dsm-firmenich has opened NextGen Itatiba, a fully dedicated pet nutrition premix facility in Itatiba, São Paulo, Brazil. The new facility will focus on the production of vitamin and mineral premixes for pet cats and dogs and will be the company’s primary manufacturing and supply hub for pet nutrition in South America.
The regional facility was developed in collaboration with Globalfood. It marks dsm-firmenich’s latest investment in its global network of dedicated pet food premix facilities, with previous openings in Europe and North America.
“This facility opening forms part of a coordinated, long-term strategic commitment to pet nutrition as a priority growth category, backed by world-class formulation science and a global innovation pipeline,” says Francisco Fienga, president, Brazil at dsm-firmenich.
NextGen Itatiba is built to food-grade certification standards, and there is no production for other animal species on site. As such, dsm-firmenich notes that it is designed to ensure pet nutrition is “never in competition for capacity with commercial feed.”
The facility is equipped to blend “virtually any dry powder ingredient,” enabling manufacturers to tailor recipes to individual brands, target markets, and specific nutritional requirements of the pets they serve.
Next-gen premixes
With its location 100 km from São Paulo city, NextGen Itatiba benefits from access to key infrastructure and distribution networks to enable an improved response to pet food brands across South America, says dsm-firmenich.
The new facility will produce vitamin and mineral premixes for pet cats and dogs.The facility is operated by Globalfood, a partner of dsm-firmenich with 30 years of experience in food technology and ingredients. Globalfood will act as a dedicated toll manufacturer, while dsm-firmenich has full responsibility for formulation, raw material sourcing, quality control, and product release.
Victor Hasserodt, general manager at Globalfood, says the team is excited to expand its partnership with dsm-firmenich to bring its pet nutrition solutions closer to customers in Brazil, South America, and beyond.
“As part of our certified food ingredients campus, NextGen Itatiba benefits from a well-established sustainability infrastructure, including solar energy generation, water reuse systems, and reforestation initiatives. With the combination of dsm-firmenich’s innovation focus and our responsible manufacturing expertise, we expect NextGen Itatiba to deliver incredible successes for pet food brands across South America.”
Dedicated pet nutrition facilities
NextGen Itatiba and dsm-firmenich’s other recent premix openings in Haag, Austria, and Tonganoxie, Kansas, US, are designed to deliver food-grade, species-specific premix production in their respective regions.
“South America represents one of the fastest-growing markets for pet nutrition on the world stage,” says Jose Fernandes, VP regional sales, Pet Food, LATAM at dsm-firmenich.
“By establishing a dedicated facility at the heart of this high-growth market, dsm-firmenich is reinforcing its long-term commitment to this continent, and to the manufacturers, pet owners, and — most importantly — the beloved pets that call it home.”
Earlier this year, the company completed a US$10 million modernization program at its US premix hub for the Americas, in Schenectady, New York. Last month, the company unveiled a microalgal oil with the same omega-3 ratio as fish oil for pet nutrition.