Chocolate and cocoa products manufacturer Barry Callebaut has inked a licensing agreement with Naturex Group, a specialty plant-based natural ingredients company.
Valid for a period of five years until April 2020, Barry Callebaut has licensed its approved 13.5 EFSA health claim on cocoa flavanols for cocoa extract products to Naturex, which will use this proprietary health claim to its food supplement solutions.
The agreement also allows Naturex's B2B clients to duplicate it on their marketed end products.
In April, the European Commission had granted approval to the extension of Barry Callebaut's existing health claim on cocoa flavanols from cocoa powders to cocoa flavanols from cocoa extracts.
With the agreement, Naturex has secured the right to use the health claim "cocoa flavanols help maintain the elasticity of blood vessels, which contributes to normal blood flow" on food supplements applications containing high-flavanol cocoa extracts.
As part of the agreement, Barry Callebaut and Naturex will combine their expertise with an aim to revolutionise the food supplement market.
Barry Callebaut will supply cocoa beans containing high amounts of healthy flavanols and from these beans, Naturex will generate a pure cocoa extract and will market an innovative solution carrying the proprietary health claim.
Naturex's food supplement products with the cocoa extract will hit the European market in early 2016.
Barry Callebaut Group Global R&D project manager Leen Allgaert said: "With Naturex, we can now bring the proven health benefits of cocoa flavanols which contribute to normal blood flow in the human body to consumers in a simple 100% natural food supplement application."
Naturex CEO Olivier Rigaud said: "This open innovation partnership with Barry Callebaut is a great opportunity to bring to the food supplement market a pure and natural breakthrough ingredient with a unique 13.5 EFSA claim for the next five years.
"It will help us strengthen our global leader position in the phytoactives segment, one of the four key categories highlighted in our Bright2020 strategic plan, with endless applications that will help our customers to reduce time to market, fitting perfectly with consumer expectations."
Naturex Group business unit and marketing director Eric Villain said: "The cocoa bean is a natural source of extraordinary phyto-actives. It offers scientifically recognised health benefits and solutions for our self-care customers. The sale of food supplements that contribute to health and well-being is a field that has been experiencing strong growth in recent years.
"We look forward to working with Barry Callebaut to turn this licensing agreement into a big success for both of us."
