LOS ANGELES — Vegan Minerals, a supplier of sustainable nutrient solutions for human, pet and plant health, announced the launch of its 100% plant-based, sustainable calcium ingredient Calcea. By providing this clean-label, plant-derived alternative to calcium, Vegan Minerals aims to redefine mineral nutrition. 

Calcium serves an essential role in bone, muscle and cardiovascular health, yet calcium supplements have not evolved along with consumer demand. Currently most calcium supplements on the market are rock-based or rely on synthetic minerals that humans and pets struggle to absorb, leading to a gap between supplementation and real health benefits, according to Vegan Minerals. 

To address this issue, Vegan Minerals has created Calcea, a plant-based alternative. Calcea provides bioavailable calcium, magnesium, more than 70 essential trace minerals and 16 amino acids. It has a natural honeycomb structure that touts superior absorption, according to the company. The ingredient is sourced from Lithothamnion, a calcified microalgae, found off the coast of Brazil. 

“Most people assume their calcium supplement is natural and effective, but they’d be shocked to learn where it comes from,” said Jordan Golshan, co-founder of Vegan Minerals. “With Calcea, we’re proud to offer a natural, science-backed solution to close this nutritional gap.”

According to Vegan Minerals, Calcea retains its efficacy and mineral content under high-temperature processing and is odorless and flavorless, making it versatile for various nutrition applications. Additionally, the ingredient is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

In addition to its nutritional benefits and efficacy, Calcea also meets consumer demand for clean and more sustainable ingredients. Vegan Minerals is partnering with food, supplement and pet nutrition brands to help integrate Calcea into their products, helping to meet growing demand for ingredient transparency and sustainability. 

The company showcased Calcea during Natural Products Expo West from March 4 to 7. 

Read more about product development, ingredients and formulation.