“I hope that Nature Crops attaining B Corp certification really helps raise the bar for the omega-3 supply sector — where more and more consumers are already seeking solutions that won’t deplete ocean biodiversity,” Andrew Hebard, founder and CEO of Natures Crops International, told NutraIngredients-USA.
The North Carolina-based company joins close to 2,200 B Corp businesses in the US and Canada, and over 5,700 globally, to pass B Lab’s rigorous risk review and impact assessment across governance, workers, community, environment and customers categories.
The certification extends to Natures Crops International’s growing operations in the United Kingdom and manufacturing facilities on Prince Edward Island in Canada.
Ahiflower: An alternative to fish oil
Hebard explained that the Natures Crops flagship product Ahiflower – developed as a plant-derived alternative to fish oil – is built on “a regenerative omega-3 supply model” as opposed to the typical “extractive and depletive” wild harvesting of marine omegas.
“Honestly, I struggle with the concept of any form of wild animal or plant resource extraction being truly sustainable,” he said.
“These models are certainly not regenerative. I know that’s a controversial statement, but we used to think the North American bison and carrier pigeons were inexhaustible resources.”
Ahiflower’s omega content differs from fish oil in that it is a rich source of the stearidonic acid (SDA) omega-3, which is converted into the more well-known eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids harvested from marine sources. The multi omega also contains gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 usually found in evening primrose and borage seed oils.