The proprietary technologies—VivoTech and VivoSure— promise to enhance quality, purity and sensory profiles through processes evaluated in real-time and regardless of the crude material. GC Rieber said the result is a better finished product with a three-year shelf life for two company brands, VivoMega Fish and VivoMega Algal oils.
“Omega-3 concentrate production truly is a blend of science and art,” said Kristi E. Aarak, technical business development manager at GC Rieber, in a statement. “The raw material of the omega-3s varies…This variability influences the fatty acid profile of the raw material and impacts quality parameters such as oxidation, color, taste and smell.”
The company said that each oil has a customized manufacturing process partly based on customer requests but also because there are differences in marine life raw material and their environments.
The technology also focuses on reducing thermal stress and heat exposure. This is made possible by VivoTech, an advanced high-vacuum technology in which the oils are run through. The VivoSure process is simultaneously applied, refining the omega-3 concentrates. The production environment is absent of air, what the company calls a triple-sealed system.
These advances come on the heels of another tool, VivoSens. Announced in 2023, it standardizes purity, freshness and taste of omega-3s and removes volatile components in the oil.
Over the last two years, GC Rieber has unveiled its omega-3 products in the U.S., created by these advanced technologies. The company’s foray into the U.S. market has also focused how its tools promote the creation of a superior, more sustainable algal oil, it said.
“We do think [algal] consumption will grow a lot in the future because the general demands for omega-3s seem to be increasing year on year and although fish is a natural resource, it’s also limited,” said Ståle Søfting, sales and marketing director at GC Rieber.
A 2023 report from the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) stated that “a supply and demand crunch for omega-3 products underpinned by resource constraints and climate impacts are likely to continue to lead to future price/costs shocks.”
Although algal omega-3s can be produced without depleting marine life or causing damage to ocean habitats, the cultivation of algal omega-3s is not without an ecological footprint. As part of the fermentation process, cultivating algae for omega-3s can require significant amounts of sugar, water and heating, which GC Rieber said it is addressing.
International expansion
In 2024, GC Rieber partnered with Freemen Nutra, a Japanese ingredients manufacturer and global distributor, to supply VivoMega omega-3 concentrates to the Japanese market.
The Japanese market may seem like a hyper competitive one in which to sell omega-3s, as the Japanese consume more fish than other groups and have a sizable fish oil supplement market. However, Søfting said there is a high degree of education among Japanese consumers about EPA and DHA, making the population primed for new products, including algal omega-3s.
Like the Japanese, Europeans are marketed omega-3 products based on their EPA and DHA content and not specifically where the fatty acids come from, Søfting added. This contrasts with the U.S. market, in which brands are less focused on marketing EPA and DHA consumption but more on fish oil as a primary source of omega-3s. This makes developing mindshare around algal omega-3s more challenging in the United States when trying to convince consumers that they have other options. GC Reiber works with U.S. companies to create appropriate marketing in this unique messaging environment.
Søfting said he is confident consumers—regardless of location—are interested in the message of sustainability, whether that comes from the production side or from the holistic actions of a company.
“We think the algal omega-3s will continue to grow,” he said. “A lot of consumers seem to prefer this when they’re being asked about sustainable options and we’re a good fit for that.”
