DSM-Firmenich is a Swiss-Dutch company formed in 2023 as a merger of DSM and Firmenich. Its four business units cover animal nutrition & health, perfumery & beauty, taste, texture & health, and health, nutrition and care.
What made you cognizant of the problem of health and food security from such an early stage in your career?
Initially, I was drawn to engineering, particularly something related to numbers, and food engineering stood out as a new and exciting field in this part of the world. It combined elements of chemical engineering but with a specialization in food, which sparked my curiosity about the connection between food, health, nutrition, and global development.
At that time, I didn't fully understand where my career would take me, but my third job allowed me to delve deeper into nutrition. That’s when I truly started to see the potential to combine purpose with work. You need both—you can’t do one without the other. Over time, I realized that you can do good and do well, and vice versa. I feel privileged to have been able to take my education and apply it in a way that contributes to food security and nutrition on a global scale.
How prepared is the industry to address impending nutrition and availability challenges in the coming decades?
The problem is enormous. Malnourished people are not productive, and diet-related diseases are increasing at an alarming rate. The issue isn’t just a lack of food; it’s also about the unequal distribution of food. A third of the food produced globally is lost—whether during distribution, handling or when it reaches the consumer and is wasted. Meanwhile, another third of the population suffers from poor nutrition, leading to conditions like obesity.
We work on both sides of this dilemma—ensuring more nutritious foods are available and improving access for those who struggle to obtain food. The challenges differ by region: malnutrition is more prevalent in the Global South, while overnutrition and obesity are bigger concerns in the Global North. This crisis is worsening, and not improving, which is why companies like ours are focused on developing solutions to tackle both extremes.
The merger to form DSM-Firmenich was completed in 2023. Can you walk us through the four main segments and the products you now produce?
The first and largest segment is Animal Nutrition & Health. We provide micronutrients to ensure livestock receive the necessary vitamins and minerals in their feed. Second is Human Nutrition & Care, which supplies vitamins, minerals, and amino acids for products like infant formula and dietary supplements. We also work with institutions like UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) to address malnutrition, such as providing vitamin A to combat night blindness or multi-micronutrient supplements for pregnant women.
Third, we have Taste, Texture & Health, which develops ingredients for the food and beverage industry. This includes enzymes that make milk digestible for lactose-intolerant consumers and flavors for processed foods like chocolates and juices. Lastly, Perfumery & Beauty focuses on fragrances for perfumes, soaps, and detergents, as well as ingredients for sunscreens. We provide raw materials for major perfume brands and create scents that enhance consumer experiences.
Animal Nutrition is the largest segment, but reports suggest you're on track to divest from it by the end of 2025. What is the motivation behind that decision?
The company is shifting its focus towards human nutrition, health, and beauty. While Animal Nutrition is a fantastic business, it’s not as directly linked to our strategic direction.
Although there are connections between human and animal nutrition, they are not strong enough to justify keeping them together under one roof. By divesting, we can concentrate on areas where we have the greatest impact—perfumery, food and beverage, and other human-related sectors.
The Perfumery & Beauty segment might seem an anomaly in the portfolio but has been performing notably well. Why do you think that is?
Our success is driven by innovation. We combine market trends with scientific research to anticipate customer needs, often before they even articulate them. Perfumery is deeply personal and highly regional—fragrance preferences vary significantly across markets.
For example, Brazil is the largest market for hair care in the world, and understanding local consumer preferences is crucial. This is why we have development laboratories in different regions to tailor our products to local needs.
You’ve said that innovation is a major focus. What developments or products are you working on that could have the most impact?
One key innovation is Bovaer, a molecule developed over 15 years that reduces methane emissions from cattle by at least 30%, helping to lower their environmental impact. Another key development is our joint venture producing omega-3 from algae. Traditionally, omega-3s come from fish oil, but fish populations are not unlimited.
Our technology allows us to produce omega-3s sustainably, through fermentation. These are not only consumed by humans but also used in salmon farming, ensuring high-quality, sustainable feed. The ability to scale these solutions is crucial for both nutrition and environmental sustainability.
You’ve called the opportunities for the sector in Latin America ‘immense’. Why does this region have so much potential?
Collaboration is key, but it requires smart orchestration. COVID-19 reinforced the importance of collaboration, proving that crises demand collective action. Many partnerships between the public and private sectors fail because their agendas don’t align. We have worked to bridge that gap, particularly with our 18-year partnership with the World Food Programme. Together, we’ve improved the nutrition of over 34 million people by enhancing food aid with necessary vitamins and minerals.
One example is Super Cereal Plus, a fortified blend of corn, soy, and skim milk powder. Previously, WFP distributed basic corn-soy blends lacking essential micronutrients. Our partnership led to the development of this improved product, which is now produced in Rwanda through Africa Improved Foods, a joint venture that sources ingredients locally and employs local workers. This initiative not only improves nutrition but also supports smallholder farmers by providing them with better agricultural techniques and a stable market for their crops.
