Singapore — In the crowded world of vitamins, supplements and longevity products, heritage can be a powerful differentiator. And LAC Global is betting that more than 70 years of French nutritional science could give it exactly that.
The health and wellness supplements company, part of Singapore-based V3 Group Limited, has completed its acquisition of MASQUELIER’S French Pine Bark Extract, bringing the patented technology, scientific heritage and intellectual property behind one of Asia Pacific’s best-known OPC supplement platforms into the LAC portfolio.
For consumers, the deal is about more than another supplement appearing on store shelves. It signals LAC’s ambition to build a broader, science-led wellness business around some of the issues increasingly shaping everyday health conversations: healthy ageing, preventive care, antioxidant support and living well for longer.
So, What Exactly Is MASQUELIER’S?
The story begins with French scientist Professor Jack Masquelier, a pioneer in the study of oligomeric proanthocyanidins, better known as OPCs.
These naturally occurring plant compounds have been researched for their antioxidant properties, and MASQUELIER’S® has spent decades developing extraction expertise and studying their potential nutritional applications.
Its French pine bark extract is distinguished by proprietary technology, a characteristic chemical fingerprint and a long history of scientific research supported by clinical studies.
That heritage is now becoming part of LAC’s growing wellness platform.
“Health is becoming one of the defining priorities for consumers globally. People are living longer, but the opportunity is to help them live better,” said Ron Sim, Founder and Executive Chairman of V3 Group.
He said the acquisition would strengthen the scientific foundation of LAC’s portfolio while supporting the company’s ambition to build “a health and wellness brand born in Asia for consumers globally.”
Why This Acquisition Matters
MASQUELIER’S is also the originator and trademark holder behind MASQUELIER’S® Anthogenol, an OPC supplement brand that has built strong recognition across Asia Pacific.
And this is where the deal becomes especially significant.
LAC is not simply buying a single popular product. It is acquiring the underlying intellectual property, patented technology and scientific heritage behind an established supplement category.
According to the company, MASQUELIER’S® French Pine Bark Extract has sold more than 250 million tablets to date, making it one of the more established product platforms within LAC’s Asian markets.
For a wellness industry increasingly filled with fast-moving trends, influencer-led launches and new ingredients, a product platform with decades of research and consumer familiarity offers LAC something harder to manufacture overnight: credibility, history and recognition.
LAC Is Quietly Building a Much Bigger Wellness Footprint
The acquisition comes as LAC accelerates its expansion beyond its traditional markets.
After nearly three decades of organic growth in Asia Pacific, the company now operates more than 250 retail stores across Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam.
It also has franchise operations in Mongolia, India, Indonesia and Thailand, while its products are available in selected markets across Africa, the Middle East and South America.
That physical network is increasingly being supported by e-commerce, giving consumers more ways to access LAC’s vitamins, supplements and wellness products without relying solely on traditional retail stores.
Singapore, however, remains central to the company’s story.
Sim said V3 Group remains grateful for the support LAC has received from customers in its home market and that the brand intends to maintain its extensive presence across Singapore’s shopping malls even as it expands internationally.
The Bigger Trend: Wellness Is Becoming Everyday Life
LAC’s expansion is taking place as health and wellness shifts from being a niche interest into a mainstream lifestyle priority.
Across many markets, consumers are thinking about their health earlier rather than waiting until something goes wrong. Supplements, functional nutrition, sleep, fitness, stress management and healthy ageing are increasingly becoming part of a broader preventive-wellness mindset.
Ageing populations are adding further momentum.
As people live longer, the conversation is changing from simply extending lifespan to improving healthspan — the number of years people can remain active, independent and healthy.
That creates opportunities for companies offering nutritional products positioned around areas such as cardiovascular health, mobility, energy, immunity, cognition and healthy ageing.
LAC believes its combination of retail reach, product development and science-backed supplementation puts it in a strong position to capture some of that demand.
From Asian Retailer to Global Wellness Brand?
The MASQUELIER’S® acquisition also reveals something about LAC’s longer-term ambitions.
Rather than expanding solely by opening more stores, the company is strengthening the intellectual property and scientific credentials behind its products.
That could become increasingly important as wellness consumers become more selective about what they buy and more interested in questions such as: What is the evidence? Where does the ingredient come from? How long has it been studied? And what makes this formula different?
For LAC, acquiring a nutritional platform with more than seven decades of European scientific heritage gives it another story to tell.
And it arrives at a moment when the company is looking well beyond Southeast Asia.
LAC plans to deepen its presence in existing markets while exploring additional opportunities across Asia Pacific and internationally, including continued expansion in the Middle East and Africa.
At the same time, it intends to invest further in product development and science-backed nutrition, with particular emphasis on preventive health, healthy ageing and evolving consumer wellness needs.
V3 Group, which has interests spanning well-being, luxury gourmet, capital markets, real estate and integrated healthcare services, says it will continue supporting LAC through strategic capital, operational capabilities and regional connections.
The broader goal is clear: build category-leading businesses in Asia that can compete on the world stage.
And with MASQUELIER’S® now part of its portfolio, LAC is making a sizeable bet that the next chapter of modern wellness may be built by combining old-world nutritional science with Asia’s fast-growing appetite for healthier living.
