Sawit Kinabalu pioneering
large-scale production of tocotrienols from palm oil refinery byproducts

KOTA KINABALU: Sawit Kinabalu through its subsidiary Kunak Lipids Sdn Bhd signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Shanghai-based trading company Boce Trade Service Company Ltd to produce palm oil refinery by-products and meet the Chinese market demand.

The ceremony was witnessed by Deputy Minister of Plantations and Commodities Datuk Chan Foong Hin at Shangri-la Pudong Shanghai on June 13.

Sawit Kinabalu through Kunak Lipids Sdn Bhd is set to revolutionise the production of tocotrienols, a potent form of vitamin E, by utilising palm oil refinery waste.

The large-scale production is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2025 and aligned with the government’s vision to foster economic and environmental sustainability in Sabah.

Kunak Lipids Sdn Bhd stands out as the only Malaysian company solely dedicated to producing tocotrienols by extracting them from palm oil waste on a grand scale.

Kunak Lipids employs proprietary technology and high-precision equipment to capture tocotrienols from refined byproducts, reducing environmental waste and creating wealth, thereby contributing to the state’s economic and environmental goals.

Recognising the high demand for tocotrienols in China, Kunak Lipids, with support from MPOB PORTSIM, identified significant market potential during initial marketing explorations.

Unexpectedly high requests for distributorship emerged from three major cities, with Shanghai being particularly promising.

During the visit to Shanghai from June 9 to 14, the team from Sawit Kinabalu, including senior management and board members engaged with potential distributors and manufacturers, who have shown strong interest in tocotrienols and other phytonutrients that can be extracted from palm oil.

Cosmetics manufacturers, for instance, are also keen to obtain tocotrienols for their products.

Additionally, the team identified a high demand for biodiesel derived from palm oil.

Kunak Lipids Sdn Bhd is well-positioned to expand its production into these areas, leveraging the vast waste resources from Sawit Kinabalu’s palm oil mills to meet Chinese market demands.