March 13, 2006
International Accolades Grow for Cognis’ Tonalin® CLA
From Europe to the United States, consumers, researchers and leading heath authorities are continuing to recognize Tonalin® CLA with a growing list of accolades for its science-based approach to reducing body fat and preserving muscle mass.
Cognis is proud to announce that in Finland, Tonalin® CLA has been selected as “Health Product of the Year (2006)”. The Finnish Health Food Shop-Keeping Association presented the award to Polar Pharma Oy, a leading distributor of health products. The Association applauded the science-based marketing programs which help consumers understand how Tonalin® CLA contributes to healthy body composition.
In Spain last year, consumers voted Tonalin® CLA “Product of the Year” following its successful introduction into a line of enriched milk, yogurt and juice products launched by the Spanish company Corporación Alimentaria Peñasanta, S.A. (CAPSA) under the brand name of NaturLinea. Each year, a jury of experts in manufacturing, marketing and journalism select products with “demonstrated innovation”, and then the public is surveyed to determine the winners.
Awards are not new to Tonalin® CLA. In 2001, the Norwegian non-profit organization, Association of Supplement Manufacturers and Retailers, named Tonalin® CLA “Health Product of the Year”.
More recently, in the United States, Tonalin® CLA was recognized by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements’ (ODS) in its Annual Bibliography of Significant Advances in Dietary Supplement Research 2004. Internationally recognized journal editors and scientific reviewers selected the landmark Tonalin® CLA study by Dr. Jean-Michel Gaullier as one of 25 “exemplary” papers to appear in the ODS review. More than 325 original research articles from 53 peer-reviewed journals were nominated for inclusion. An international team of 49 expert reviewers ranked the articles and the top 25 were selected for the Bibliography which was released in October 2005.
"These outstanding honors speak to the scientific integrity of Tonalin® CLA and the health benefits it provides to people worldwide,” said Christine Peggau, Global Market Segment Manager, Cognis Nutrition & Health. “It is extremely gratifying to see leading researchers, industry associations, media, and consumers from around the globe all pay tribute to Tonalin® CLA.”
Ms. Peggau explained that more clinical studies relating to body composition management have been published on Tonalin® CLA than for any other CLA brand. She said that helps to make the Tonalin® brand the #1 choice of CLA among consumers. Tonalin® CLA consumer product sales are selling three times faster than the CLA category average, according to recent data from Information Resources, Inc. Branded Tonalin® CLA sales are up 29.2 percent over last year in the food, drug and mass (excluding Wal-Mart) channels, while all other CLA brands combined decreased 8 percent. The CLA category as a whole climbed 10 percent.
For Tonalin® CLA product information, please email Duane Fimreite at duane.fimreite@cognis.com or call +1-708-579-6215. For marketing information, please email Christine Peggau at christine.peggau@cognis.com or call +1-708-579-6204.
About Tonalin® CLA:
Tonalin® CLA is the original brand of CLA and is an exclusively licensed product of the Cognis Group. CLA is a polyunsaturated, conjugated fatty acid that is a natural part of the human diet found primarily in meat and dairy products. Cognis produces Tonalin® CLA through a new proprietary process that converts linoleic acid from safflowers into CLA, providing the highest quality of CLA available. Tonalin® CLA contains the lowest amount of non-naturally occurring isomers, a patent-protected attribute that provides food and dietary supplement manufacturers with the highest levels of ingredients known to be beneficial. CLA is available in several product forms – oil and water-dispersible powder – that offer manufacturers a broad range of options for their new products.
About Cognis:
Cognis (www.Cognis.com) is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients. The company employs about 8,000 people, and it operates production sites and service centers in 30 countries. Cognis has dedicated its activities to a high level of sustainability and delivers natural-source raw materials and ingredients for food, nutrition and healthcare markets, and the cosmetics, detergents and cleaners industries. Another main focus is on products for a number of other industries, such as coatings and inks, lubricants, textiles, as well as agriculture and mining. The company holds a 50-percent stake in Cognis Oleochemicals, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of natural-source oleochemical basestocks.
Cognis is owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and SV Life Sciences. In 2004, Cognis recorded sales of 3.07 billion euros and an Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and exceptional items) of 362 million euros.
Media Contact USA:
BLITZ + Associates, Inc.
Phone: 847-945-0101
E-mail: prblitz@aol.com