SourceOne, ChromaDex, Jungbunzlauer, Algatechnologies, MetaBrand and the Natural Products Association (NPA) recently announced partnerships and expansions to help meet growing consumer demands while better serving the industry.

SourceOne Global Partners reached an exclusive distribution agreement with Gee Lawson (London, England) for key European countries. According to Jesse Lopez, CEO and founder of SourceOne, the partnership between SourceOne and Gee Lawson will help to meet the growing consumer demand for enhanced bioavailability, absorption and efficacy of unique science-based ingredients and proprietary formulas through the use of innovative delivery system technologies, such as VESIsorb®.

In another distribution agreement update, ChromaDex Corp. announced its exclusive worldwide license and supply agreement for patent-pending Suntava(R) Purple Corn, which is derived from a proprietary non-GMO purple corn hybrid and contains a high level of anthocyanins. ChromaDex plans to develop an extraction process to concentrate the anthocyanins in Suntava Purple Corn to produce a highly concentrated anthocyanin ingredient. The company will utilize a toll manufacturer to produce the commercial ingredient.

Based on a successful partnership in the United States, Jungbunzlauer and STAUBER expanded the preferred distributor agreement for the nutritional and dietary industry into Canada. STAUBER will represent Jungbunzlauer’s complete product line and concepts to the nutritional industry throughout Canada.

Algatechnologies Ltd. (Algatech) signed a supply and long-term collaboration agreement with Fujifilm Corp. (Fujifilm) in Japan, for its AstaPure® natural astaxanthin ingredients. Fujifilm recently took over Algatech’s major distributor in Japan and will promote astaxanthin raw materials. The company has already has been using Algatech’s natural astaxanthin as the main active ingredient for its nutrition supplement and cosmetics product line, Astalift.

In a move to expand its services for natural and organic food/beverage entrepreneurs, MetaBrand added a new division called MetaBrand International. The division, which expands services for Canadian and other international markets, debuted earlier this month at BEVNet Live in New York. The concept-to-market firm provides product formulation, outsourced operations, capitalization, sales, marketing and advisory services to natural/organic food and beverage startups and emerging regional and national brands.

NPA also expanded with 36 new members to the organization in a very strong March and April. All new members to NPA are printed in the quarterly member newsletter, NPA NOW. New members will also be highlighted on NPA’s social media accounts and in future press releases, as well as in the “Member of the Week" recognition.