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Maruha Nichiro Forms Business Partnership with Canadian Company Mara to Enter Algae-derived DHA Market

JAPAN
Friday, June 28, 2024, 01:00 (GMT + 9)

～New entry into algae-derived DHA～

Business partnership agreement signed with Mara Renewables Corporation

Maruha Nichiro Corporation (Head office: Koto-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Masaru Ikemi) has signed a business partnership agreement with Mara Renewables Corporation (Head office: Canada; CEO & BOD Member: Gerandus (Harry) Boot; hereinafter Mara), one of the world's leading manufacturers of microalgae.

By exclusively receiving the algae-derived DHA manufactured by Mara for the Japanese market, Maruha Nichiro will begin manufacturing and selling algae-derived DHA in addition to the conventional fish oil-derived DHA.

DHA is an essential fatty acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, which cannot be produced in the human body and must be ingested through diet. It is a functional ingredient essential for maintaining health, and demand for it is on the rise amid growing health consciousness worldwide.

On the other hand, the supply of fish oil has become unstable due to recent poor catches, and in order to meet the growing demand, we have decided to partner with Mara to provide a more sustainable and stable supply of DHA.

DHA derived from fish oil is originally produced when zooplankton eats algae that produce DHA, which are then preyed on by fish, who then take in the plankton. On the other hand, DHA derived from algae is directly extracted by cultivating the algae that produce DHA in land-based facilities, so it has the same origin and structure as DHA derived from fish oil. In addition, there is no need to worry about the effects of marine pollution or the depletion of fishery resources, and a stable supply is possible.

By working with Mara, one of the world's leading microalgae manufacturers that holds a patent for algae-derived DHA extraction technology, Maruha Nichiro will utilize its unique DHA deodorization technology to accelerate the supply of DHA to general foods such as health foods, powdered milk, and beverages, and meet the ever-increasing demand for DHA. In the future, we will also collaborate with Mara with an eye on building joint venture factories in the Asia-Oceania region.

Maruha Nichiro sees this business partnership as an initiative to accelerate the creation of health value in its long-term management vision for 2027, and believes it will lead to further strengthening of its global expansion. Going forward, as a comprehensive food company, we will continue to contribute to the creation of health value for our customers globally, and deliver safe and secure food to the global market.

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