Is there a security of supply of olive raw materials?
Yes, olive oil production increases every year. Moreover, substantial unexploited squalene quantities exist in pomace olive oil.
Can vegetable squalane face the booming of natural ingredients?
Of course! Squalene is present in many oils. So, the vegetable squalene market will know security of supply and steady prices with refining residues from sunflower or palm oil, if olive oil residues become insufficient.
Is your vegetable squalane business model profitable?
We extract squalene from by-products coming from vegetable oil refining, and our own by-products are sold as biodiesel from 2 nd generation. A true circular economy profitable model. Of course, it requires large production capacities because the raw material contains less than 10% squalene. But our family-owned company has invested several tens of millions of euros in its 2 facilities.
What about the cost of synthetic squalane?
The American biotech AMYRIS have made a great success for the production of farnesene by fermentation of sugar cane, then leading to squalane. Fermentation remains an expensive process. The organic synthesis by dimerization of farnesene has also a cost. So it is hard to evaluate their competitiveness for the future.
Are you competitive compared to synthetic squalene?
YES. 50% development in the last 3 years, with profits every year for more than 10 years. Our business model proved our competitiveness.
So, olive squalane is taking the lead?
In the last 10 years our regular customers have been rewarded by security of supply and stable prices. For new demands, more capacities for olive and vegetable product are necessary. We continue to invest for this purpose. So yes, we are comfortable saying olive squalane is taking the lead.
Our Phytosqualan is COSMOS approved. An eco-friendly and CSR inspired raw material, ingredient and process! A model of circular economy.
If you want to learn more about olive squalane taking the lead, click here