SeaDragon well prepared to develop Omega-3 fish oil markets

SeaDragon well prepared to develop Omega-3 fish oil markets

SeaDragon’s win of the Natural Products New Zealand (NPNZ) Exporter of the Year award shows the company is well positioned to develop the market for New Zealand-sourced Omega-3 fish oils, says Chief Executive Ross Keeley.

SeaDragon, which is building a new refined fish oil plant in Nelson to expand its Omega-3 manufacturing activities, won the prestigious DHL Global Forwarding Exporter of the Year at the NPNZ summit in Nelson last week.

Mr Keeley said: “The judges have recognised the flexibility of our manufacturing facilities and our ability to develop new markets. These are the qualities that will underpin our drive into Omega-3 fish oil markets.”

SeaDragon Chairman Dr Doug Wilson said: “We are delighted with the award. It is a real endorsement of the progress SeaDragon is making and the effort of all management and staff. It is a great boost as we prepare for the next stage of our development.”

Judges for NPNZ - which represents the country’s natural products, functional foods, complementary medicines, cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals industries – praised the success of SeaDragon’s squalene operations.

They were impressed by SeaDragon’s unique product propositions and its ability to commercialise resources that would otherwise have been discarded. Squalene is produced from the livers of sharks caught as by catch as fishing companies target commercial species such as hoki and other deep water species.

They were also impressed with SeaDragon’s growth. In one market sales of (squalene and related products) grew 213% in the year to 31 December 2013, while group total revenue grew by 40% over the same period.

Announcing the winners, NPNZ’s Executive Director Alison Quesnel said New Zealand’s natural products industry has remained vibrant throughout the recession so the positive economic outlook bodes well for making excellent progress towards the industry’s goal of becoming one of New Zealand’s top export earners by 2025.

“The ability to think outside the square was demonstrated by all of our winners and this attitude has been a key to the natural health product industry’s success as a whole,” Ms Quesnel said.

About SeaDragon: www.seadragon.co.nz
SeaDragon (NZX:SEA) is Australasia’s largest refiner and blender of high-quality internationally certified concentrated fish oils and fractions, including Omega-3 oils. Our oils are sourced from fish caught in the clean and pure waters around New Zealand, in the Southern Ocean, and elsewhere. We have more than 20 years’ experience processing fish oils and we are recognised for the quality and purity of our products. We supply health supplement manufacturers around the world to meet the burgeoning demand for pure, high-quality fish oils, which are scientifically proven to deliver significant human health benefits such as lowering the risk of heart disease, improving brain function and joint health. The majority of our supply is exported.

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