After earning a master's degree in biotechnology from Wageningen University, Dutch entrepreneur Ludo van de Wiel worked for nearly two decades in various aspects of the food and nutritional supplement industry, including stints in sales of fish oil at DSN and omega-3 ingredients at CMSO, before founding Arctic Blue Omega in 2015.
Omega-3 fatty acids have numerous proven health benefits, but van de Wiel sought out a differentiator that would make his company’s products stand out in the crowded market for omega-3 supplements. He found it in Norwegian cod sourced from the Barents Sea.
"Fish oil freshly processed from Arctic waters is different," van der Wiel said in a press release. "This is some of the cleanest water in the world, far away from the plastic soup in the Pacific Ocean between Asia and South America. The oil from its fish is clean, pure, and has a softer taste that doesn't come across as fishy."
Based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, Arctic Blue Omega now sells a suite of omega-3 supplements, including pills, oil, gummies, powder, and even an omega-3 index test kit. Van de Wiel said he only uses fish certified by the Marine Stewardship Council in his products, citing it as a guarantor of sustainability and quality.
“Arctic Blue is an effective, eco-friendly source of nutrients in a world that is coming to have a greater appreciation for and commitment to sustainability and health every day,” he said.
Soon after it was founded, Arctic Blue Omega expanded its sourcing to include omega-3s sourced from MSC-certified Alaska-caught cod as well.
"Our fish oil is made from the fillet trim of fresh Arctic wild cod," van de Wiel said. "This means we're helping to use up the leftovers of fish that were already caught and processed for fillets."
Recently, Arctic Blue Omega added an alternative range of MSC-certified algae-based vegan oil and fish collagen products to its lineup.
Van de Wiel said his business drive comes from a personal motivation to provide his children, who struggled to ingest omega-3 supplements due to their fishy smell and flavor.
“Arctic Blue is the realization of that wish,” the company said in a press release. “The brand's fish oils have an agreeable flavor profile.”
Photo courtesy of Arctic Blue Omega
