Founded in 2022, Grøntvedt Biotech is a spin-off from the Grøntvedt Group, which has been operating since the 1830s. The company has long utilized 100% of its raw materials, using off-cuts to produce fish meal and oils, primarily for animal nutrition.
However, after discovering several unique benefits from herring and mackerel consumption, Grøntvedt launched a new human nutrition division focused exclusively on supplying a novel nutraceutical ingredient, known as omega-11, to the dietary supplement market.
The move represents a strategic change, enabling the company to capture more value from its marine supply chain while offering a differentiated proposition in a crowded omega market.
Just four years after market entry, Henrik Traaholt, co-founder and CCO of Grøntvedt Biotech, says the company is now preparing to grow and scale as consumers and brands increasingly look for alternative omega sources.
“Grøntvedt has a unique position with first-hand access to human grade marine raw materials to produce omega-11 cetoleic acid fish oil which enables us to scale up fast,” he said. “Given the very promising studies we see with omega-11, we are very well positioned to meet future demand.”
Fishery to finished ingredient
Grøntvedt’s omega-11, marketed as CETO3, is produced by extracting oil from herring, a North Atlantic pelagic fish known for its high-fat content and nutritional value. While the fish fillets are supplied to the seafood industry, the off-cuts are used to produce the oil.
“Omega-11 is produced from trimmings, which means that the whole fish is used for human food and nutrition,” Traaholt explained. “Grøntvedt Pelagic sells 40% of the fish which goes to human food, while we at Grøntvedt Biotech work with the trimmings where we find high levels of omega-11 but also omega-3.”
The fresh fish is converted into oil within just 30 minutes, giving CETO3 a unique sensory quality with no fishy taste, smell or reflux. According to Grøntvedt, this process also helps to preserve the quality of the fish oil, with naturally high levels of omega-11 maintained throughout the entire process.
The health benefits of the company’s cetoleic acid have been demonstrated in pre-clinical research, which showed that CETO3 reduced total cholesterol by 41%, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by 45%, and total triglycerides by 55%. At the same time, levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol were maintained.
The research also showed that CETO3 had a pro-rata efficiency that was 68% better than standard fish oil due to the body’s internal production of EPA/DHA, which is enhanced by omega-11.
This gives omega-11 a unique edge, Traaholt said, given that omega-3s do not generally improve cholesterol levels, with this value proposition enabling the company to offer scientific differentiation in a crowded market.
“Taking a natural supplement which can reduce LDL cholesterol can help millions of people globally,” he said. “Globally, raised total cholesterol affects an estimated 39% of the world’s adult population and accounts for 7.8% of all deaths worldwide. This makes it one of the leading metabolic risks for mortality on a global scale.”
Supply security as a competitive advantage
In addition to the health benefits, Traaholt says the company’s omega-11 has a distinctive advantage in the marketplace given its secure supply which is not subject to the same cost volatility as omega-3.
The majority of fish oil use for human nutrition is derived from anchovies and sardines due to high levels of EPA and DHA, with the Peruvian anchoveta accounting for more than half of global supply.
However, a recent El Niño event—a natural climate phenomenon characterized by the unusual warming of surface ocean waters—led the Peruvian government to cancel an entire anchovy season in 2023. This, in turn, resulted in a a global shortage and record-high costs for suppliers and consumers.
The fishery has since recovered, but the World Meteorological Organization has warned that another El Niño event could begin later this year, with current projections suggesting it may rival some of the most impactful episodes in recent decades. This volatility makes it difficult for dietary supplement brands to secure stable supply and cost certainty beyond a season.
Because Grøntvedt harvests herring on the Norwegian coastline, which is less affected by El Niño events, omega-11 may therefore offer brands a more controlled and potentially less volatile marine supply proposition.
“Given the El Niño event two years ago, the industry needs to look at other omegas to be able to have a sustainable supply for the growing omega space,” Traaholt said. “With more frequent El Niño events, brands are beginning to look at other marine sources with other benefits than traditional omega-3 products.”
Growing and scaling
Grøntvedt Biotech is now focusing its efforts on growing and scaling the business. After investing €6.5 million in 2024 to increase production capacity at its manufacturing plant in Norway, the company has increased its raw material capacity by 50%.
Consumer education is the next step, as Grøntvedt works to build awareness of omega-11 and broaden understanding of its potential role in healthy aging. This effort is being supported by the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund, which is set to invest €4.3 million to further explore the health effects of omega-11.
This research is a vital exercise given the extensive scientific backing for omega-3 and strong consumer awareness of the ingredient. And while Grøntvedt acknowledges that rivalling an extremely well-established and respected ingredient will not be easy, Traaholt has faith that CETO3’s unique properties, and the company’s sustainability practices and supply chain control, will help to promote interest in omega-11.
“As a supplier of a new ingredient, we need supplement brands which are willing to launch and invest in something new to the market,” he said. “The omega market is a big space so there is huge potential for innovative, first-mover brands.”
