DFK says that with both companies sharing may common customers in the manufacture of dietary supplements, cosmetics and feed ingredients, combining their respective operations will benefit their sales and marketing strength in the region.
Under the deal, Kyowa Hakko USA will become the exclusive distributor for sales and marketing of a number of DFK products in North America from 1 January next year. The group will take over from Toyota Tsushu America, which will continue in the post until the end of the year.
A spokesperson for Kyowa Hakko USA told NutraIngredients-USA.com that while both companies have a broad number of applications for food, supplements and cosmetics, the agreement could open new markets for both groups.
As such the spokesperson said that a number of DFK’s vitamin products already on the market, would now be available through it operations across North America through Kyowa Hakko.
These include:
- D-Calcium Pantothenate, a soruce of vitamin B-5 for use in dietary supplements, food fortification and feed
- Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate, a derivative of vitamin B-6 used in food fortification, beverages and dietary supplements
- Pantethine, derived from vitamin B-5 used in dietary supplements
- Panthenol, a source of vitamin B-5 with cosmetic applications
Manufacturing presence
Kyowa Hakko boasts both US and Asia-based manufacturing sites including a facility in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, as well as plants in Japan and China, while Daiichi’s goods are currently manufactured in Japan only.
Kyowa and Daachi stressed that as pharmaceutical-based companies, all of their operations contain full quality control laboratories for product testing and a number of strict quality assurance guidelines.