BGG, which produces clinically-validated natural ingredients for the dietary supplement, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, animal nutrition, and cosmetics sectors, is expanding and enhancing its astaxanthin manufacturing facilities in China to enhance production efficiency, quality, innovation, and sustainability.
The 100% glass-tube photobioreactor microalgae platform in Yunnan Province – the largest of its kind in the world – will now incorporate the entire value chain. As a result, farming, extraction, drying, packaging, and R&D will all be brought together within a 20km footprint.
BGG is also strengthening its resources by opening a new, cutting-edge research laboratory and more than doubling the size of its on-site R&D team. The team will focus on microalgae innovation and further advances in ingredient quality. They will also work closely with regional and global research institutes on topics including tropical plants and fungi in the local biome.
The concentration of capabilities will support greater operational efficiency and productivity through faster tech transfer times and closer collaboration between operations and R&D. The reduction of the value chain from 2,000km to 20km will also support cost efficiency and reductions to carbon footprint.
BGG’s investment in its flagship plant is being marked with an inauguration day at the facility on June 20, with industry partners and representatives from the Chinese government in attendance. It follows on from a major expansion in 2023-2024, which more than doubled BGG’s production capacity and cemented its position as the world’s largest astaxanthin producer.
Chunhua Li, the founder and principal shareholder of BGG, said, “We are proud to unveil our latest investment in our microalgae platform, spanning the entire value chain. The enhanced synergy between manufacture and R&D will sharpen our innovation pipeline and accelerate speed to market.”
BGG World CEO Jürgen Nelis added, “We are committed to staying ahead of global shifts to ensure uninterrupted service to our customers. By strengthening our supply chain on multiple fronts, we are building a future-ready business that can thrive no matter how the trade landscape evolves.”
BGG is exhibitiing at Vitafoods Europe 2025 from 20-22 May.
Established in 1995, BGG’s specialty lies in harnessing the power of fruit extracts, marine botanicals and herbal essences. The BGG product range includes AstaZine (astaxanthin), ApplePhenon (apple polyphenols), CyaniMax (cyanidin 3 glucoside), FucoMax (fucoidan), LingonMax (lingonberry extract), MyrtiPRO (bilberry extract), TheraPrimE (blend of tocotrienols and tocotrienols-tocopherols) and ThinOgen (fucoxanthin).
