Business briefs – Lycored – DSM – Kerry – Unilever – Viterra

Lycrored opens new facility in New Jersey

Lycored launched a state-of-the-art processing facility in Branchburg, New Jersey, for its carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and real food ingredients. The new plant enables the global wellness leader to maximize the purity, efficacy and shelf-stability of its ingredients while exponentially increasing output capacity. It provides advanced capabilities for milling, blending, drying and coating, with extensive opportunities for customization. The site also features an application lab and production line supporting taste application development.

To celebrate the launch, Lycored has created a dedicated microsite along with a “virtual VIP tour” video. The video was developed alongside motion expert Adam Rubin and creative director Matt Bierce and provides an entertaining and educational look around the new facilities.

The Branchburg facility is FDA-registered, cGMP-complaint and NSF-certified. It is allergen-free, with temperature- and humidity-controlled environments. Measures to dramatically reduce waste and preserve resources have also been integrated into the new plant, including a reduced reliance on energy and transportation; AI-powered planting and harvesting systems; and single-solvent tomato oleoresin extraction that reduces water use.

DSM launches new Food & Beverage business group

Royal DSM announced its new integrated Food & Beverage operating structure that unifies three areas of DSM’s nutrition business—Food Specialties, Hydrocolloids and part of its Nutritional Products group—to align with emerging customer and market needs. The new business group combines the company’s full range of food and beverage ingredients, expertise and science-based solutions that improve the taste and texture of foods, as well as support healthier lives and a healthier planet. The new Food & Beverage organization will focus on helping consumers “enjoy it all” without having to choose between taste, texture and health. This differentiating message will be the cornerstone of a new campaign.

Kerry Group opens new facility in Saudi Arabia

Kerry Group continues its expansion in the Middle East with the opening of its new 21,500-square-foot state of the art facility at its Jeddah operation in Saudi Arabia.

The company has invested more than €80 million in the region over the past four years and the new facility, which is Kerry’s largest in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) region, is one of the most modern and efficient in the world and will produce great tasting, nutritious and sustainable food ingredients that will be distributed across the Middle East. Kerry will utilize its global innovation technologies that are adapted to local tastes to help food and beverage companies meet the growing consumer demand in the region for healthier, tastier and more sustainable food and beverages, particularly in snack, meat and bakery sectors. The facility is FSSC 22000, HACCP, ISO 22000 and AIBI certified.

Unilever simplifies organization

Unilever is restructuring its global operations with a category focus along five business units—Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care, Nutrition, and Ice Cream. Each business group will be fully responsible and accountable for their strategy, growth, and profit delivery globally.

The restructuring will result in a downsizing of approximately 15% of senior management roles and 5% of junior management roles, or around 1,500 total positions.

“Our new organizational model has been developed over the last year and is designed to continue the step-up we are seeing in the performance of our business,” said Alan Jope, CEO, Unilever. “Moving to five category-focused business groups will enable us to be more responsive to consumer and channel trends, with crystal-clear accountability for delivery. Growth remains our top priority and these changes will underpin our pursuit of this.”

As a result of the new model, Unilever is making changes to its leadership team. Fernando Fernandez, EVP Latin America, has been appointed President Beauty & Wellbeing, which includes Hair Care, Skin Care, as well as Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements, and Unilever Prestige. Hanneke Faber, President Foods & Refreshment, has been appointed President Nutrition, which will be home to Scratch Cooking, Healthy Snacking, Functional Nutrition, Plant-Based Meat, and Food Solutions. Matt Close, EVP Ice Cream, has been appointed President Ice Cream, a Business Group in its own right.

Viterra Ltd. to acquire Gavilon

Viterra Ltd. has entered into a US$1.125 billion stock purchase agreement with Marubeni America Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marubeni Corp., to acquire the grain and ingredients business of Gavilon Agriculture Investment Inc.

Omaha, Nebraska-based Gavilon originates, stores and distributes grains, oilseeds, as well as feed and food ingredients, to food manufacturers, livestock producers, poultry processors, soybean processors and ethanol producers worldwide. 

“The addition of Gavilon supports our long-term strategy of significantly increasing our presence in the United States, one of the major producing and exporting regions, which will further strengthen our global network,” said David Mattiske, CEO of Viterra. “The combination of the Gavilon and Viterra origination businesses will enable us to provide more value and flexibility to our customers.  We will be able to rapidly enhance our sustainable supply chains, provide higher levels of quality control and reliability, while creating exciting opportunities for our customers and employees.”