NATIVE EXTRACTS and KAGOME AUSTRALIA Unveil Red Velvet Oil™: Revolutionising Sustainable Skincare with Australia’s Most Ambitious Upcycled Beauty Ingredient

Eco-responsible oil transforming food waste into high-performance beauty innovation.

In a breakthrough partnership, NATIVE EXTRACTS, the leading Australian phytotechnology specialist, together with KAGOME AUSTRALIA, one of the largest tomato processors in the Southern Hemisphere, presents Red Velvet Oil™: a revolutionary upcycled active beauty ingredient, sourced from surplus tomato seed waste. This high-performance "active" oil is packed full of lycopene, phytosterols, and fatty acids, providing unrivalled benefits to skincare, wellness, and oral care.

KAGOME AUSTRALIA is a key player in the circular economy, upcycling 15,000 tonnes of food waste into high-quality functional ingredients for brands leading on sustainability, transparency, and traceability. Red Velvet Oil™, with versatile applications, a unique profile of scientifically-referenced natural compounds, and an unparalleled sustainability profile, it's set to disrupt responsible ingredient sourcing in the beauty industry and its war on waste.

“This partnership showcases Australia’s most ambitious upcycled ingredient initiative, the compelling deliverables achieved through forging grower and industry collaborations, and the power of upcycling waste into high-value ingredients, giving ethical brands new options to meet the demands of the growing conscious consumer culture,” says Lisa Carroll, Founder and Managing Director of NATIVE EXTRACTS. "Red Velvet Oil™ is more than a beauty ingredient; it's a statement of how the Reduce, Reuse & Repurpose sustainability movement and science can come together to create real change and innovation. This signifies the birth of Australia’s Upcycled ingredient revolution, at a global scale, and there is more to come".

Transforming Waste into High-Value Innovation

Australia generates 7.6 million tonnes of food waste each year, at a cost of $36.6 billion* to the economy. KAGOME AUSTRALIA upcycles the by-products from over 200,000 tonnes of tomatoes that are processed every year using the latest upcycling technology to produce innovative ingredients like Red Velvet Oil™. NATIVE EXTRACTS is also committed to eco-conscious manufacturing, creating water-wise, hydrophilic Cellular Extracts using repurposed byproducts and rain-harvested water, saving 1,000L daily from the public supply. Its innovative methods reflect a dedication to minimising waste and sustainable practices.

This initiative aligns with the Australian National Food Waste Strategy and the global move to circular beauty, to illustrate how agricultural waste can become high-value ingredients that will contribute to sustainable practices.

The Science Behind Red Velvet Oil™

With 12mg/100g of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that is twice as effective as beta-carotene, Red Velvet Oil™ offers anti-aging, hydration, and skin barrier benefits. Its profile places it as a next-generation alternative to staples such as Bakuchiol and Rose Hip Oil, meeting the demand of today's consumer for high-end, eco-sensitive products.

A New Benchmark for Circular Beauty

This partnership highlights the power of collaboration between primary industries and ingredient manufacturers to address large-scale waste and promote zero-waste practices. By showcasing the potential of upcycling at scale, Red Velvet Oil™ sets a new standard for the global beauty market. By incorporating Red Velvet Oil™, brands can tap into the growing consumer demand for eco-responsible choices, create loyalty, and make real change for the environment.

Empowering Brands with Sustainability

Red Velvet Oil™ places beauty and wellness brands at the forefront of the circular beauty movement. Whether a startup or an established name, NATIVE EXTRACTS can collaborate with brands on the creation of high-performance, responsible formulation concepts. NATIVE EXTRACTS has long been the ethical brands’ ingredient partner for their responsible manufacturing processes that are energy conscious, waste minimisation and repurposing, rain-harvesting water, solar power, and concentrations to reduce shipping,

"Consumers increasingly want products that align with their values," Carroll says. "Red Velvet Oil™ helps ethical brands to deliver on a commitment to transparency, traceability, and responsible ingredient sourcing."

Samples of Red Velvet Oil™ are available for brands, contract manufacturers and formulators to order on NATIVE EXTRACTS’ website at www.nativeextracts.com.

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For further information, media and interview opportunities, high-res imagery or video assets, and product samples, please contact Meg Hutchinson, Director of MHPR (representing NATIVE EXTRACTS), meg@mhpr.com.au

Notes to Editors

*Source: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/food-waste

About NATIVE EXTRACTS

Founded in 2012, NATIVE EXTRACTS is Australia’s leading phytotechnology company, specialising in advanced extraction methods to deliver true-to-nature, phyto-compound profiles, in over 400 botanical extracts. Renowned for its pioneering Cellular Extraction™ technique, the company evolved the botanical extract market, in Australian native and traditional botanicals, setting a new benchmark in the natural beauty, wellness, and nutraceutical industries. NATIVE EXTRACTS collaborates with growers and brands to provide premium botanical ingredients that meet the evolving demands of today’s consumers. NATIVE EXTRACTS has partnered with notable brands such as Alpha-H, Mukti, and Colgate Palmolive to bring high-value, responsible ingredients to the global market.

About Lisa Carroll – the change maker behind the Australian Beauty industry

Lisa Carroll created NATIVE EXTRACTS in 2012 and has redefined the potential of plant-based ingredients, placing innovative extraction techniques at the forefront of skincare and wellness formulation. A pioneering advocate for ethical, inclusive and responsible practices, Lisa has championed Australia’s native plant extract industry with advances in green chemistry and plant science, She has driven the growth of the A(ustralian) Beauty movement, working closely with primary producers, including First Nation growers, to discover new species for effective skincare ingredients. Her expertise has made her a sought-after consultant to ethical brands and speaker at universities and industry events, where she lectures on native species commercialisation and shares insights from her extensive extract research

About KAGOME AUSTRALIA

Kagome Australia, a subsidiary of Japan’s Kagome Group, is the country’s largest tomato grower and processor, based in Echuca, Victoria. The company processes 200,000 tonnes of tomatoes annually, supplying high-quality tomato-based products to major food brands and quick-service restaurants. With over a century of expertise, Kagome is committed to reducing food waste and developing sustainable solutions that add value to its crops while supporting environmental stewardship. Through its innovative upcycling initiatives, Kagome continues to create functional ingredients that enhance the food service industry and promote sustainability.