ADM Provides a "One-Stop-Shop" for Pet Nutrition Customers
Today's consumers are investing more in their pets, elevating companion animals to beloved family members. Modern pet parents are seeking high-quality foods, treats and supplements that meet their pets' unique needs without compromising on nutrition or palatability. There's also growing demand for brand transparency and recognizable ingredients. Notably, 73% of global consumers say they feel more positively about companies that are transparent about where and how products were made, raised or grown1.
ADM provides a 360° approach that swiftly advances ideas from insight to innovation, enabling customers to commercialize concepts with confidence. Our assets include a vast ingredient portfolio, extensive formulation expertise, global sourcing and procurement services, advanced production capabilities and key market insights. We leverage these resources to deliver tailor-made or turnkey pet nutrition solutions to give our customers a competitive advantage with discerning pet parents. These novel solutions are backed by science and our comprehensive knowledge of human, animal and pet nutrition requirements.
Research & Development
Our Science & Technology (S&T) Animal Nutrition team is a well-integrated, global network of veterinarians, scientists and engineers who collaborate under the umbrella of the Pet Institute. This diverse group is based at the Animal Nutrition Technology Center (ANTC) in Decatur, Ill. State-of-the-art facilities enable applied research to develop solutions for the industry challenges of today and tomorrow.
The S&T Animal Nutrition team tests experimental hypotheses and design variables for in vivo and in vitro studies to substantiate nutritional claims and investigate critical aspects of formulation, palatability, stability and sensory appeal. ANTC's food evaluation laboratory and enzyme analysis lab are complemented by a pet food culinary kitchen and pilot facility with grinding, mixing, baking, extruding, drying and coating technologies. ADM can pilot test many processes: dry, wet, hot and cold extrusion, co-extrusion, freeze-dried, frozen, refrigerated, baked, semi-moist, dental chews and jerky strips.
R&D is also underway at the PetDine Innovation Lab in Fort Collins, Colo., where our team is pioneering soft chews, powders and liquids to address pet health and wellness by utilizing a variety of beneficial ingredients and supplements. Prototypes are tailored to client preferences, encompassing a spectrum of hues, forms, dimensions and ingredient medleys. Multiple research centers focused on pet nutrition are located throughout the world to best serve our customers, wherever they may be.
Strategic innovation partnerships with our internal and external stakeholders, including more than 40 public and private institutions around the globe, help deliver revolutionary ingredients, groundbreaking techniques and progressive technologies that will advance the pet industry.
Product Engineering
ADM has the capacity needed to take these fledgling science-backed concepts to scale. Our full-service capabilities include manufacturing pet nutrition products for private label and our own B2C brands. We also offer a screening process for international guidelines, including AAFCO, NRC, USDA-APHIS, FDA, FEDIAF and MOA-MARA pet food regulations. These services help our customers save time and money.
For our European clientele, a new plant in Chierry, France, is dedicated to premium and functional pet premixes, which can be used in the production of dry and wet pet food, treats and dietary solutions. We can combine different ingredients in novel ways, such as animal protein and liquid injection, which unlocks premix possibilities. Notably, this facility employs top-of-the-line digital traceability and automated quality control systems to maintain food safety, consistency and caliber.
Additionally, our recently added flexible production line in our facility in Guadalajara, Jalisco, allows us to manufacture practically the entire range of ADM's B2C pet food products. It is equipped with new technologies, such as automated systems that replace forklifts and manual hauling to minimize ergonomic risk factors and a wastewater treatment plant for responsible use of resources. Our Guadalajara plant is strategically positioned to serve all of Mexico, with the ability to extend into Columbia and other Central American markets.
Concept to Commercialization
As a strategic partner, ADM brings customers on a journey from concept to commercialization. We begin with an innovation session to understand the project objectives and brainstorm potential solutions. Our experts provide guidance on recommended ingredients and nutrition requirements. Pilot batches test different sizes, shapes, cut lengths and other variables to determine the most efficient processing. Several options in packaging style, capacity, retail category and more are also explored. In any project, many factors can be customized to make a product stand out on the shelf.
Take the example of a bacon strip dog treat. One way to differentiate these extruded soft chews is to use all-natural ingredients while excluding corn, soy and wheat-based starches. ADM developed a formulation using alternate binding ingredients with a comparable texture, running trials with rye and rice as well as other alternate starch sources until we achieved the desired sensory elements. Our S&T team ensured this more premium formulation not only looked good but also was highly digestible and rewarding for pets.
The ADM Advantage
Every project is different, evolving with a customer's specific needs to resonate with their target audience. We evaluate category dynamics and share growth opportunities that empower pet product developers to efficiently bring leading innovations to market. Although not all brands require the full progression through our customer journey, our partners know ADM has what it takes to support their business success. With the continuous improvement of our vertical capabilities, we cultivate collaborative, long-term partnerships with pet brands to deliver on consumer needs across the globe.
For more information on how ADM gives customers an edge, visit adm.com.
1Nielsen, What's In Our Food and On Our Mind