PIVEG: Supplying Carotenoids From Mexico
Pigmentos Vegetales del Centro (PIVEG), located in Celaya, Guanajuato State, Mexico, the heart of the agriculture region, was founded by individuals who had the vision of the growing need for natural pigments for foods and related industries. Today, with thousands of acres of marigolds in cultivation, five processing plants in Mexico and two in Peru and a state-of-the-art concentration facility at the Celaya plant, PIVEG is one of the largest producers of natural marigold concentrates in the world. After years of providing quality products for the poultry, animal feed and aquaculture industries, PIVEG has turned its decades of knowhow to the food supplement and nutraceutical businesses.
PIVEG products are the result of decades of dedicated research and development in seed propagation, field production, harvesting, in-plant production, quality assurance and marketing. According to Charles Gambrill, director-business development, “Since the marigold flower is the basis of our products, only big, healthy, juicy flowers are allowed as raw ingredients in our carotenoid production plants. This is why we continually investigate and develop nature-based agronomic techniques, to help farmers improve the quality of their crops and their yields per hectare. This includes, he said, soil preparation, seed selection, seeding, irrigation, disease control, cropping, harvesting, managing and quality preservation of the crops. “By preserving the natural nature of such products, we bring the bounty of our farmers to the nutraceutical industry. PIVEG products are truly produced with the strictest quality control from seed to finished concentrate,” said Mr. Gambrill
In the market PIVEG products are known for higher primary carotenoid levels, higher concentration products and good stability. In addition to lutein, PIVEG is the only commercial supplier of natural zeaxanthin concentrates. “Since PIVEG is solely dedicated to marigold carotenoid production,” explained Mr. Gambrill, “we are big on experience and knowhow, yet small enough to react quickly and concisely to client technical and commercial support requirements, including production of tailored concentrates, master batch blends and other client proprietary products.” He continued, “With our introduction to the nutraceutical industry just underway, PIVEG will be working to become a major supplier to this industry in the coming months.” With existing products and other carotenoid developments in progress the PIVEG objective is to become the number one supplier of natural marigold concentrates for vision care, antioxidant supplements in food and nutraceuticals, cosmetics and other applications currently being studied and developed.
PIVEG carotenoid concentrate products include a 70% fine powder, a 20% oil suspension, 25% beadlets and 25% CWD (cold water dispersible) beadlets. The company has a North American division based in Houston, TX, and is developing representation companies in North America, Europe, and Asia. Future plans include expanding that network and using ongoing research and development and product development to create other carotenoid products and enhanced nutrient delivery and encapsulation systems. —J.C.
Pigmentos Vegetales del
Centro, S.A. de C.V.
14023 Fountainview
Montgomery, TX 77356
Telephone: 936-582-4091
Fax: 936-582-4093
E-mail: cgambrill@piveg.com
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