Handok takes over Theravalues Corporation, a Japanese functional ingredient company

– Global competitiveness sought with the company’s innovative technology and brand power, producing products such as Theracumin
– Handok accelerates globalization of their consumer health business sector through obtaining Theravalues

Handok (Chairman Youngjin Kim) signs the contract which completes the buyoff process for Theravalues Corporation from San-Eigen F.F.I. Inc. in Japan on 7^th of November. Handok is spending approximately 1.9 billion yen (21.1 billion won) for this investment. The mother company for Theravalues, San-Eigen F.F.I. Inc. is a company with a century of history in developing and manufacturing food ingredient with a sales capacity of 70 billion yen. Theravalues is responsible for development and supply of raw ingredients for Handok’s ‘Ready Q’ and ‘NatureSet’ which are already much demanded products. Handok achieves vertical integration for their consumer health business sector through this buyoff.

Established in Tokyo in 2007, Theravalues Corporation developed functional ingredients such as Theracumin and engaged itself actively in B2B businesses not only in Japan but in 11 countries, including the North American market and Korea. More than 80% of their total income comes from overseas businesses, having partnerships with many well-known health food companies of North America. The company is also selling a variety of products through a healthcare company in Japan, ranging from health foods, drinks, chewable tablets, candies and troches. Recently, Theravalues had acquired qualification for producing health functional food in Japan, allowing them to expand their business from B2B to B2C as well.

‘Theracumin’, the biggest item for Theravalues Corporation, is a functional ingredient curcumin extracted from turmeric. Theravalues had atomized curcumin to improve solubility and internal absorption as well as eliminating strong odor that other existing curcumin products had as a disadvantage, enabling easy and convenient intake of curcumin. Theracumin had its functionality proven through a number of clinical trials, obtaining a Foods with Function Claims, FFC qualification in Japan. Theracumin is also being prepared to gain approval as functional foods for health in Korea.

Theravalues Corporation is also additionally developing an advanced version of Theracumin with better internal absorption, as well as other functional food ingredients such as Luteolin, a nutritious substance derived from vegetables and Nobiletin, a type of polyphenol which is abundant in the tangerine peel. Such developments are deemed to differentiate Theravalues from other functional food companies.

Handok will manage Theravalues as a subsidiary company after the buyoff to promote independent management. This practice is to create a synergistic business effect between the two companies, enabling business expansion from Korean and Japanese markets to a worldwide market. Theravalues will continue to expand their business in the area of food ingredient with skills and technology in studying the effects of ingredients and developing functional food ingredients, enabling the company to be equipped with global competitiveness. At the same time, Handok will also accelerate globalization of their consumer health business sector with a global network and 60 years of history and knowhow as a health care company.