Smartfish Vibrant in raspberry-orange flavour is being introduced to the Norwegian market in February 2009 in 20cl Tetra Prisma.
The beverage contains 16mg of Lyconat plus 735mg of omega-3s – including 240mg of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), 210mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and 90mg of DPA (docosapentaenoic acid) – and has a six-month shelf life.
The companies have entered into an exclusivity agreement for the formulation, which took several months to develop.
Pharmalogica co-founder Janne Sande Mathisen explained how the product name, packaging, imagery and colour suggest skin health and cognitive benefits: “This exclusivity covers the combination of omega-3 and Lyconat [Vitatene’s branded version of natural lycopene] in an emulsion in a carbonated beverage.”
Pharmalogica uses fish oils from Marine Harvest in Norway and sells Smartfish chewable capsules and sachets in Hong Kong, China and Singapore. Sande Mathisen said patented emulsion technologies enabled it to incorporate omega-3 at such high doses with minimal formulation issues.
The use of high antioxidant fruit juices such as apple, pear, pomegranate and aronia, as well as whey protein isolates, rosemary extract and natural tochopherol, all help.
“In the carbonated product, the carbonation itself is an active ingredient because it helps keep the fish oils fresh by fighting oxidsation,” said Sande Mathisen. “The challenge with high-dose products is keeping the fish oils fresh and this product does that.”
Smartfish is enjoying popularity among Norway’s extreme sports community of snowboarders and skateboarders. Professional snowboarder Terje Håkonsen is endorsing the brand and appears in the Smartfish video.
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