COMPANY HISTORY The founder of Extracts NZ (formerly Herb Pharm) is the hugely experienced chemist Alan Cooke. Formerly a director of the internationally renowned Cawthron Institute in Nelson, Alan still contributes to the company by developing unique new natural products based on New Zealandís expertise in horticulture, apiculture and agriculture. His vision of the new Biological Age, and plants being grown to produce highly specific needs of the medical industry, drives the company forward. After three years with a multinational drug company in London he started 20 years of work at Cawthron which gave Alan wide experience of NZ industry and its technical problems as well as the science that was necessary to solve these problems. The beginnings of environmental awareness occurred early in this period and the scientific support necessary for this was steadily developed during this period. Cawthron is now recognized both nationally and internationally

as an authority on environmental microbiology, biology and chemistry. At the end of this time Alan had become assistant Director and then acting Director when the incumbent retired. It was at this point that a change in career led to the development of Herb-Pharm (now Extracts NZ) and a move away from the Cawthron. Extracts NZ was started with the production of medicinal herb tinctures and then the production of bee propolis products. While the range has broadened, this is still generally true. In American parlance the company is an ìextractorî and as such carries out mainly, cold liquid solid extraction, vacuum evaporation and freeze-drying. Extracts NZ's core business is the extraction of natural products to wholesale to manufacturers and marketeres as well as contract extraction, processing and formulating for a range of clients, although Extracts NZ manufactures and markets under its own name, unique new products based on New Zealandís horticulture and apiculture.