Genomatica has signed a multi-year agreement with Daicel Corporation to be the exclusive distributor of its award-winning Brontide butylene glycol in the Asia-Pacific region. The companies anticipate Daicel’s purchases will quickly grow to thousands of tons of Brontide butylene glycol per year for its customers, leveraging Daicel’s established and respected presence in the Asian cosmetics market and enabling market expansion. This partnership further realizes both companies’ commitment to advancing sustainability and is consistent with Daicel’s objectives of Environmental Preservation and their participation in the Nippon Keidanren Commitment to a Low Carbon Society. 
 
Brontide butylene glycol is a natural, sustainably-produced butylene glycol for use in personal care products—for moisture retention, improved texture, antimicrobial properties and as a solubilizer for plant extracts, flavors and fragrances. The ingredient is a drop-in replacement for petroleum-derived ingredients, enabling manufacturers to address consumer demand for natural personal care products without compromising on functionality or sensory appeal. Brontide butylene glycol is made using a direct fermentation process that starts with renewable, plant-derived sugars instead of crude oil. 
 
Strong Customer Interest; Fast-Growing Need
Daicel identified hundreds of potential Brontide butylene glycol customers during an initial marketing partnership between the companies and serviced over 100 inquiries and/or sample requests, confirming the high interest in natural ingredients. 75 percent of millennial and Gen Z consumers believe natural skincare products are more effective, according to a report by Compose[d] Creative, a digital agency. And, according to Ecovia Intelligence, a market research firm, natural and organic cosmetics sales increased by 21 percent in Asia in 2017. 
 
“Brontide is the first widely-available product that allows personal care manufacturers to use butylene glycol in natural or plant-based formulations,” said Hitoshi Hayashi, Daicel’s executive officer, company president of Organic Chemical Products Company. “Brontide natural butylene glycol complements our existing butylene glycol products and gives our customers a new way to increase the performance of their natural personal care formulations. Daicel anticipates that bio-based and naturally-sourced products will be increasingly important.” 
 
"Our partnership with Daicel paves the way for rapid growth of Brontide in this key geographic market," said Damien Perriman, Genomatica’s senior vice president, Specialty Chemicals. “Daicel’s expertise in the personal care and butylene glycol markets enables us to immediately help manufacturers meet rising consumer demand for natural products in Asia Pacific.”