| Bioriginal Educates the Industry |
| Pharmaceuticals | |
| By Hanna Aronovich | |
| Sunday, 02 January 2005 | |
 Bioriginal works with regulatory agencies and reaches out to consumers to clarify the benefits of essential fatty acids. The company provides EFAs such as evening primrose, flax, black currant, fish, hemp, echium, perilla and camelina. Delivery systems range from bulk oil and capsules to finished, packaged products. In addition to standard oil or seed formats, Bioriginal provides EFAs in custom formulation, highly concentrated oils, water-soluble powders and in functional food form, such as its line of flax-based, low-net-carb BakOmega, FibrOmega and ProBioFlax products. “Last year, we introduced in excess of 70 new SKUs,” Vice President of Corporate Development Jerome Konecsni says. “The new products varied in complexity. Some provided our customers with a new bottle shape or size, while other products were the development of a new delivery format, such as a powder or concentrate. We work with our customers to respond to their individual needs to customize products to suit their requirements. We are also proactively developing products that we can market more broadly.” Bioriginal faces several challenges. Konecsni points out many consumers are confused about the health benefits of EFAs because many products make unfounded claims. To combat the problem, Bioriginal works closely with regulatory bodies and provides them with product information and educational literature to help establish public awareness. “We are making efforts to educate consumers,” Konecsni says. The company has also invested in clinical research, in conjunction with several universities, to advance the public’s awareness of EFA products. Breaking it Down A lot of confusion exists regarding Omega 3 and Omega 6 EFAs, he explains. “Consumers aren’t sure what’s the healthy or right combination,” he notes. “But we are the one-stop shop for essential fatty acids. We have all of them. Each essential fatty acid has a unique benefit to the body. “There are various combinations and formulations for specific conditions. Based on the work we’ve done, we’re convinced that the best approach is a balanced use of those products.” In addition, Bioriginal offers its customers educational sessions as well as retailer training. Quality Mission Bioriginal strives to maintain production of high-quality products in a cost-effective manner, Konecsni says. However – low-cost competition, both from domestic and overseas operations – is another challenge Bioriginal contends with. “Low-cost competitors compromise their products’ integrity because the quality of products isn’t standard across the industry,” Konecsni continues. “This forces prices down, and makes it difficult for high-service companies, like Bioriginal, to compete on price alone. Therefore, we try to position ourselves as a company that sets the standards and exceeds the regulations.” Bioriginal was one of the first companies to receive GMP certification. It has worked on advisory committees with the Canadian Advisory Board to establish a new framework for regulating EFAs, and was one of the companies to prepare monographs under the new framework. In addition, Bioriginal has worked with the FDA and attended numerous seminars on updating industry regulations. “We set the standard for product quality,” Konecsni says. “We have served on different industry groups, including an Omega 3 research group, to establish new standards for the industry.” The company continuously works to identify ways to increase the value of its products and services, such as finding new and better sources of raw materials, constant quality improvement and identifying cost efficiencies. “We develop unique and proprietary product formulations to sustain our position in the market,” Konecsni says. “We have been increasing our presence and sales in the European market. We’ve expanded our sales and marketing efforts, reached out to new customers and launched a new line of EFA powders.” Strong Operations The company maintains offices and facilities in Canada, the United States, Europe and China, which allows it to distribute its products internationally. Vertical integration, strategic alliances and continuous R&D efforts ensure Bioriginal and its customers’ success, the company says. Because it has multiple offices, communication is key. Konecsni says sales and marketing are approached globally, with the key department leaders traveling from one office to another to develop plans and create a unified strategy. “Many multidisciplinary teams are created to address specific issues, such as quality and regulatory matters,” he explains. “We have conference calls, frequent visits and regularly attend trade shows.” Saskatoon also boasts some of the world’s best scientific infrastructures, Konecscni says. The universities and research organizations work with Bioriginal to develop products and hold clinical studies. Advanced customer service software programs allow Bioriginal to manage customer information and communicate efficiently. This, in turn, allows the company to maintain its global operations. “The program allows the people in Europe to see everything that’s going on in North America,” Konecsni explains. “We’ve also introduced a new ERP system, which enables us to efficiently manage our inventory. We also have an identity preserve system, so we can truly offer our customers the traceability factor – something our low-cost competitors can’t do.” |
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