October 12/Food & Beverage Close-Up -- Natural Alternatives International Inc. (NAI) and Nestle Nutrition have executed a supply agreement under an existing Collaboration and Exclusivity Agreement dealing with nutritional supplements.

In a release, the companies said that the supply agreement provides exclusive rights to Nestle Nutrition to market a sustained release tablet form of SR CarnoSyn beta-alanine made by NAI, under various existing and pending U.S. and international patents, in the field of sports nutrition.

The PowerBar brand of Nestle Nutrition's Performance Nutrition division has formed a strategic alliance in the production of nutritional supplements in the field of human sports nutrition. Under this strategic alliance, NAI shall have the first right of offer to supply nutritional supplements to Nestle Nutrition in this field.

The exclusivity covers a minimum of two years predicated on threshold purchase requirements, and Nestle Nutrition and NAI have the option of continuing the agreement thereafter.

Mark A. LeDoux, chairman and chief executive officer of NAI, said, "We are delighted that Nestle Nutrition has chosen NAI to help build its brand(s) in the area of human sports nutrition. Clearly, Nestle Nutrition is committed to the science of nutrition and in generating products that deliver results to athletes."

Philip Annett, global head of the Performance Nutrition division for Nestle Nutrition, added, "We are committed to excellence in research and development. In our specific business of Performance Nutrition, we are focused on helping athletes perform their best through science and in a way that is safe and trusted.The addition of NAI to these ongoing efforts and the ability to offer the sustained release form of patented beta-alanine, SR CarnoSyn, to our consumers is very gratifying indeed."

NAI, headquartered in San Marcos, Cal., is a formulator, manufacturer and marketer of nutritional supplements and provides strategic partnering services to its customers.

Performance Nutrition is a business within Nestle Nutrition that has nutritional expertise in Sports Nutrition. It markets and sells PowerBar and Musashi brand products in more than 30 markets worldwide and is involved in helping athletes in races from Ironman to the Tour de France to the New York Marathon.

From the October 18, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition