The 8-year long lasting antitrust dispute against China’s Vitamin C products finally settled. Three of four Chinese pharmaceutical companies chose to settle the case out of the court, and North China Pharmaceutical Group lost the trial and been sanctioned over $150 million.

In 2005, the purchasers sued Aland and three other Chinese vitamin C makers after their alleged price-fixing deal in 2001 sent vitamin C prices sky-rocketing. The other three Chinese defendants are Hebei Welcome Pharmaceutical Ltd, Northeast Pharmaceutical Co Ltd and Weisheng Pharmaceutical Co Ltd.

The March of this year, under the pressure and self-interest,  the company, formerly known as Jiangsu Jiangshuan and now called Aland (Jiangsu) Nutraceutical Co., will pay $9.5 million to direct purchasers of the vitamin C and an additional $1 million to indirect purchasers.