ORIVO is seeking project partners for another industry innovation: Authentication of omega-3 concentrates. The aim for the project is to analytically match samples from omega-3 concentrate producers with samples from finished product formulations. This will enable brand owners to verify that they have used the claimed raw material from their trusted suppliers, and such brand owners are now encouraged to join ORIVO in this exiting industry innovation.
The project is funded by Innovation Norway, a Norwegian public funding organization, and Golden Omega is already recruited as the concentrate producer partner in the project. Other concentrate producers are also welcome to contact us, as the outcome of the project is planned to be a testing system available for all producers in the industry. But as for additional project partners the main focus is to recruit brand owners. The main activities for brand owner project partners will be split into two:
Technical activities:
To develop a reliable laboratory protocol, a lot of testing needs to be done, mostly on real products – both based on Golden Omega´s concentrates and other producers´ raw material. Project partners therefore need to contribute with product samples and ingredient lists, the performance and cost of the laboratory work will be covered by ORIVO.
Promotional activities:
Such a technological innovation will enable brand owners to rethink their promotion/media strategy, and a very important part of this project is to work together on topics such as: Media tools (Promo movie clip, illustrations, certification logo, commercial language), promotion channels (Product logo, product campaigns, web commercial, trade show activities), etc.
Why join and be associated with this project?
A couple of years ago we saw significant adulteration among various brand owners such as “18/12 salmon oil” and krill oil consisting of fish oil and soy lecithin. However, lately the impression is that the industry as a whole is becoming more and more serious and responsible, and a very recent study performed by ORVIO in collaboration with GOED showed little to no adulteration among the top selling US omega-3 brands. This is a positive trend for the industry, which goes well along with another highly interesting trend: Modern consumers demand to be assured the origin of what they are eating. This means that behaving responsible and sourcing sustainable is not enough anymore – to differentiate you need to validate your story. Including the ORIVO certification in the storytelling has been a successful journey for clients in various business segments already. By joining as a project partner in this particular project you will have a unique chance to influence, and become part of the story.
Brand owners using non-Golden Omega concentrates in their products could ask “Why should we participate in this project?” There are two good reasons: Firstly, the promotional part of the project is most important for brand owners, and this part is designed to be generic, not necessarily linked to Golden Omega as the supplier of the omega-3 concentrate. Secondly, to validate the test results and eliminate false positives, we also need samples from brands using non-Golden Omega concentrates.
Discuss the project during GOED Exchange
We would be happy to explain more and start the first discussions with possible project partners during the GOED Exchange in Seattle in February. We will be holding a short presentation during the Pre-conference workshop, so please reach out to us us after that, or contact us in advance to make an appointment. (Contact CTO Erik Fuglseth: efu@orivo.no // +47 97 19 18 68)
NOTE: No financial contribution is required from the project partner in this project.
