It was a stellar year for natural products in Canada. And it was VERY hard to choose the top ten news stories. There were major investments, multinational partnerships and break-out companies and products.

1. Croda acquires Nautilus Biosciences:  The January announcement was a great way to kick off 2018! Croda, a giant of a company, secured its spot in the growing natural product space by joining forces with Nautilus to access an extensive library of natural compounds gleaned from the sea.
2. Enerkem raises $280M: The Quebec company that turns solid waste into methanol was part of the contingent of companies that gave Canada a record-breaking first quarter of investments in 2018.
3. Mazza Innovation acquired:  The BC-based extraction company (one of NPC’s first investments) attracted the attention of Sensient Technologies, a leader in fragrances and flavourings. This is one of many Canadian companies that are gaining traction with multinational entities.
4. $153M for plant-based protein: Protein Industries Canada, the federally-funded supercluster based in Regina, launched its initiative to bolster innovation and investment in Canada’s plant-based protein industry. This is a huge step forward in seizing a multi-billion-dollar opportunity.
5. Chinova closes seed round: The New Brunswick-based biotech company’s innovative natural solution to food and beverage preservatives has captured the attention of investors and industry alike. NPC was part of this investment, and sees big potential for companies like Chinova that are helping big companies meet the demand for ‘clean label’.
6. $153M for oceans: Canada’s access to oceans presents a $14billion opportunity for sustainable economic development within that natural resource. The Ocean Supercluster is an innovative approach to ocean-based R, D & C in everything from submersible vehicles to natural products.
7. BioTEPP attracts investors: The Quebec-based company’s natural pesticide is right on trend with market demand, prompting investment by NPC and Filaction. The global demand for more sustainable agriculture makes companies like BioTEPP ones to watch in 2019.
8. Nature’s Way strengthens commitment to Canada: Drawn to the innovative companies and products springing from Canada’s research institutions and industry, Nature’s Way partnered with NPC to develop and invest in promising new companies in nutrition and natural health products.
9. Pond breaks ground: It was hard to keep up with Pond Technologies in 2018! After going public in February, the Ontario-based company broke ground on their Markham facility that will house their innovative platform that uses algae to absorb carbon emissions from large final emitters, creating a by-product that can be used for feed, soil, nutraceuticals and even fuel.
10. Cannabis is legal in Canada: Topping most business news lists, the legalization of cannabis in Canada presents incredible opportunity. We are particularly interested in how it will impact natural health products as CBDs (the non-psychotropic compound associated with numerous health benefits) become validated through clinical trials. NPC and its partners will definitely be keeping an eye on this.

What do you think? Tell us what would have been on your list.