The company says that the move builds on the success of the ingredient, which is tapping into the increasingly popular trend for cosmetic and personal care formulations with more natural alternatives to petroleum-based products.
To manage the supply network for the product in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the company has appointed the IMCD Group as the distributor.
IMCD is already responsible for the distribution of Zemea in leading markets throughout Western Europe, including France, the UK, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Natural alternative to petroleum
According to Dupont Tate & Lyle Bio Products, Zemea is a 100 per cent natural ingredient that has been developed for the personal care market as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based glycols, combining high purity, low irritation, and good moisturisation properties.
The ingredient was first launched in Europe in 2007, and gained Eco Certification a year later.
Many personal care products are petroleum-based, with petroleum jelly appearing in products such as skin moisturisers, lip balms and lubricants.
However, increasingly personal care companies are looking for alternatives to petroleum-based ingredients, partly because petroleum is not considered environmentally-friendly as it is not a renewable commodity.
Dupont Tate & Lyle Bio Products is a joint venture formed between Dupont and Tate & Lyle to combine the scientific capabilities of Dupont with the experience Tate & Lyle has in the area of industrial and food ingredients.
The venture is specifically focused on combining scientific know-how to develop natural and renewable ingredients, whilst not compromising the performance of the product.