Albion Acquires Proctor & Gamble's NutriStar Brand

Mineral ingredients specialist Albion (Clearfield, UT) announced it has acquired major portfolio assets from Proctor & Gamble (P&G), including for P&G’s NutriStar micronutrient drink mix business. The transfer of the NutriStar brand, along with its global trademarks and worldwide patent assets, further expands Albion’s already large IP portfolio. In total, Albion obtained 102 patents and 51 trademarks in the agreement.

NutriStar is a patented, shelf-stable powdered drink mix containing iodine, vitamin A, and Albion’s Ferrochel brand iron. NutriStar is clinically backed to make children “taller, stronger, and smarter,” but P&G global business vice president Jeff Weedman says Albion is better suited to market the product:
 

We continue to have great passion for this product and the technology behind it, but we clearly see that getting it into the hands of those who need it most calls for a very different business model. We have been working with Albion Laboratories for several years and view this as a truly win-win-win arrangement. Good technology is now in the hands of those who know this field best and are best positioned to leverage it to deliver maximum benefit.

P&G launched NutriStar in early 2000, targeting developing markets with the nutritional powdered beverage designed to help kids grow while also boosting mental alertness and performance. While lauded for both its clinical results and mission, P&G was not able to secure broad market adoption, despite heavily investing in extensive educational campaigns.

Albion Human Nutrition’s sales division said the acquisition further expands Albion’s business of supplying ingredients to the food and food additive spaces, including powdered beverages and ready-to-drink beverages, and complements Albion’s global success as a supplier of specialty mineral ingredients to the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical markets.