PC: In recent times there have been problems with the commercialisation of plants as a source of oil. The commercialisation of meadowfoam took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Were there any setbacks during this process? What steps need to be taken nowadays before growing a plant on an industrial scale?
MM: The commercialisation of meadowfoam was met with numerous setbacks. On a macro level, the difficulties encountered in the 1980s and 1990s were rooted in market access. Initially, the crop was grown because there was a need ‘on- farm’, with little thought given to a market for the material. It should not be a surprise that customers didn’t come knocking. Plant-derived materials from commercial operations are no different than other products launched in the consumer marketplace. Before launch, significant investment in inventory, market access needs to be secured. Whether that means planning for a direct sales force or securing channel partners such as chemical distributors, those items need to be put in place before the farming operations move into high gear.
PC: NPP is the marketing and distribution arm of a cooperative of meadowfoam growers. Does the cooperative system allow you to operate differently to most enterprises? MM: Our current cooperative comprises 55 farms, all located in Oregon. The cooperative system fundamentally changes operations. I see three primary areas that are impacted. First, our farmers are shareholders, which allows us to have deep conversations about short-term crop profits versus long-term equity gains. Given the multigenerational nature of the farms, our members know the importance of planning for decades and generations. Second, the cooperative system changes how we view our role. NPP is not strictly about profit maximisation. Rather, our role is market access. The cooperative members need profitable meadowfoam and radish crops to help make their farms thrive. We strive to link those farms with the personal care and cosmetic manufacturers. Lastly, the cooperative structure makes us nimble. I am proud that NPP has a personal relationship with every one of its 55 farms. Many started growing meadowfoam in the early 1980s. In such a small organisation, transparency can be readily achieved. Our field department inspects fields weekly and keeps close tabs on crop production practices. It also
provides a rapid channel for making market-driven changes to our crop production practices. As ‘natural’ and ‘sustainable’ become better defined, I believe we will be uniquely positioned to address those matters within our supply chain.
PC: How important has research and development been to you so far and is it a big feature of your plans for the future? MM: NPP and its parent company have a long history of collaborating with private and public research organisations. Without those relationships, meadowfoam would not have become a viable crop. We remain firm believers in R&D and expenditures have steadily increased over the past ten years. We currently support early stage raw material development programmes in meadowfoam and radish variety breeding, vegetable oil refining projects, and finished product utilisation efforts.
PC: The demand for natural ingredients in cosmetics has increased dramatically over the past 10 years. Do you believe that natural ingredients can now offer an equal level of efficacy to synthetic ingredients? MM: I do not think that this claim could be made across the board, but from my perspective there are ingredient categories where naturals offer compelling alternatives to synthetics. Daikon radish oil, our newest offering, has been noted to have some of the same tactile properties as some silicones. While this is obviously not a direct replacement, it is an interesting alternative for formulators to consider when looking for natural ingredients. Emollients are obviously our focus, but I have also noted very well qualified
botanical actives emerging in the US, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
PC: With the increase in popularity of natural products has come an array of green certification bodies – do you believe there is an over-abundance of these? Do they help businesses and consumers? MM: The certification market is fairly new so the number of firms competing for bandwidth does not surprise me. This wide array of certifying bodies has created value for NPP by providing different perspectives from which we can evaluate our supply chains. We have also seen increasing numbers of cosmetic and personal care manufacturers adopt the standards as part of the raw material approval process. I think that is valuable to manufacturers.
PC: How is daikon radish oil complementing your supply of meadowfoam oil? MM: Our member farms primarily grow grass seed and small grains. The demand for rotational crops within these systems exceeds the demand for meadowfoam oil within the cosmetics market. From an operational and agricultural perspective, daikon radish oil is another tool for our growers. It is a spring planted crop that grows adequately on a range of soil types. This helps our farmers maintain field quality. The critical factor is that daikon radish oil has utility in the personal care space. It is a completely different oil than meadowfoam. It has virtually no colour, and a silky, delicate skin feel. There are applications where meadowfoam may not be the right emollient and daikon radish oil would be a better fit for the formula. It is our hope that it becomes another viable tool for the formulator.