Cognis Nutrition And Health: Busy Times For An Expanding Company
With the ink still drying from a recent name change that occurred January 1, Cognis Nutrition and Health, LaGrange, IL, formerly known as Henkel, is busier than ever as a worldwide raw material developer and marketer of antioxidant ingredients for dietary supplements and food products. Between putting out its natural source vitamin E products and being honored recently by the Prime Minister of Australia as the “Australian Exporter of the Year” in the agribusiness category in 1999, Cognis maintains its customer focus. According to Ken Fox, director of marketing, “Customer relationships are key and we realize customers have choices; our focus is on deepening our customer relationships to build and ensure loyalty.” Mr. Fox also said that investing in customer relationships should be a priority in order to be successful. “It’s more than just selling a particular product or service—it’s getting involved with our customers from inception to completion of their product to help insure its success,” he said.
The name change from Henkel to Cognis also reflected a move to deepen customer relations. “The new Cognis identity reflects the company’s growth and evolving needs of its customers,” said Mr. Fox. “Behind this new name is an even greater commitment to our customers to satisfy their needs through innovation and superior products and services.”
As for growth, since producing its first natural source vitamin E in 1967, the company has tripled in size and so has its family of products. As a major supplier of antioxidant ingredients to the natural products industry, Cognis offers products like “Covitol” natural vitamin E; “Betatene” natural mixed carotenoids; “Pycnogenol” brand French maritime pine bark extract; “Lipoec” alpha-lipoic acid; “Coviox” natural antioxidants; “Xangold” lutein esters and “Prevastein” soy isoflavones and sterols.
Cognis develops, manufactures, markets and distributes products to manufacturers of branded vitamins as well as tableters, encapsulators, food companies and manufacturers of personal care products. And the company’s efforts stretch across the globe. “The group’s efforts stretch well beyond American borders. For example, the group works with colleagues in Australia to cultivate and harvest carotenoid-rich algae for its ‘Betatene’ ingredient,” Mr. Fox said.
Commenting on the need for stronger science, Mr. Fox said, “We know from market research that consumers and retailers look for products with ingredients that are backed by a longstanding science and quality assurance program.” He continued, “Cognis supports research around the world to support its products. For example, the media now reports that natural vitamin E is superior to the synthetic form based on studies supported by Cognis.” In keeping with its commitment to science and education, Cognis also supports the VERIS Research Information Service, which is a significant source of information on the role of nutrition in health, with emphasis on antioxidants, to the nutrition and health industry worldwide.
Predicting the future Mr. Fox said, “We can expect to see increased demand for natural antioxidant products as more compelling scientific study findings are reported.” As for Cognis, he said “We will continue to expand our family of antioxidant raw material ingredients and support the growth of the natural products industry.” —R.M.
Cognis Nutrition and Health
5325 S. 9th Avenue
LaGrange, IL 60525-3602
Telephone: 708-579-6188
Fax: 708-579-6152
E-mail: ken.fox@cognis-us.com
Website: www.cognishealth.com
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