BGG World (BGG) and its subsidiary Algae Health Sciences (AHS) have planned the second major expansion of their 100% glass tube photobioreactor microalgae farm in the last two years.

The companies previously doubled production of the flagship AstaZine Natural Astaxanthin line following completion of a facility expansion in September 2021. BGG said its astaxanthin farm is already the world’s largest—located in a “pristine” region of Yunnan, China that borders on the world famous Stone Forest—and doubling the size again will make BGG “far-and-away the market leader in natural astaxanthin from microalgae.”

Plans for the latest expansion have been finalized and groundbreaking will commence on May 1, 2022 with a one-year projected completion date. The expansion is located about one kilometer from the current facility. 

This expansion responds to two factors, according to BGG: 1) an increase in overall worldwide demand for astaxanthin, and 2) a move by brands around the world to use AstaZine.

“The worldwide market for astaxanthin is robust, plus brands around the world are embracing our clinically-validated AstaZine ingredient as the world’s most innovative and highest quality natural astaxanthin,” said Shaheen Majeed, CEO of BGG Americas and Algae Health Sciences. “The team, led by Peinan Zhang, BGG’s global product manager for astaxanthin, realized that this investment was the only sustainable way forward to answer the increasing demand as consumers increasingly understand the importance of using astaxanthin for improving human health.”

In addition to the largest astaxanthin farm, BGG developed the world’s first organically-certified astaxanthin product. The company has two Novel Food approvals in the EU for two different extraction methods and the only astaxanthin that has an NDI in the U.S. over 12 mg per day (at 24 mg).

In addition, AstaZine has demonstrated efficacy in several human clinical trials; is patented for the use of astaxanthin to support heart function during exercise; and leads the market with 289 structure/function claims submitted to the U.S. FDA without objection.