WASHINGTON—U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke bestowed Cyanotech with the Presidential “E" Award for Exports on May 16 for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports. Locke noted Cyanotech’s exports have helped fulfill President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI), which aims to double U.S. exports by 2015 in support of American jobs.
“I congratulate you on your significant export achievement," Locke said when he awarded Cyanotech during World Trade Week ceremonies in Washington. “It is businesses like yours that will help us meet or exceed the President’s NEI goals. Your firm provides an example we hope more American companies will follow." Cyanotech was one of 27 U.S. companies to recieve the “E" Award.
Cyanotech’s president and CEO, Brent Bailey said its Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica and BioAstin Natural Astaxanthin products are now distributed in more than 60 countries on six continents.
“Our valued distributors around the world recognize Cyanotech’s leadership position in spirulina and astaxanthin quality as well as our superior customer service and branding," said Cyanotech’s founder and chief scientific officer, Gerald Cysewski.
Criteria for the award is based on four years of successive export growth, usually accompanied by a rising percentage of export sales within total sales. An applicant’s demonstration of an innovative international marketing plan that led to the increase in exports is a significant factor in making the award. President Kennedy revived the World War II "E" symbol of excellence to honor and provide recognition to America's exporters. Thus, the "E" Award Program was established by Executive Order 10978 on December 5, 1961.
Cyanotech's Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica, FDA reviewed and recently accepted as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) for use as a food ingredient, and its BioAstin® Natural Astaxanthin are produced from microalgae grown at the company’s 90-acre facility in Hawaii using patented and proprietary technology. The products are distributed to nutritional supplement, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical makers and marketers. Cyanotech has obtained ISO 9001:2000 certification, and its products are all natural, pesticide and herbicide free, free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and produced in accordance with cGMPs (current good manufacturing processes).
