The order pertains to Probi’s Digestis ingredient. Strong demand for the ingredient in US pharmacies and retail stores underlies the order, Probi said. The order consisting of a number of part shipments will be delivered during the second and third quarter of 2014.
This is one of the largest orders ever received by Probi in the consumer healthcare business area.
“Our partnership with Pharmavite has been expanded over the past year. We highly value Pharmavite’s confidence in our products. Our assessment is that we have a continued strong development in the North American market ahead of us,” said Peter Nählstedt, CEO of Probi.
Launched in 2012
Pharmavite launched Probi’s digestive health capsules in the US market in 2012 and they have accounted for a significant portion of Probi’s growth in the US. The digestive health capsules, marketed under the Nature Made brand, are based on the company’s well-documented probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (DSM 9843).
Boulder, CO-based Next Foods, which markets a line of juice-based probiotic drinks under the GoodBelly brand name, is another major Probi customer in the US market. In 2013, Next Foods re-upped its arrangement with Probi extending through at least 2020. Probi also has supply arrangements in the US market with Viva 5 Corporation and Waganuga.
Pharmavite, based in Northridge, CA, has been marketing supplements for more than 40 years under the NatureMade, SOYJOY and other labels. Pharmavite was acquired in 1989 by the Japanese company Otsuka Pharmaceutical.
In 2012, German fragrance and flavours house Symrise inked a deal with Probi to develop a stand-alone R&D project with oral probiotic supplements the most likely product out of the pipeline in 2014-2015. Symrise also upped its ownership stake in Probi to just under 15%, making it the company’s largest sharholder.