Molde/Sortland, Norway – May 4th, 2021
Vesteraalens AS has become the first producer of bulk cod liver oil to qualify for the ORIVO certification. With immediate effect, Vesteraalens will start utilising ORIVO´s evidence-based transparency certification to document the purity and integrity of its cod liver oil products. Through independent third-party testing from ORIVO it is guaranteed that the raw material used to produce Vesteraalens bulk oil products is based purely on livers of Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) caught in Norwegian waters, thereby meeting a growing customer need for trust and transparency through authentic products with proof of origin.
Vesteraalens´ reasons for becoming ORIVO certified are twofold:
Firstly, to confirm and underline that Vesteraalens is a company operating in a responsible manner in terms of its sourcing and vertically integrated processing setup. Secondly, Vesteraalens aims to provide its customers from the supplement and functional food industry with the extra guarantee that their omega-3 consumer products are based on Norwegian cod liver oil only.
Viktor B. Johnsen (COO of Vesteraalens) points out:
Although no one has ever really questioned our claims of using solely raw material from Norwegian Arctic cod, to have the independent third-party verification by ORIVO represents true transparency which I think the market appreciates. In addition, we are aware of the increasing need among consumers to be reassured about the origin of their food. By becoming ORVIO certified we want to enable brands buying Norwegian cod liver oil from us to provide this extra level of trust to their consumers by guaranteeing the origin of their omega-3 supplements.
The certification is based on the world´s first and only lab-based technology that scientifically validates the geographic origin and species of omega-3 oils. This revolutionary technology is based on proven NMR analysis combined with a strong database of known reference samples and powerful statistical algorithms.
The scientific basis for the ORIVO certification is a good match with how Vesteraalens are developing their products, according to Gerhard K. Kohn (Director R&D at Vesteraalens):
– Due to the purity of our raw material base, we have been collaborating for some years with ORIVO supporting them in their approach to establish NMR-reference data bases for cod liver oils, to verify the fish species and the origin. Our oils have a unique position in the market as they are produced purely from the livers of Arctic cod (Gadus morhua), and thereby different from products made from the livers and/or trimmings of other fish species in the cod fish family (Gadidae).
For ORIVO, the collaboration with Vesteraalens represents an important milestone in a part of the omega-3 market the company considers as ideal.
– To have Vesteraalens join as the first certified producer of cod liver oil is very satisfying. Cod liver oil is an important and high-valued omega-3 category used in many parts of the world. The fact that it is a natural oil high in DHA makes it a popular choice for pregnant women and children, which is a consumer group that resonates well with the core of ORIVO´s mission; to deliver trust to consumers through evidence-based transparency, says ORIVO CEO, Svein Erik Haugmo.
The fact that a big bulk oil producer as Vesteraalens decides to go for the ORIVO-certification aligns well with how ORIVO experiences the development of the omega-3 market, Haugmo explains further:
– We see that the omega-3 industry is going through a change in order to respond to new customer needs. Claims about sustainability have become so common that consumers have started asking for evidence to prove these claims. Because there have been so many media reports about fraud recent years, paper-based documentation is no longer considered good enough. Our experience is that more and more brands are responding to this trend by seeking ingredient producers that can back up their paper-based documentation with actual evidence such as laboratory test results.
