Expanding our HMO portfolio and reach
We achieved a significant milestone with the regulatory approval of our GLYCARE® Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) portfolio in China, becoming the first company to obtain approval for 2’-Fucosyllactose (2’-FL) and Lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT). This achievement strengthens our leadership in the global HMO market and represents a crucial step in shaping the future of infant nutrition in China. By expanding access to our science-based solutions, we are helping more babies benefit from the proven advantages of HMOs, supporting healthier growth and development.
Building on our global regulatory progress, we secured a major milestone with the approval of our GLYCARE® 2’-FL as a functional ingredient for early life nutrition in India, marking our first HMO approval in this important market. Granted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, this approval allows the use of 2’-FL in infant formula for babies up to six months old, helping bring formulations closer to the composition of human milk and giving the best start in life to all infants.
Leading the algal shift
We continued to grow our life’s®OMEGA business, HNC’s advanced microalgal omega-3, which maximizes natural potency and exceptional quality without impacting marine ecosystems. In 2025, we launched several new products tailored to individual customer requirements, driving the shift from fish oil to our proprietary algal alternative. A leading US retailer’s new dietary supplement launch featuring life’s®OMEGA is making it more accessible to consumers in the world’s largest dietary supplements market. This ongoing effort has driven consistent growth over the years, with solid double digits in 2025.
Additionally, the latest DO-HEALTH findings establish life’s®OMEGA in combination with Quali®-D as validated anti-aging interventions rather than just general wellness supplements. The research validates HNC’s Age Slower concept, which combines life’s®OMEGA with Quali®-D for clinically proven healthy longevity benefits.
Improving health from the gut
We are helping customers meet growing consumer demand for gut health solutions with our Humiome® portfolio, supporting health from the gut with a range of powerful concepts based on prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. The pipeline increased significantly in 2025, with interest across all regions, and a major health supplements provider in China launched a multi-ingredient product containing Humiome® Post LB – a major win in the biotics category for dsm-firmenich.
Our go-to-market transformation
Sustaining market leadership across HNC segments requires more than superior solutions: it demands a modern, agile, and integrated go-to-market model grounded in solution selling – leveraging our hero ingredients toolbox, creation, and application capabilities and customer proximity. To advance this transformation, we are strengthening team capabilities, modernizing processes, and enhancing our digital tools. We did so in 2025 by:
Rolling out enterprise-wide solution-selling training to ensure a consistent, scalable approach
Refining roles and responsibilities across commercial functions to improve efficiency and alignment
Reallocating resources to prioritize growth areas to focus investment where it has the greatest impact
Investing in AI-enabled digital tools to enhance insights, solution development, and performance management
Driving progress across our segments
Within our Dietary Supplements business, we achieved the second EU Commission approval of ampli-D®. This efficient vitamin D form is now authorized for marketing and distribution across all EU member states, unlocking exciting growth and innovation opportunities within the food supplement market. Meanwhile, we drove our healthy longevity platform, focused on increasing health expectancy by targeting aging at a cellular level to increase years spent in good health.
In Pharma Solutions, we launched a novel portfolio of taste modulation and flavor solutions specifically designed for use in pharmaceutical formulations, including infants. Leveraging our HNC Taste and Regulatory expertise, we carefully curated this portfolio for drug developers to improve palatability and accelerate the route to market. Each product includes comprehensive quality and regulatory documentation to facilitate the complex drug approval process. In March, we launched Verilege™, a suite of expert services and superior customer care. Verilege™ is designed to help customers achieve and uphold regulatory and quality compliance, progress toward sustainability goals, and de-risk the supply chain geographically.
Medical nutrition products help people maintain health and quality of life; but formats like oral nutritional supplements often face adherence challenges that may reduce their impact. In 2025, we introduced Mix-in protein granules powered by Sprinkle-it Technology™ (SIT™), a novel format providing high-density protein in a flexible, compact format with a neutral taste. This new solution addresses limitations of traditional powder formats and helps increase protein intake and enhance dietary compliance, with the aim of optimizing health outcomes.
In Nutrition Improvement, we develop solutions to combat micronutrient deficiencies. One of our key initiatives for 2025 was in Nigeria. Through Partners for Promoting Rice Fortification in Nigeria (P4P), we are part of a multi-stakeholder effort to scale rice fortification nationwide. This includes providing industry insights, strengthening local production of fortified rice kernels, and providing technical assistance to millers to ensure quality and sustainability.
Transforming Biomedical for the future
2025 was a transformative year for Biomedical, marked by clear priorities, strengthened execution discipline, and meaningful progress across strategy, innovation, and global expansion.
We focused on stabilizing our operations — reinforcing leadership continuity, tightening quality and compliance, and embedding updated systems and processes. This operational foundation strengthens our ability to deliver consistent, reliable results.
We launched four empowered business segments, enabling greater accountability, faster decision‑making, and sharper alignment with customer needs on a global basis.
Innovation accelerated with next‑generation Ulteeva Purity™ developments, including expanded fiber color options and the launch of Ulteeva Purity™ Membrane, a PFAS‑free UHMWPE alternative for implantable vascular applications, catheter liners, and medical filters. These efforts directly supported our ambition to bring differentiated, high‑value solutions to market more rapidly.
We strengthened our global leadership in natural materials with first customer launches in India and Korea for regenerative medicine applications. Our new customer experience center in China, equipped with advanced digital capabilities, enhanced engagement and presence across China and Asia. In parallel, long‑term commercial partnerships in our business segments supported the global growth of Biomedical’s differentiated products, technologies and services, reinforcing supply security and future scalability for our partners.
Investments in manufacturing
HNC manufacturing sites undertook investments to assure asset reliability and license to operate, with special focus on our site in Dalry (Scotland).
Our Premix organization continued to drive its global initiative to harmonize Quality Control processes by introducing a modern, validated Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) platform to ensure business continuity and enable digital transformation in Quality Control and Quality Assurance. Additionally, by means of a large capital investment initiative at our facility in Schenectady (New York, USA), we are enhancing operational performance and site capacity through infrastructure upgrades and process & systems optimizations.
Our Biomedical division is making substantial investments to enhance manufacturing capacity, supporting the growth of its diverse business portfolio, including the development of a state-of-the-art facility in Wayne (Pennsylvania, USA).
i-Health positions for the future
i-Health had a softer performance in 2025. Nevertheless, Culturelle®, AZO®, and Estroven® remain the brands with the highest market penetration.
The Amazon business continued to grow across brands, and AZO® delivered gains nationally, supported by new creative direction, media, and innovation, including new menopause solutions for a range of symptoms and expansion of the D-Mannose urinary health ingredient in a new hydrating drink mix format. In our global markets, Culturelle® delivered profitable growth in Canada, South Korea, Brazil, and Turkey, driven by the recommendations of healthcare professionals. Entering 2026 under new leadership, the business is sharply focused on growing our core brands, maintaining consistent full-funnel investment, and leveraging its exciting innovation capabilities across a portfolio that combines unique science-backed formulations with delicious and fun format experiences including mini chews, gummies, fast melts, and hydration drink mixes.
Strengthening talent and engagement
We made improvements in nearly every area this year in the Employee Engagement Survey (EES). A strong 78% of HNC respondents reported feeling highly engaged, a +3-percentage point (p.p.) increase over last year. Other HNC EES advances included the important areas of trust (+6 p.p.), information (+5 p.p.), and inclusion (+7 p.p.). This reflects our efforts and investment in employee talent and development, in addition to the impact of our ongoing two-way dialog and information sessions.
In addition to announcing Alessandre Keller as our new Business Unit President, we also strengthened our leadership through several strategic appointments, including those of Rekha Rao (Head of i-Health), Andrey Khabakhpashev (Head of North America), and Lisanne Verhagen (SVP, HR).