July 6, 2006, La Grange, IL - Cognis has completed the acquisition of Napro Pharma AS, a Norwegian manufacturer of high-quality omega-3 fish oils for the nutrition industry. This news follows the May announcement in which Cognis Nutrition & Health unveiled plans to expand its portfolio of health-enhancing ingredients with omega-3s.
“Now that the ink is dry we are working diligently to fully integrate omega-3s into Cognis’ product mix so we can effectively address the strong interest expressed by customers and prospects,” said Dave Eckert, Vice President, Cognis Nutrition & Health. “This is a high priority for Cognis given the significant demand for this product. The new product line will be delivered with the same superior quality and value-added services as our other products,” Mr. Eckert emphasized.
Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fatty acids backed by decades of science showing benefits for overall health, specifically for the heart, and the brain -- the newest health platform for Cognis. As the world’s largest producer of plant sterols and sterol esters, Cognis provides heart health ingredients for a broad range of functional foods and dietary supplements. Omega-3s are a perfect complement to Cognis’ Vegapure® plant sterols and sterol esters, which have been clinically proven to lower cholesterol. Other leading wellness ingredients include Tonalin® CLA, the #1 selling brand of conjugated linoleic acid, clinically shown to reduce body fat and preserve lean muscle mass. Renowned for its high-quality, natural-source antioxidants including Covitol® natural-source vitamin E, Betatene® natural beta-carotene and Xangold® natural lutein esters, Cognis continues to expand its portfolio of core products as new wellness trends emerge.