COLUMBIA, Md., May 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DHA omega-3
innovator and maker of the life'sDHA™ brand, Martek
Biosciences Corporation (Nasdaq: MATK) announced today that it has
signed a five-year agreement with leading Chinese dairy, Mengniu
Dairy Company Limited, for the use of Martek's life'sDHA in
Mengniu-brand UHT milk and potentially other categories.
Mengniu is launching Mengniu Future Star Kid Milk nationwide
this month. Mengniu Future Star Kid Milk with
life'sDHA is now available in three varieties at major
retailers across China and features the life'sDHA logo on
the product packaging and in related marketing, advertising and
promotional materials. This is the first milk with life'sDHA
to be launched in China.
In China, Mengniu is the leader of the rapidly growing dairy
market. Milk comprises approximately 60 percent of the Chinese
dairy category, of which Mengniu has a leading share of 35
percent.
"We are pleased to be working with Mengniu, the largest dairy
producer in China to introduce the first milk with life'sDHA
to help support children's brain, eye and heart health," said
David Abramson, president of Martek.
"This product launch further strengthens our presence in China, a
key market for Martek, and illustrates our strong position as a key
player in the fortified dairy category, even in international
markets."
DHA omega-3 is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that serves as a
primary building block for the brain and the eyes and supports
brain, eye and cardiovascular health throughout life. There is a
large and growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating that
people of all ages benefit from an adequate supply of DHA omega-3
in their diets. Scientific reviews have highlighted the importance
of DHA omega-3 in proper brain and eye development and function, as
well as its importance in cardiovascular health. Leading experts
around the world have noted that DHA is an important nutrient for
health throughout the life cycle. Yet despite its importance, most
consumers do not get enough DHA in their diets.
Fish are often incorrectly thought to be the only source of DHA
omega-3. However, life'sDHA offers a trusted, vegetarian
form of DHA that contains no oceanic pollutants or toxins. Fish are
sources of DHA because of the DHA-rich microalgae in their food
chain; life'sDHA is derived directly from microalgae, a
renewable, sustainable source of DHA that does not deplete ocean
resources, and is produced entirely in the U.S. in an FDA-inspected
facility. Today, life'sDHA is found in numerous foods,
beverages and supplements for people of all ages. It is also the
only source of DHA used in U.S. infant formula and is included in
more than 99 percent of all formulas on the U.S. market, as well as
in more than 350 infant formula, nutritional supplement, and food
and beverage products sold in over 75 countries worldwide.
China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited and its subsidiaries
manufacture and distribute quality dairy products in China. It is
one of the leading dairy product manufacturers in China, with
MENGNIU as the core brand. The Group boasts a diverse
product range including liquid milk products, (such as UHT milk,
milk beverages and yogurt), ice cream, and other dairy products
(such as milk powder and cheese). According to the survey jointly
conducted by China Industrial Information Issuing Center, the
National Bureau of Statistics of China, and China General Chamber of Commerce, the Group has
held the top spot in the Chinese dairy market in terms of overall
sales volume and sales volume of liquid milk products since
2003.
Martek Biosciences Corporation (Nasdaq: MATK) is a leader in the
innovation, development, production and sales of high-value
products from microbial sources that promote health and wellness
through nutrition. The company is the world's leading
provider of algal DHA omega-3 with its flagship product,
life'sDHA, a sustainable and vegetarian source of algal DHA
omega-3 important for brain, heart and eye health throughout life,
for use in foods, beverages, infant formula, and supplements. The
company also produces life'sARA™ (arachidonic acid), an
omega-6 fatty acid, for use in infant formula and growing up milks.
Additionally, Martek's subsidiary, Amerifit Brands, develops,
markets and distributes branded consumer health and wellness
products in major mass, club, drug, grocery and specialty stores
and holds leading brand positions in all of its key product
categories. For more information on Martek Biosciences, visit
http://www.martek.com/. For a complete list of life'sDHA™ or
life'sARA™ products, visit http://www.lifesdha.com/. For
more information about Amerifit Brands, visit www.amerifit.com.
Sections of this release contain forward-looking statements.
These statements are based upon numerous assumptions which Martek
cannot control and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ. These statements should be understood in
light of the risk factors set forth in the company's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited
to, the company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2009 and other filed reports on Form
10-K, Form 10-K/A, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K.
Contact:
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Kyle
Stults
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Investor
Relations
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(410)
740-0081
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Investors@martek.com
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Cassie
France-Kelly
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Public
Relations
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(443)
542-2116
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cfrancekelly@martek.com
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SOURCE Martek Biosciences Corporation