Kappa Bioscience Expands K2VITAL® Presence in the US With the Appointment of Garnet Pigden and D2C

Press Release

Kappa Bioscience AS, maker of K2VITAL^® vitamin K2 MK-7 is pleased to announce the appointment of Garnet Pigden and New Jersey-based D2C to head-up the continued development of Kappa’s position in the US market. The appointment spans the establishment of strategy, infrastructure, partnerships and key accounts in support of an overall objective of solidifying vitamin K2 in mainstream US markets and channels.

This expansion of Oslo, Norway-based Kappa represents an advancement in the evolution of vitamin K2 from a niche segment to a staple ingredient alongside its peers in the ‘essential’ vitamins and minerals categories. Garnet and D2C’s role will build upon Kappa R&D innovations such as synthesis, microencapsulation for stability, and pro-vitamin forms to further commercialize K2VITAL^® in the US, using comparisons to vitamin D3 as both a model and benchmark for success.

Garnet brings deep experience from the ingredients and functional foods industries, among others, including leading multiple supplements companies, a Global SVP position with DSM Nutritional Products, and launching his own brand of supplement-enhanced skincare products.

The appointment includes the responsibility for the evaluation and US strategy development for K2VITAL^®, and establishment and management of infrastructure, inclusive of distributor relationships. Garnet will also secure the US key accounts and partnerships required to fulfil the objective of moving K2 into mainstream product and consumer categories, and wide-distribution retail channels. 

Egil Greve, CEO of Kappa Bioscience, said: “We were delighted to secure a relationship with Garnet and D2C as part of our campaign to expand the footprint of K2VITAL^® globally. The US may represent as much as 50% of the growth opportunity for vitamin K2, and top-tier US companies provide the best possibilities for leveraging the innovations from Kappa’s extensive science and R&D programs.’’ He continued, ‘’through Garnet and D2C we hope to establish the path that will put K2 in every US household, in product formats that serve all consumer types – much like D3 today.’’

Garnet Pigden, Principal D2C LLC commented: “It’s rare to identify a ground-floor opportunity like K2. It’s one of only a handful of essential vitamins, provides significant bone and heart health benefits, and large segments of the US population are likely deficient.’’ He continued, ‘’but while all the important commercial innovations to drive mass-adoption are in place, there are still significant opportunities for early-movers to differentiate and secure market-leading positions. Kappa is best-positioned to lead K2 to the next stage, and I look forward to a collaboration that will see K2 reach its potential.’’

Kappa Bioscience is the pioneer in development and production of the only synthetic and biologically active all-trans menaquinone-7 (vitamin K2 MK-7), marketed under the K2VITAL^® brand name. Kappa’s innovation of MK-7 synthesis marks the commercial milestone where this fat-soluble vitamin can begin to attain widespread consumer adoption. Synthesis drives scalability and a secure supply chain, and continual improvements in the synthesis process begin drive ingredient price reductions - all with unmatched ingredient purity. Combined with other Kappa innovations such as the patented DELTA^® microencapsulation process, which provides stability in mineral formulations (as all fat-soluble vitamins oxidize and need to be protected in harsh environments), K2VITAL^® offers brands and manufactures a path to broader market segments.

K2VITAL^® is pure vitamin K2 as menaquinone-7 (MK-7). Vitamin K2 is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that directs calcium to the right places in the body. K2VITAL^® K2 MK-7, the superior form of K2, activates the osteocalcin proteins that incorporate calcium to bones (where it is needed), and the matrix-Gla proteins (MGP) that bind calcium to prevent deposits in arteries and smooth muscle walls (where it increases cardiovascular risk factors). Even a balanced diet does not provide us with enough vitamin K2, so it needs to be supplemented to enable our bodies to function as they should. K2VITAL^® is offered in a range of formats, including microencapsulated DELTA^® for shelf-life stability in mineral formulations. K2VITAL^® offers the assurance that the synthesis process creates a 100% nature-identical molecule, equivalent to K2 MK-7 created via a fermentation process. K2VITAL^® is chemically identical to, and has identical biological effects to fermentation-derived K2 MK-7, offering manufacturers and consumers a superior option in the bone and heart health categories.