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Our history: putting nature at the service of your health

Our history

At Arkopharma, we know that most everyday ailments can be relieved with natural solutions. Created in 1980 in the Alpes Maritimes thanks to a passion for medicinal plants, our laboratories aim to share the benefits of this natural medicine with as many people as possible.

Offer everyone a improved and lasting well-being

Our journey begins in the early 1980's when Doctor Max ROMBI, a keen phytotherapy enthusiast and co-founder of the Virbac veterinary laboratory, decided to devote himself entirely to his passion: medicinal plants.

As early as 1982, Dr Rombi revolutionized the phytotherapy market by offering plants in capsules: plants in “bulk” then became “pre-dosed” forms, easier to use with a guaranteed and reproducible activity.

Since then, this passion for medicinal plants has only grown stronger and is part of our mission, both militant and grateful to nature.

 

At Arkopharma, we want to make Natural Medicine the Medicine of Tomorrow. Effective, more respectful of the body and its balances, better tolerated.

We want it to be the first choice of consumers and health professionals, to prevent and relieve everyday ailments.

Because, at Arkopharma, we believe that Nature has an extraordinary intelligence, and that combined with our modern pharmaceutical science, it can be further enhanced. Since its creation, our pharmaceutical laboratory and our researchers have been working to transform this intelligence into natural solutions for your health, by combining science, creativity and perfect safety, while respecting our environment.

To offer each of us, on a daily basis, improved and long-lasting well-being: the possibility of living our lives to the fullest.

Our values, natural and unchanging

Our values guide our daily actions and form a common foundation that all of our teams around the world share and are committed to respecting.

Portrait of the five founding values:

Creativity

Creativity

To provide innovative, unique health solutions to provide improved and long-lasting health and well-being to our customers and their families.

Excellence

Excellence

Our mission demands it, our users expect it. This must be our constant quest. Not to do well, but to do better.

Respect

Respect

Respect for others, Respect for our environment from which we draw our resources, Respect for our customers and partners, by offering an efficient, safe and quality product.

Human

Human

Because health and well-being are at the heart of our business, people are our primary source of progress but also our primary concern: our consumers all over the world, our many professional healthcare partners, but also all our employees. that we associate with our successes.

Boldness

L'Audace

Dare. Further develop our taste for initiative, risk, our entrepreneurial sense to ensure progress.

Committed governance

Founded in 1968, the Group benefits from more than 40 years of experience, with transactions carried out in several hundred companies from many sectors, including healthcare and the food industry, thanks to teams spread over 5 offices in Europe: Paris, London, Manchester, Frankfurt and Warsaw.

Since the 3rd of July, 2014, the Arkopharma Group has been taken over by MONTAGU Private Equity, one of the European leaders in private equity.

This acquisition gives new impetus to the Group's development.

  • Chairman: Eric Panijel
  • Director of the Global Marketing Department: Anne Donnay
  • Digital Director: Frédéric Levy
  • Director of the French Division: Nathalie Archier-Palmer
  • Director of the International Division & Director of the Iberian Pole: Olivier Ricq
  • Director of the Administrative and Financial Department: Olivier Fremont
  • Director of the Research & Development Department: Pierre Bruel
  • Director of the Operations Department: Dominique Cotteaux
  • Director of Human Resources: Caroline Brero
  • Director of Transformation: Cyril Gazan

Arkopharma is:

  • French and European leader in herbal medicines and food supplements
  • 40 years of expertise in phytotherapy
  • 9% of the workforce dedicated to innovation and R&D
  • 7 subsidiaries and a presence in more than 50 countries

Arkopharma over time

Eric Panijel appointed CEO of the Group.
Arkopharma celebrates its 40th anniversary. From 1980, we have been transforming the intelligence of nature into effective health solutions, combining science, controlled origin and perfect safety. And we intend to continue growing alongside you. Thank you for your trust and loyalty!

Hughes Witvoet appointed CEO of the Groupe.

Acquisition of its Portuguese distributor, DISTRIFA. 11th largest company in terms of employees* 16th company based on total turnover* 5th company in the « natural and synthetic chemistry » sector* *Source : Tribune Bulletin Côte d’Azur – Palmarès 2016 des 500 premières entreprises de la Côte d’Azur - Hors-Série décembre 2016

Jacques Chevallet appointed CEO of the Group. Arkopharma celebrated its 35-year anniversary. Industrial investment relaunched on our Carros site.

Acquisition by Montagu Private Equity in July 2014, a new shareholder and a new partner.

2013 was characterized by solid growth in France and abroad. Arkopharma signed its ESR charter (Fair Trade, Solidarity and Responsibility).

Return to growth for Arkopharma.

Merger of sales networks in France: a strategic choice to enhance customer relations and satisfaction.

Arkopharma took itself off the stock market Action plan to improve the Group’s operating margins, with a decision to reduce the product portfolio and launch an ambitious advertising campaign to boost the Group’s flagship products.

Launch of 4.3.2.1. SLIM CHRONO, Day and Night, in capsule form with RTC, a major formulation innovation providing 12-hour action.

Global success of 4.3.2.1. SLIM®, which became the world No. 1.

Acquisition of two new subsidiaries in Switzerland: PAD and Phyto Pharma Medika. Success of 4.3.2.1. Slim in France, a slimming aid drink with 10 plant extracts.

Resounding success of the Group’s leading product: PHYTO SOYA® (menopause-related discomfort).

Acquisition of the Belgian distributor and creation of a subsidiary in the Netherlands. Opening of a new factory in Ireland. Transformation into a company with a Management Board and Supervisory Board.

Arkopharma became the first pharmaceutical laboratory to launch a 100% plant-based capsule.  Extremely high international growth rate (+ 50%). Sales abroad represented 31% of consolidated sales.

Listed on the “Second Market” of the Paris Stock Exchange.

Arkopharma created four subsidiaries abroad:  Spain, Italy, USA, UK.

The French Ministry of Health officially recognized phytotherapy as a branch of medicine, and put forward a proposal aimed at regulating  marketing authorizations for plant-based pharmaceutical products. Arkopharma obtained its first marketing authorizations with the “medication” classification.

Arkopharma took an innovative approach to the manufacture of its plant-extract powders and set up a cryogenic grinding system, which enabled all the active ingredients extracted from plants to be fully preserved in the final product.

Creation of Arkopharma Laboratories, pharmaceutical laboratories. Arkopharma brought its Arkogélules® onto the market: capsules containing total plant extract powder.