Advanced Orthomolecular Research
In January 2013, The Canadian Business Journal introduced readers to the Calgary-based nutritional supplement formulation company Advanced Orthomolecular Research (AOR). AOR focuses on creating and distributing products that prevent disease through providing the human body with optimal amounts of natural substances.
The CBJ team revisited Advanced Orthomolecular Research this past May as a follow-up on the company’s recent operations. Through our conversation with Dr. Traj Nibber, AOR’s Founder & Director, we discovered more success and growth than anyone could have expected.
A Short History
Dr. Traj Nibber first grew interested in orthomolecular product development in 1991 Realizing the global need for updated, well-researched medical and nutritional supplements, Nibber established Advanced Orthomolecular Research (AOR). His goal was clear: to create the very best form and dosage of innovative nutritional supplement solutions.
After establishing the company’s headquarters in Calgary, Alberta, Nibber and his team began researching potential supplement types and delivery systems that met a variety of consumer needs. As AOR’s nutritional supplements grew more popular, Nibber began to develop a set of standardized formulas for large-scale manufacturing. AOR introduced dozens of innovative products, including the first to provide a genuinely complete E-complex supplement (“Total E”), a defined pollen extract for prostate health (“Prostaphil-2®”), and a mammalian-specific vitamer or Menatetrenone of vitamin K2 (“Peak K2”).
Today, AOR provides health-conscious individuals with dozens of innovative nutraceutical products. The company is the leading provider of nutritional medical supplements in North America, with solutions sold to consumers throughout the world. Due to extensive attention to thorough research, strict quality control testing, and unparalleled determination, AOR proves to be one of the most innovative companies found throughout the globe.
Community Involvement
AOR is, and always has been, highly active in supporting their community. They currently participate in over 18 academic research programs across the U.S. and Canada, providing students and researchers with the very best educational base and learning facilities.
For the past twenty years, AOR has donated time, energy, and money to the local Calgary community. They continually support the Ronald McDonald House for sick children; the Breast Cancer Society; the CIBC Run for the Cure; and Maya’s Dream, an annual charity event that funds the Maya Devi Charitable Hospital in rural India.
Flooding of the local Calgary during 2013 drew AOR closer to their local community than ever before. When Nibber and his team realized the Siksika Nation, a nearby First Nations community, could not attain sufficient funding or resources to recover, they decided to take action. AOR collected supplies and raised funds, greatly assisting those suffering in the flood’s aftermath.
Recent Expansion
AOR aims to continually expand its product line in order to meet the nutritional needs of all consumers. This year marks a key milestone in reaching this goal. By early June 2014, the completed 60,000 square foot expansion of AOR’s Calgary facility will allow the company to supply new types of products in the future.
The newly updated 95,000 square foot building will allow for machinery and technology not previously feasible. In the past, AOR had to outsource soft gel creation and glycerol packaging; the company will now be able to complete these operations in-house. Construction also includes an instalment of machinery and research stations to help supply AOR’s new line of topical products. Traditional products such as powders, capsules, and tablets will continue to be offered, with potential for intensified production.
The expansion will also dramatically increase AOR’s employee count. From 2013 to 2014, AOR’s staff grew from approximately 60 to 99 employees. Once facility expansion is completed, Nibber expect the number of AOR team members to again increase to about 150.
New Product
AOR’s physical expansion allows for further research into new, innovative products. New supplement types and administration systems allow for AOR to reach more consumers with unique nutritional needs.
In the past year, AOR brought several new products to store shelves. One, a topical cream, offers eczema relief without the use of mineral oil. Other supplements have newly implemented nitrates into their formulas.
“These products are quite revolutionary,” Nibber explains in a May 2014 CBJ interview, “Now we’re busy getting educational resources ready in order to help the public understand the value of these products.”
AOR’s educational resources include a comprehensive website, blog articles (www.drnibber.com), online videos, and a monthly magazine publication called Advances in Orthomolecular Research.
Several new, innovative products are expected to reach consumers in the coming months. AOR is currently creating a completely stable gelatin-free soft gel – the very first of its kind. The company also intends to enhance its line of topical creams.
“We are pushing the boundaries of delivery systems,” says Nibber, “It’s a challenge to make a product more effective in the body. You need to come up with a means of making them more bioefficacious and bioavailable.”
“Natural products are poorly retained in the body – they don’t absorb very well. We’ve looked at a number of technologies as well as come up with many of our own to find ways to better administer products in the body and reach higher levels, giving more efficacious results.”
Each product AOR produces begins with extensive academic research. The company collaborates heavily with researchers and scientists from universities across North America. Notable academic centres include North Carolina State University, Rutgers University, The University of Toronto, The University of Alberta, and Guelph University.
