Novus was selected from an elite group of competitor companies by Frost & Sullivan, a 50-year-old global research organization that specializes in helping clients accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. This is the second award Novus has received from Frost & Sullivan in 2012. The company also was the recipient of the 2012 New Product Innovation Award in Prebiotics for its product PREVIDA® in September 2012.

"We are so proud that Frost & Sullivan is recognizing Novus and MINTREX with this distinguished award," stated Thad Simons, president and CEO of Novus. "When we develop animal health and nutrition products, it is always with the goal of fulfilling our mission to make a clear difference in sustainably meeting the growing global need for nutrition and health. Receiving awards for what we truly perceive as 'doing our job' is a wonderful and much appreciated affirmation of our efforts."

To support its evaluation of best practices across multiple business performance categories, Frost & Sullivan employs a Decision Support Matrix (DSM) that is customized for each award. Potential recipients of the Product Differentiation Excellence Award are evaluated on a scale of 1 to 10 using the following set of criteria: 1) Unique Features/Functionality; 2) Quality/Complexity; 3) Customization; 4) Matched to Target Market Needs; and 5) Brand Perception. MINTREX received an overall rating of 9.4, outranking the next highest competitor by 2.4 points.

"As a leader in this market space, Novus clearly understands its customers' needs, which is evident in the range of products they offer around the world," noted Anjaneya Reddy, Industry Analyst of Frost & Sullivan. "MINTREX excelled in all five product evaluation areas and we are delighted to present Novus with the Product Differentiation Excellence Award in Animal Feed Ingredients. This product has earned its well-deserved reputation as the industry's best mineral source."

MINTREX is intended to be used as a source of trace minerals. By definition, the specific metal chelate must be declared as a metal methionine hydroxyl analogue chelate. MINTREX chelated trace minerals, including zinc, copper and manganese, are chelated using HMTBa, creating a strong bond between the ligand and the metal. This maximizes the use of minerals by the animal through greater bioavailability and digestive tract stability. Since 2004, when Novus first introduced MINTREX to the market, this product has been a trusted nutritional solution for multiple species, providing the essential trace minerals needed for healthy hooves, immunity, production and reproduction.

Novus will attend the 2013 Excellence in Best Practices Awards Ceremony, hosted by Frost & Sullivan, in San Diego, California, on Tuesday, 12 March 2013, where it will be presented with the award.