Benecol Plant Stanol Spread

Benecol is an internationally recognized brand known for foods enriched with plant stanol ester, an ingredient clinically proven to help lower LDL cholesterol. The brand originated in Finland, developed in the 1990s by the Finnish food and agribusiness corporation Raisio Group (Raisio Oyj). Benecol first launched in 1995 and quickly expanded worldwide as a functional health food.

In the United States, Raisio licensed the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of Benecol products. Over the years, ownership of the US licensing rights transitioned; historically managed in joint efforts and licensed to companies such as Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Nutritionals, the licensing rights for the US and Puerto Rico were acquired in 2011 by Olivio Premium Products (based in Massachusetts). Under this license, Benecol buttery spreads sold in the United States are manufactured domestically in the US, while Raisio retains the global trademark and core intellectual property.