Annemarie van de Put, Account Manager, Lithos Ingredients, Astrid van der Staaij, Key Account Manager, AstaReal, Iris Sandifort, Business Unit Manager, Lithos Ingredients, and Peter Ahlm, Head of Marketing & Sales, AstaReal.
One year after Dutch company Lithos Ingredients became the exclusive distributor for AstaReal AB in the Benelux region, demand for natural astaxanthin has increased. Existing customers have expanded their volumes, while several new customers have also entered the astaxanthin segment.
“We see strong potential for continued growth for natural astaxanthin in the Benelux region,” says Iris Sandifort, Business Unit Manager at Lithos Ingredients.
Today, AstaReal and Lithos Ingredients work together with both established brands and new product projects within dietary supplements.
Since the partnership began around a year ago, interest in astaxanthin has continued to grow in the Benelux market, particularly in areas such as eye health, women’s health, longevity, and healthy ageing.
“We have gained new customers purchasing astaxanthin, while existing customers have started using the antioxidant in new products. In addition, we currently have several new customer projects in the pipeline that we hope to commercialize during 2026.”
“Astaxanthin complements several of the ingredients we already work with and gives our customers additional opportunities to develop products in areas such as beauty from within, sport & recovery, and eye health.”
High Quality Takes Priority Over Low Cost
The market is increasingly demanding ingredients with clear scientific backing and relevant health positioning. This has contributed to growing interest in astaxanthin.
“Today, many brands prioritize quality and scientific documentation over the lowest possible price. There are cheaper alternatives on the market, but few can match the quality, stability, and traceability delivered by AstaReal AB.”
Lithos Ingredients has more than 30 years of experience with functional ingredients in health and nutrition and works with a limited number of exclusive ingredient partnerships within the premium segment.
“For us, it is important to work with partners that offer premium ingredients with high quality and a strong scientific foundation. That is why AstaReal AB and their astaxanthin fit very well into our portfolio,” says Iris Sandifort.
“Lithos has a very strong understanding of both the market and our ingredient. It has been highly valuable for our development in the region,” says Astrid van der Staaij, Key Account Manager at AstaReal AB.