International strategy drives growth at Naturex

The buoyant US supplements market has helped French plant extracts firm Naturex grow revenue further in the third quarter.

The company reported sales of €17.5 million during the third quarter, up 24 per cent on the prior year's same period, while net profits reached €1.32 million, a surge of 47 per cent on 2003.

The firm, which supplies many of the best-selling US herbals such as citrus aurantium, green tea and grape seed, has also raised its profit forecast, which had been set at between €2.4 and €2.7 million for the year.

The US has been a major target for growth for Naturex, which recently bought a rosemary extracts business from RFI. Its international focus looks set to continue, with plans to set up a new office in Asia in the first half of 2005.