THE TRŪ® SHRIMP COMPANIES APPOINTS HAWKINS AS EXCLUSIVE U.S. DISTRIBUTOR FOR TRŪ® CHITOSAN

BALATON, Minn., Aug. 16, 2023

trū Chitosan is derived from the exoskeletons of trū Shrimp's production of consumer shrimp. Chitosan is a molecule refined from the shell of shrimp and is used for numerous pharmaceutical and medical applications. trū Shrimp is the only United States producer of chitosan that meets the strict medical specifications of the United States Pharmacopoeia – National Formulary (USP-NF) monograph.

"From our first introduction, we were impressed by the quality standards set by trū Chitosan," said Chris Meyer, Sales Manager of Hawkins Pharmaceutical. "Its trū Chitosan products meet the quality and regulatory standards our customer base demands."

"From the inception of trū Shrimp, we have pursued the production of chitosan from the shells and peels of our shrimp," stated Michael Ziebell, President and Chief Executive Officer of trū Shrimp. "trū Chitosan is the result of the vision and work of our team and partners. We are honored to have a company with the certifications and reputation of Hawkins representing trū Chitosan to the medical industry."

The shrimp are grown indoors under controlled conditions free of pollution, disease, preserving chemicals, and antibiotics. Those same conditions ensure the quality and consistency of the shell tissue raw material for the chitosan. These processes create an unprecedented chain of custody from genetics to finished chitosan which offers a precise and industry-unique Certificate of Origin critical to medical applications. "Our pursuit of the world's finest chitosan starts with the world's finest shrimp," added Ziebell.

"We are excited to be able to provide trū Chitosan products to our customer base," continued Meyer. "Chitosan is a heavily researched biomaterial by the medical industry. Chitosan is a versatile molecule with multiple uses including topical and internal medicine as well as medical device applications."

About Hawkins, Inc.