of a rigorous approval process to guarantee the safety and control of production, both of the raw material and of the active principle”, says Stefano Togni, Corporate Director for Business Development and Licensing of Indena SpA. “We are aiming at the international pharmaceutical markets. As an Italian company, we are proud to be able to make this totally Italian product of the highest quality available globally, an ingredient expected all over the world for its beneficial effects on a number of pathologies”.
The hemp biomass used by Indena is processed in a pharmaceutical plant that is regularly authorised by AIFA and inspected by the main international regulatory agencies (FDA, KFDA, PMDA and others). All production is carried out in compliance with pharmaceutical GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), in line with the highest quality standards that the company has always applied which have been recognised by the international scientific community and consolidated over 100 years of business.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is an active pharmaceutical ingredient whose use is approved for seizures associated with some rare forms of childhood epilepsy (Lennox-Gastaud syndrome, Dravet syndrome and tuberous sclerosis complex), and in clinical development for other forms of epilepsy. Furthermore CBD is under clinical investigation for schizophrenia, and for its therapeutic potential in other psychiatric disorders, neurological or autoimmune/inflammatory based diseases1.
Once again, Indena’s focus on quality, scientific rigour and innovation has enabled it to receive recognition from Italy’s top pharmaceutical regulatory institutions. This will enable the company to produce an active principle for which there has been market demand for some time.
1C. Michael White, PharmD, A Review of Human Studies Assessing Cannabidiol’s (CBD) Therapeutic Actions and Potential, J Clin Pharmacol 2019, 59(7), 923-934.
Combined product portfolio and manufacturing capabilities create unique botanical platform in North America
The Martin Bauer Group is excited to announce the acquisition of BI Nutraceuticals, a leading full-service manufacturer and supplier of plant-based ingredients in the United States. The acquisition creates an extensive portfolio of botanical ingredients and a versatile manufacturing hub servicing the U.S. Tea, Beverage, Food and Dietary Supplements industries.
The investment in BI Nutraceuticals will build on Martin Bauer Group’s local capabilities including R&D, formulations and manufacturing, in support of the Group’s strategy to foster accelerated growth in North America. A distinction of Martin Bauer Group’s portfolio is the responsible and vastly diversified sourcing of raw materials, with quality standards and controls in place starting at source and continuing throughout the procurement and manufacturing processes. “The addition of BI Nutraceuticals to our Group buttresses our commitment to reliable, quality, safe and clean label raw materials, meeting an increasing demand from our customers and consumers,” stated Ennio Ranaboldo, CEO of Martin Bauer Group in North America. The two companies will continue to operate independently, and further communications will be issued to ensure seamless integration both internally and for all customers.
“We are thrilled to be a part of the nature network® and the Martin Bauer Group,” said George Pontiakos, President and CEO of BI Nutraceuticals. “This represents a significant move forward for us and our combined customer base. The Martin Bauer Group is a family-owned international company with a long history as a manufacturer and supplier of teas, extracts and botanical products going back more than 135 years. BI Nutraceuticals will now have access to the global resources of the Martin Bauer Group in the areas of raw materials sourcing, processing technology, liquid extract production and research and development. As part of the Martin Bauer Group, we become a true single source solution provider. Our customers can be even more confident in our long-standing commitment to safety, quality, service and innovation.”
