Martek’s Fourth Quarter Warning on Vegetarian Investment

Despite extensive research into their new branding Martek are still pitching wide of the mark says health food and vegetarian market consultant Tony Bishop-Weston.

Martek’s Q3 profits were received with a sigh of relief after losses last year but were metered with warnings for Q4. “Our revenues are subject to quarter-to-quarter fluctuations from factors such as our customers' production timing, including maintenance shutdowns, unplanned equipment downtime and production cycles, as well as our customers' stocking and destocking inventories.” they warned.

However Bishop-Weston says that Martek will have to do more than just come up with a new logo and a re-vamped website to win their anticipated share of the omega 3 fish oil supplement market.

Martek say “The purpose of the branding initiative is to support corporate partners in anticipation of product launches by accentuating Martek's positive public image and increasing brand awareness. Martek DHA(TM), a vegetarian source of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, will now be called life'sDHA(TM) and include the tagline "Healthy brain, eyes, heart." Based on extensive research and development conducted by Martek, the new name, logo, tagline and website are designed to be consumer friendly and to communicate the importance of DHA for health throughout the lifecycle.”

Bishop-Weston says “The research was clearly not extensive enough or they would have been astute enough not to present a vegetarian product in a faux pas gelatine capsule and to have spotted the market bias for omega 3 EPA rich products rather than just omega 3 DHA”

Environmental concerns about dwindling fish stocks and toxicity of fish are encouraging consumers to look for alternatives, but the same demographic is likely to also be turned off by gelatine which became a taboo food ingredient following the UK BSE crisis and is sometimes made from fish anyway.

Massive trials on school children and research by companies such as Equazen into the effects of Omega 3 EPA rich Fish Oil capsules on IQ and cognitive function and behaviour have captured consumer imagination in the UK

“With no omega 3 EPA, only DHA, and presented in a gelatine capsule it’s difficult to see the advantages for the consumer over fish oil or which section of the market Martek thinks it’s aiming at with Life’sDHA(TM)” reflects Bishop-Weston.

Despite Martek’s best bully boy efforts and threats of litigation towards anyone attempting to research algae products there are a number enthusiastic companies with better, more innovative, and market orientated products set to hit the market bulls-eye.

There are excellent products on their way to market, containing both omega 3 DHA and EPA, presented in vegan softgel capsules, registered with both The Vegetarian Society and The Vegan Society and manufactured in a natural more environmentally friendly way without dangerous chemicals”

“Martek should stick to putting their algae into baby formula, that’s the best place for it !” warns Bishop-Weston.