Kao, Future Origins partner for supply of palm-free surfactant
The ingredient will be manufactured at an industrial scale in the US.
USA – Future Origins, an American company that creates sustainable alternatives to palm oil-based ingredients, has secured a multi-year purchase agreement with Kao Corporation, a Japanese global chemical and cosmetics company, for its palm oil alternative, NALO.
This deal represents the company’s largest transaction for sustainable C12/C14 fatty alcohol.
NALO is developed as a direct replacement for traditional palm-derived ingredients typically used in surfactants for detergents, soaps, and cosmetics.
This innovative ingredient is produced using advanced biomanufacturing techniques, ensuring high performance while reducing environmental impact, such as deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
John Gugel, CEO of Future Origins, stated, “Companies across the globe are looking for ingredients made from more resilient and traceable supply chains, and Future Origins has developed NALO to meet that need.”
The agreement guarantees offtake for the majority of the planned capacity from Future Origins’ inaugural commercial-scale production facility.
Future Origins is currently evaluating potential sites in the US Midwest for its first manufacturing facility, with location selection focused on feedstock availability.
This agreement will support Kao’s decarbonization objectives, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2040 and carbon negativity by 2050.
Kao intends to purchase the majority of the capacity from Future Origins’ first manufacturing plant and will broaden the global use of NALO and its derivatives within its chemical business.
Future Origins is dedicated to commercializing sustainable home and personal care ingredients.
The company has launched an early access program to offer pre-commercial samples of NALO.
Several tons of the purified product are anticipated to be available for sampling later in 2025.
Daisuke Hamada, Kao’s technical manager in charge of Chemical Business, stated, “This development will be important for supplying enough materials to maintain our quality of life and also essential for protecting palm tree forests to conserve the planet’s environment.”
Recently, Kao Corporation launched Bioré UV Aqua Rich Airy Hold Cream, which features innovative humidity-responsive technology to combat stickiness and dryness in varying conditions.
The sunscreen provides SPF50+/PA++++ protection and is enriched with moisturising ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and a vitamin C derivative.
The new formulation addresses growing consumer concerns about sunscreen stickiness as Japan’s rising temperatures and humidity levels drive demand for improved products.
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