GOED Honors Omega-3 Industry Leaders with Lifetime Achievement and Member Recognition Awards
In March, the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) hosted its biennial conference, GOED Exchange, in Singapore. At the premier event for the omega-3 industry, the organization continued its tradition of honoring individuals who have influenced the industry with Lifetime Achievement Awards, while also celebrating outstanding member contributions with its GOED Member Awards.
This year's Lifetime Achievement Award recipients are Bill Barclay and Joar Opheim, two visionaries in the omega-3 industry.
Bill Barclay was a pioneer who envisioned the potential for using microbial systems to produce omega-3s from microalgae. Barclay successfully developed and commercialized this technology, with expertise encompassing organism discovery, production, product quality, downstream applications and intellectual property. The technology he pioneered remains the foundational platform for the microbial omega-3s available on the market today.
Watch the award ceremony here.
The second honoree, the late Joar Opheim, was the founder of well known supplement brand Nordic Naturals. Inspired by the high-quality fish oil standards in his native Norway, Opheim recognized a gap in the US market while completing his MBA in California. What began as sharing bottles of Norwegian fish oil with friends evolved into a mission-driven company dedicated to improving health through omega-3 nutrition. His legacy continues to influence both consumers and the broader industry today. Watch Joar Opheim’s story here.
Member Recognition
In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Awards, GOED recognized two members who have gone above and beyond in supporting its mission to increase global consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3s. This year’s GOED Member Award recipients were Arnar Halldórsson of Icelandic fish oil producer Lysi and Jay Oh of Korean distributor O&Company.
Arnar Halldórsson, Quality Director at Lysi, is a lipid scientist with extensive research experience in the chemoenzymatic synthesis of structured lipids containing EPA and DHA. He has played a key role in supporting the development and harmonization of omega-3 monographs across major pharmacopeias, including the European Pharmacopoeia, Japanese Pharmacopoeia and the USP. A member of GOED’s Technical Committee since its inception, Halldórsson has consistently contributed his expertise to GOED’s industry advisories and technical reports.
Jay Oh has been a strong advocate for GOED within the Korean market, actively educating brands on the value of membership and industry standards. He also supported GOED in organizing a successful influencer and media engagement event in Korea, helping connect omega-3 companies with healthcare professionals and online influencers to promote consumer awareness and understanding of omega-3 benefits.
GOED extends its sincere thanks to these outstanding individuals for their dedication, leadership and lasting impact on the global omega-3 industry.
About GOED: GOED (Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s) represents the worldwide EPA and DHA omega-3 industry, with a mission to use science-based information to promote the consumption of and enable access to quality EPA & DHA from all sources for a positive impact on public health. The membership is built on a quality standard unparalleled in the market and members must comply with quality and ethics guidelines that ensure members produce quality products that consumers can trust. Our 200+ members represent the entire supply chain of EPA and DHA omega-3s, from fisheries and crude oil suppliers to refiners, concentrators and finished product brands.
Media Contact
Vicky Lin
GOED’s Marketing Communications Manager