“From the very beginning, this partnership felt like a natural fit,” said Kim Thorup, executive vice president of B2B Nutra at Arctic Bioscience. “Berkem as the Arctic Bioscience sales and distribution partner in North America made perfect sense, given the company’s know-how and experience in ingredient manufacturing, from raw material supply chain to in-house production processes.”
The partnership combines Arctic Bioscience’s knowledge of phospholipids and omega-3s and Berkem’s expanded capability following the acquisition of Givaudan’s industrial plant- and marine-extraction site in Valencia—formerly known as Naturex Iberian Partners—in March.
Phospholipid omega-3s from Norwegian herring byproducts
Arctic Bioscience sources its roe oil from wild-caught herring, fished off the west coast of Norway and certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
The oil is upcycled from the residual material of herring fillet production, generating several hundred tons of roe a season, which is frozen into 20-kilo blocks and stored locally to maintain quality. During processing, the extract is separated into protein and lipid fractions using a specialized technology that protects against heat and oxygen exposure that can lead to degradation.
Arctic Bioscience, formerly known as Arctic Nutrition, first launched in the European market in 2012, entered the U.S. market in 2016 and today sells its herring roe extracts globally as bulk ingredients and finished goods under the Romega brand. Outside the Berkem partnership, it recently expanded into the pharmaceutical space with HRO350, a novel oral phospholipid drug candidate being developed for treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate psoriasis.
As dietary supplement, Romega is marketed as a rich source of specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPM) and DHA-type phospholipids, nutrients crucial for cellular health and effective anti-inflammatory responses in support of heart, brain, eye and skin health across life stages.
“B-Romega harnesses the natural benefits of phospholipid omega-3 from herring caviar, offering superior bioavailability and proven health advantages,” said Amandine Brochot, scientific manager at Berkem. “By uniting our expertise in marine extraction and scientific innovation, we are proud to deliver a product that not only supports human health but also reflects our shared commitment to sustainability and cutting-edge research.”
Focus on innovation and sustainability
Arctic Bioscience’s sustainability story aligns with Groupe Berkem’s mission to search out new solutions for human health from recycled plant by-products.
In September, the company launched its Global Plant Exploration Initiative to advance a ‘field to finish’ approach to extract development. This includes direct field sourcing, community involvement and sustainability, and total traceability and quality control.
Beyond investigating farms and fisheries in Norway, explorations past and planned include French Maritime Pine processing, hops harvesting, organic lemon balm and mint cultivation in Southern France, cocoa plantations in Cameroon, maca in the Peruvian Andes, grape seed in the French Champagne region and green coffee from the Central Highlands of Vietnam.
“At Berkem we ensure a close relationship to the botanicals that we source and the communities that they grow in,” said Olivier Fahy, founder and CEO at Berkem, “We value local harvesting and also travel globally to source the finest crops. Ensuring that our supply chain respects the local ecosystem is a number one priority.”
