ImperialOel

What ImperialOel does

ImperialOel (legal entity: Imperial-Oel-Import Handelsgesellschaft mbH) is a privately held, family-owned B2B ingredient supplier headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, founded in 1920. The company sources, processes, and distributes natural lipid and specialty ingredients across three product pillars: lanolin and lanolin derivatives (branded LanisLanolin for personal-care and pharmaceutical applications, and LanisTec for industrial/technical applications); omega-3 and omega-6 ingredients from fish, microalgae, and plant-based (AhiFlower) sources under the MarisOmega brand, including microencapsulated powders; and specialty ingredients such as natural lipids (deer tallow, emu oil, marmot oil, neatsfoot oil), bone products (bone ash, charcoal), and oleochemical specialties (CNSL, lecithin, furfural, methyl oleate, naphthenic acids). It complements ingredients with services including tailored formulation support, transparent sourcing and traceability, and regulatory/compliance guidance.

Operationally, the firm runs from four facilities (Hamburg HQ, Cuxhaven, Neuss, Rotterdam) and serves manufacturers in food and nutrition (infant formula, dietary supplements, functional foods, pet food), personal care and pharmaceuticals (cosmetics, skin care, pharma, medical skin care), and industrial/technical applications (leather chemicals, lubricants, metal treatment, construction chemicals, aluminum smelting). Its distribution reaches the EU, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with some customer and supplier relationships spanning more than 75 years and approximately 20 employees overall.

ImperialOel monetizes through three streams: (1) B2B ingredient sales under quote-based, multi-year contracts to enterprise manufacturers; (2) contract manufacturing (private label) of liquid omega-3 supplements on a one-stop-shop basis for brands; and (3) direct-to-consumer sales of its MarisPlus liquid omega-3 brand via Amazon Germany. Go-to-market is sales-led with category-specialized sales directors (lanolin, omega-3, specialties), supported by marketing through LinkedIn, dedicated product brand websites (lanolin.com, marisomega.com, marisplus.com), and memberships in industry associations including GOED, DGF, Food Federation Germany, Grofor, NEM e.V., and VDC. The company discloses annual sales of approximately €10-20m, is not externally funded, and reports no AI/ML or software platform capability — its differentiation rests on technical expertise, regulatory knowledge, traceability, and century-old customer relationships.

Name

ImperialOel

Legal name

Imperial-Oel-Import Handelsgesellschaft mbH

Website

https://imperialoel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ImperialOel is a family-owned Hamburg-based B2B supplier of specialty lipid ingredients — including lanolin derivatives, omega-3 oils and powders, microencapsulated ingredients, and oleochemical specialties — serving enterprise manufacturers in infant nutrition, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and industrial applications worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Ingredients

NAICS

Fats and Oils Refining and Blending (311225), Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing (31122), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Fats & Oils (2070), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Omega-3 & Specialty Lipids (Fish/Algal Oils, EPA/DHA, MCTs, CLA, Phospholipids) (AFAJAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Omega-3 & Marine/Algal Lipids (EPA/DHA Oils, Concentrates) (AFAJALAK), Fats, Oils & Lipid Ingredients (Specialty Oils, MCTs, Structured Lipids) (CRADAOAL), Food & Feed Additives (Specialty Ingredients) (IMAEABAF), Nutraceuticals & Functional Ingredients for Animal Diets (Probiotics, Omega-3, Joint, GI) (HLAMAHAH)

Keywords

• Natural lipid ingredients
• Lanolin derivatives supply
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Specialty oleochemicals
• Infant nutrition ingredients

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ingredient Sales: Sale of natural lipids, lanolin products, and specialty ingredients to manufacturers in food, nutrition, personal care, and industrial sectors. B2B supplier relationships with both bulk ingredient supply and customized solutions.
2. Private Label Manufacturing: Contract manufacturing services for liquid omega-3 supplements, providing 'one-stop shop' filling and bottling services for brands seeking omega-3 products in liquid format.
3. Consumer Brand (MarisPlus): Direct-to-consumer sales of MarisPlus Omega-3 supplements through Amazon marketplace, targeting health-conscious consumers including children and mothers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ImperialOel supplies selected natural lipid and specialty ingredients to manufacturers worldwide, organized into three core categories: (1) lanolin and lanolin derivatives for cosmetic, pharmaceutical and industrial applications under the LanisLanolin and LanisTec brands; (2) omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid ingredients (fish-based, microalgae-based, plant-based, including microencapsulated powders) for infant nutrition, functional foods and dietary supplements under the MarisOmega brand; and (3) specialty ingredients including natural lipids, bone products and oleochemicals. The company also provides liquid omega-3 contract manufacturing services and sells the MarisPlus consumer supplement brand via Amazon.

Product overview

ImperialOel is an ingredient supplier company founded in 1920, offering a portfolio of natural lipid ingredients organized into three main categories: (1) Lanolin products under the LanisLanolin brand for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications and LanisTec brand for industrial uses; (2) Omega-3 and omega-6 ingredients under the MarisOmega sub-brand for infant nutrition, functional foods, and dietary supplements, including microencapsulated powders and the consumer brand MarisPlus Omega-3; and (3) Specialty ingredients including natural lipids (deer tallow, emu oil, marmot oil), bone products (bone ash, bone charcoal), and oleochemical specialties (cashew nutshell liquid, lecithin, furfural, ester oils). The company provides related services including product customization, application support, transparent sourcing, and regulatory guidance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LanisLanolin: Lanolin brand for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications, offering anhydrous lanolin, lanolin alcohol, lanolin oil, lanolin ethoxylated, lanolin hydrogenated, and customized products.
• LanisTec
• MarisOmega
• MarisPlus

Products and services

• LanisLanolin Lanolin and lanolin derivatives for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications, including anhydrous lanolin, lanolin alcohol, lanolin oil, lanolin ethoxylated, and lanolin hydrogenated products. Sold to premium cosmetic and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• LanisTec Wool grease, lanolin and lanolin derivatives for technical and industrial applications, including fat liquors, lubricant grease, metal coatings, cutting oil, paint, and soap manufacturing. Sold to industrial customers.
• MarisOmega Premium omega-3 and omega-6 ingredients for functional food, infant nutrition, and dietary supplements, including fish-based, microalgae-based, and plant-based omega-3 oils, microencapsulated powders, and liquid omega-3 contract manufacturing services. Sold to food, nutrition and supplement manufacturers.
• MarisPlus Omega-3 Premium liquid omega-3 fish oil supplement for direct intake with pleasant taste and no fishy off-notes, providing high levels of EPA and DHA (three times more than conventional capsules). Sold to health-conscious consumers including children and mothers via Amazon Germany.
• AhiFlower Oil Plant-based omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 oil derived from AhiFlower, offering a vegan alternative for omega-3 supplementation and food fortification. Sold to supplement and food manufacturers seeking plant-based omega ingredients.
• Natural Lipids (Deer Tallow, Emu Oil, Marmot Oil, Neatsfoot Oil) Traditional natural lipids for cosmetic, personal care and industrial applications, including deer tallow for skin treatment, emu oil for skin ailments and inflammation, marmot oil for skin irritations, and neatsfoot oil for leather treatment. Sold to cosmetic and industrial manufacturers.
• Bone Ash and Bone Charcoal Bone products including bone ash (tricalcium phosphate for aluminum smelting, casting, porcelain and brick manufacturing) and bone charcoal (for brake linings, paint pigments, water treatment, metal hardening, and fertilizer). Sold to industrial manufacturers.
• Oleochemical Specialties (CNSL, Lecithin, Furfural, Methyl Oleate, Naphthenic Acids)

Quantifiable outcome

• Preferred supplier to large number of premium cosmetic manufacturers and prestigious global brands
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DGF (German Society for Fat Science)minorOthersIndustry association membership providing networking and knowledge sharing within the fats and oils industry.
• Food Federation Germany (Lebensmittelverband Deutschland)minorOthersIndustry association membership for food industry representation and regulatory engagement in Germany.
• GOED (Global Omega-3 Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member supporting advocacy efforts, including inclusion of DHA in updated European toddler food standard. Strategic collaboration on scientific and regulatory matters for omega-3 industry.
• GroforminorOthersGerman feed industry association membership for engagement in animal nutrition ingredient markets.
• NEM e.V. (European NEM Association)minorOthersEuropean association membership for specialty food supplements and nutritional ingredients.
• VDC (Verband der Deutscher Croupneure)minorOthersGerman association for cruets and related products, representing specialty ingredient sector interests.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Cargill: Global agribusiness and ingredient supplier with deep omega-3, fish oil, and specialty lipid operations. Overlaps with ImperialOel in food/feed ingredients and oleochemical supply but operates at much larger scale across many commodity and specialty categories.
• Bunge (Loders Croklaan): Global agribusiness with the Loders Croklaan specialty oils business supplying structured lipids and infant nutrition fats. Comparable to ImperialOel's specialty fats / omega-3 lipid portfolio, but embedded within a much larger global oilseed processor.

Direct peers

• dsm-firmenich: Global specialty ingredients leader offering omega-3 (including the former Epax concentrates business) and nutritional lipids for infant formula. Directly comparable to ImperialOel in the omega-3 / DHA supply space but at vastly larger scale, with full vertical integration from marine sourcing through formulation.
• KD Pharma Group: Specialty fish oil and omega-3 concentrate manufacturer serving nutrition, pharma, and supplement customers. Closely comparable in product (concentrated EPA/DHA oils), customer base (supplement brands), and category (maritime omega-3) to ImperialOel.
• Croda International: UK-listed specialty chemicals company supplying lanolin derivatives, personal care actives, and specialty lipids to cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and nutrition customers. Most direct overlap with ImperialOel's LanisLanolin / LanisTec lanolin portfolio and personal care segment.
• Stepan Company: US specialty chemical manufacturer producing lanolin derivatives, fatty acids, and oleochemicals for personal care, pharmaceutical, and industrial markets. Directly comparable to ImperialOel's LanisTec and oleochemical specialties portfolio.
• GC Rieber Oils: Norwegian fish oil refiner and omega-3 ingredient supplier serving food, supplement, and pet nutrition customers. Comparable in raw material base (North Atlantic fish oil), customer segments, and ingredient product portfolio to ImperialOel's MarisOmega business.
• AAK (AarhusKarlshamn): Swedish specialty oils and fats company supplying value-added lipid solutions for infant nutrition, personal care, and food applications. Closely comparable to ImperialOel's specialty lipid and DHA-for-infant-formula business, with overlapping customers and similar B2B go-to-market.
• Solutex: Spanish specialist in concentrated omega-3 EPA/DHA oils and custom lipid formulations for nutrition and supplement brands. Comparable niche / scale player to ImperialOel in the European omega-3 concentrates market, with similar B2B focus on supplement and functional food customers.

Others

• BASF Nutrition & Health: German chemical giant supplying omega-3 (Betapol for infant nutrition), vitamins, and specialty feed/food additives. Competes with ImperialOel in infant formula lipids and specialty feed ingredients but as part of a vastly broader chemicals portfolio rather than as a focused specialty player.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imperialoel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ImperialOel