Kiwi companies seeking greater slice of pie

Media release

May 3, 2007

Kiwi companies seeking greater slice of nutraceutical pie

New Zealand’s growing natural products industry will pitch its products at Europe’s largest nutraceuticals fair next week.

Eight companies, supported by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), will take part in Vitafoods International 2007 in Geneva, Switzerland from 8 to 10 May.

The exhibition is expected to attract around 300 companies from 75 countries and 5000 visitors, all keen to share in a global nutraceuticals market expected to reach US$75 billion this year.

Nutraceuticals are foods with medicinal benefits for human health, sometimes also called functional foods.

It is a promising area for New Zealand natural products, a sector built on traditional agriculture and food technologies and now returning around $300 million in exports annually.

With major markets established in Asia and North America, Europe provides significant new growth opportunities according to NZTE sector director Dr Chris Boalch.

“Source, sustainability and purity are key factors when buyers are choosing ingredients and ingredient suppliers,” says Dr Boalch, “The quality of our environment, animal health status and food safety regulations, coupled with the innovation of our biotech companies, have driven growth in the functional foods industry.”

Michelle Beckett, executive director of Natural Products New Zealand, a sector group which represents over 80 percent of New Zealand’s natural products industry, says “the New Zealand pavilion and company exhibits will enable international visitors to sample and explore the potential of the many natural products being sourced from New Zealand’s pristine environment.”
Companies exhibiting at Vitafoods include two winners at last year’s New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Export Awards.

Bay of Plenty-based Comvita Ltd is a natural health and wellness company which produces therapeutic apicultural products and achieved export sales of $18.7 million in 2005, winning the Agritechnology, Life Sciences and Biotechnology export category award.

Healtheries of New Zealand Ltd won the Food and Beverage Exporter of the Year Award, having achieved export sales of $21.5 million from its range of branded consumer health foods, green lipped mussel extracts and colostrum products.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is usually drunk as wine, but NZ Grapeseed Company will be exhibiting extracts from the grapes’ seeds which it markets as ingredients for capsules, functional foods and personal care applications, based on their excellent anti-oxidant properties.

Te Awamutu’s Manuka Health New Zealand Ltd produces manuka honey and propolis, both separately and in combination with other natural products, for use by manufacturers of functional foods, dietary supplements and medical devices.

Just the Berries Ltd, based in Palmerston North, has become one of the world’s leading suppliers of blackcurrant based nutraceutical health ingredients as well as for flavours, colours and cosmetic use.

Crown research institute HortResearch will present its work on ‘superfruits’ at a conference during the exhibition. It is developing new fruit and fruit-based foods and beverages which have positive effects on gastro-intestinal wellbeing and immune defences, to cater for consumers seeking an easy way to feel good. HortResearch believes fruit will become the next generation of functional foods, challenging dairy and wholegrains for dominance in the lucrative market.

Also taking part in the business visit, but not exhibiting, are:
Sea Dragon Marine Oils Ltd, based in Nelson, which manufactures, develops and concentrates science-based natural bioactive ingredients, as well as being a refiner and blender of fish oils.
Christchurch-based RMF Nutraceuticals, which supplies a range of plant, animal and marine derived ingredients for the health and nutrition sectors.
And another Christchurch firm Market New Zealand, a significant exporter of New Zealand herbs and herb derived products, including a patented echinacea juice extract.

Ends

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