THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF OUR UNIQUE ORGAVITAZ VITAMIN B12 IN INDIA

2025 September 19th

During European Sustainable Development Week, we celebrate stories that go beyond business. Stories where ingredients become tools for empowerment, tradition, and transformation. One such story is the journey of Orgavitaz B12 in India, where a unique ecosystem of farmers, researchers, and processors came together to restore ancestral know-how, empower communities, and build a sustainable future.

Vitamin B12 role

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that the human body cannot produce on its own. It plays a critical role in energy metabolism, neurological function, bone health, and red blood cell formation. While traditionally sourced from animal products, B12 can also be found in organic mushrooms like shiitake, especially when cultivated under specific biodynamic conditions.

Beyond its biochemical importance, B12 has recently played a quiet yet powerful role in reviving traditional agricultural practices and supporting vulnerable populations in India.

A Vertically Integrated Ecosystem

At LC Ingredient, we are proud to be the exclusive partner of Sristi Ani for the distribution of Organic Plant-Based Vitamins & Minerals. Sristi Ani is likely the only manufacturer in India with such a vertically integrated structure, spanning from seed selection to the transformation of wet material into dry powder ingredients.

Their ecosystem includes:

Primary processing facilities
Organic certification bodies
Extraction method research labs
Farmer training programs
Biodynamic farming courses for new generations

This integration ensures consistency, traceability, and reliability, essential pillars for high-quality natural ingredients.

The cooperation between farmers, manufacturers and local logistic centre has allowed the development of an unique ecosystem in its own habitat. Sharing the best in practice ideas, teaching the local community how to grow the selected mushroom strain to the correct ripen point has shifted a rural economy to a centre of excellence in this niche market.

Reintroduce traditional and ancestral know-how

It all began with a bold idea: improve the quality of organic agriculture in India while addressing nutritional gaps. Vitamin D3 and B12 were identified early on as key ingredients in supporting joint health and recovery from arthritis.

Rather than relying on industrial shortcuts, the initiative embraced:

Regenerative agriculture
Organic fertilization
Primary processing facilities to ensure clean, traceable raw materials

Farmers were trained to rotate crops, re-mineralize soil naturally, and avoid harmful harvesting practices. This holistic approach ensured that the raw materials used in production were of the highest quality, clean, calibrated, and contamination-free.

From soil to science: a holistic approach

The journey didn’t stop at farming. A constellation of collaborations emerged, involving:

Universities for crop yield optimization and plant adaptation studies
Microbiome companies for chemical-free fertilizers and root-enhancing bacteria
Analytical labs for DNA fingerprinting to verify non-GMO plant origins
Hospitals for clinical studies on ingredient efficacy (including B12)

This network supports a genomic-assisted agriculture model, where plants grow in harmony with organic microbial ecosystems, free from genetic modification and chemical stress.

The B12 Livelihood Project: A Model of Social Sustainability

One of the most inspiring outcomes is the Orgavitaz B12 livelihood project in Nagaland. A local community was trained to cultivate a specific strain of shiitake mushroom (DMR 388) under controlled conditions. This strain was selected for its ability to accumulate high levels of cobalamin (Vitamin B12) in the fruiting body.

Sristi Ani founder has been able to identify the perfect strain of Shiitake that has the perfect lifecycle to accumulate the highest amount of cobalamin in the fruiting body. He found that growing the mushroom in a wood lock would assure the stability of the controlled environment, while he standardized the process to train the team.

By growing mushrooms in wood logs and standardizing the cultivation process, the community was able to:

Ensure environmental stability
Maximize nutrient yield
Create a new rural economy based on excellence in organic production

This project fits perfectly within the framework of biodynamic valorisation, enriching natural resources while empowering people. It’s a living example of what economists call sustainable development: growth that respects nature, supports livelihoods, and builds long-term resilience.

A Socially Responsible Success

As an ingredient distributor, we believe in supporting initiatives that align with the social pillar of CSR. This story is a testament to what happens when tradition meets science, and when sustainability is not just environmental, but human.

Today, over 200 people are engaged in this growing ecosystem. And it’s just the beginning.

Interesting in our Orgavitaz unique B12?

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