Natures Crops keeping complete control from seed to oil

30 Nov 2021 --- Focusing on functional ingredients, Natures Crops uses 100% plant-based, expeller-pressed oils to create Abyssinian, Ahiflower, and Meadowfoam seed oils. The grower and processor of specialty oils aims to offer superior functionality, traceability and purity.

“Our inspiration for Natralipid oils comes from our passion for building a deeper wellness for people and planet,” says Lindsay Cole, Marketing Manager at Natures Crops International. “We believe that we can all make a difference by making more mindful decisions that collectively yield positive impacts.”

Click to EnlargeThe company's farmers follow an exacting stewardship process. Source: Natures Crops.Detailing the influences behind creating and launching the Natralipid platform, Cole says: “At Natures Crops we see an opportunity to contribute to our planet’s health and wellness by providing completely pure, fully traceable personal care oils from oilseed crops that have been regeneratively cultivated by dedicated and qualified farmers using non-GMO varieties.” In the specialty oils and personal care space, Cole notes: “Natures Crops sees a gap for truly natural ingredients with “soil-to-oil” traceability and a supply chain with consistency and integrity.”

Natralipid Abyssinian oil is a plant-based oil for lubricity, hair radiancy, strength and silkiness. Natures Crops has also produced Natralipid Ahiflower oil, boasting high omega-3 SDA and omega-6 GLA content to support topical anti-aging applications. Natralipid Meadowfoam oil seeks to provide stability, emollience, moisturization and transdermal barrier repair.

“Many specialty oils lack traceability and often use chemical solvents in the manufacturing process, while also having frequently disrupted supply chains, not just during the COVID pandemic,” Cole adds. Natralipid seeks to address these gaps head-on with a strategically managed and vertically integrated supply chain.

Meeting the ecolution

“The personal care industry is experiencing a beauty ‘ecolution’, meaning consumers are including eco-ethical considerations in their purchase decisions,” shares Cole. “Demand for all natural, sustainable and plant-based oils and products is increasing, forcing brands to identify non-synthetic options which offer superb benefits to the consumer.”

Natures Crops believes that consumers are now more knowledgeable and engaged about the products they buy and use. As a result, the brand sees a greater attraction to ‘free from’ ingredients with a clean label. “Consumers want to know that their personal care products are not only superior performing and effective, but also safe, traceable, and sustainable,” details Cole.

The company’s farmers follow the Crop Assured 365 process of identity preservation, along with following regenerative agriculture practices. Crop Assured 365 is Natures Crop’s proprietary process of 100% traceability, identity preservation and quality control. Its exacting stewardship process throughout the supply chain enables traceability back to the farm, full product records, authenticity, no co-mingling and a safe, uninterrupted supply chain. Furthermore, the company’s oils are expeller-pressed, never solvent extracted and always physically refined. 

“Our fully de-risked sustainable and strategically managed supply-chain responds seamlessly to consumer demands,” relays Cole. “Natures Crops’ Natralipid oils are fully science backed, superior performing plant-based oil ingredients with unsurpassed quality from the cleanest, greenest, traceable supply chain.” 

Click to EnlargeNatures Crop control the supply chain to ensure traceability. Source: Natures Crops.The brand’s processes are designed to capture the fullness of the beneficial constituents in its proprietary and protected plant varieties. Describing the platform, Cole notes it does this “while excluding unwanted impurities and maximizing batch-to-batch consistency.” The company’s small batch processing ensures freshness, an essential component for supplying high-quality and superior performing oils.

The company mechanically presses its harvested oilseeds, minimally refines its oils through physical processes and uses its by-products as raw materials for energy generation, nutrition or soil fertility. All of these contribute to a minimal ecological footprint. The brand also designs and manages its entire supply chain.

In the case of each of its Natralipid ingredients, Natures Crops has worked to identify unique plant species with known wellness benefits. It has partnered with universities and agronomy organizations to develop superior and proprietary seed genetics. While many specialty oils require the support of third-party extraction and refining businesses, it is a core fundamental that Natures Crops has the capability to manage these steps of the supply chain internally. 

The brand installed mechanical presses and a small-batch oil refinery at its Prince Edward Island manufacturing site in Canada in 2009 to allow for complete control over its oil production. An analytical laboratory was also added to the site so that over 90% of quality testing could be conducted on-site and in real time. Finally, Natures Crops engaged the support of farmers under contract to manage seed production, following strict guidelines and requirements for growing every oilseed. 

“Years of development, optimization, and passion have culminated into Natralipid, a platform that brings forward the personal care benefits and transparency that consumers demand,” shares Cole.

“Whether our ingredients are formulated into personal care or nutritional products, the oils that we have chosen to grow, process and supply are guaranteed as safe, effective and backed by good science - and they never leave a negative impact on the environments where they are grown and processed,” says Cole. “This opportunity contributes to our planet’s health and wellness through connecting clearly to people’s desire to do the same.” 

By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe, BPC Insights Senior Journalist