What Biochem does

Biochem Zusatzstoffe Handels- und Produktionsgesellschaft mbH is a German specialty feed additive manufacturer founded in 1986 by Eckhard Thölke and headquartered in Lohne, Lower Saxony. The company develops, produces, and markets feed additives, dietary supplements, and complementary feedstuffs for the global animal production industry, with a stated presence in more than 90 markets. Core technology centers on organically-bound trace minerals — including glycine chelates (E.C.O.Trace®), amino acid-bound minerals from hydrolyzed soy protein (B.I.O.Key®), and the patent-pending betaine-bound BetaTrace® line with rumen-bypass capability — alongside Bacillus coagulans DSM 32016-based probiotics (TechnoSpore®), mycotoxin binders (B.I.O.Tox® Activ8), and betaine products (Hepatron®, LiquiTonic LC). The RumiPro® ruminant line, including urea, weaning, and stress-management formulations, complements a species-segmented portfolio covering ruminants, poultry, swine, aquaculture, and companion animals.

The business model is B2B sale of specialty feed ingredients to the mixed feed industry, veterinary industry, and farmers, distributed through a global network of regional distributors supplemented by direct regional sales coordinators who provide technical advisory. Production is concentrated in Germany under multiple certifications including GMP+ FSA and FRA, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 50001, QS, VLOG, EG-Öko organic, and A-Futter; the EcoVadis Silver Medal (2025, score 74, 92nd percentile) reflects the company's sustainability positioning. Products are sold under multi-year contracts with contact-based pricing, packaging ranging from 25 kg bags to 1,000 kg bulk bags for feed mill customers. Recent strategic activity — including the announced acquisition of BASF's Global Glycinate Business (2025), the Holdorf warehouse acquisition (January 2025), and the Kazakhstan regional office opening (September 2025) — points to an actively scaling mid-market specialty chemical company with explicit geographic and product-line expansion plans.

Headcount sits in the 251-500 band (up from 221 reported in 2016), the management team is led by Managing Directors Dr. Heiko Greimann and Dr. Alexander Grafe, and the company operates wholly-owned subsidiaries including Biochem Kazakhstan and Biochem Ukraine Ltd. The company does not disclose revenue, operates without external funding rounds, and has remained private since founding.

Name

Biochem

Legal name

Biochem Zusatzstoffe Handels- und Produktionsges. mbH

Website

https://biochem.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Biochem is a German specialty feed additive manufacturer founded in 1986 that develops, produces, and markets organic trace minerals, probiotics, mycotoxin binders, and betaine-based products for the global livestock and companion animal industries across more than 90 markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Feed Additives

NAICS

Animal Food Manufacturing (31111), Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119), Animal Food Manufacturing (3111)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Livestock & Poultry Nutrition (Feed & Premixes) (HLAMAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nutraceuticals & Functional Ingredients for Animal Diets (Probiotics, Omega-3, Joint, GI) (HLAMAHAH), Performance & Metabolic Modifiers (e.g., Betaine, Carnitine) (AFADAKAI), Medicated & Functional Ruminant Feed (Ionophores, Buffers, Yeast/Probiotics, Mycotoxin Binders) (AFADAAAL), Organic Micro-Ingredients & Supplements (Kelp, Herbs, Oils) (AFADAJAK), Phytogenics & Botanicals (Essential Oils, Plant Extracts) (AFADAKAF)

Keywords

• Animal feed additives
• Organic trace minerals
• Livestock nutrition supplements
• Mycotoxin binders
• Probiotic feed supplements

Headquarters

HQ city

Lohne

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Feed Additives and Dietary Supplements Sales: Biochem generates revenue through the sale of feed additives, dietary feed supplements, and complementary feedstuffs. Products include organic trace minerals, probiotics, mycotoxin binders, betaine products, and specialized feed concepts for various animal species. The company serves the mixed feed industry, veterinary industry, and directly advises farmers on optimum product and feed concepts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Biochem develops, produces, and markets feed additives, dietary and complementary feedstuffs, and integrated product concepts for livestock, poultry, swine, aquaculture, and companion animals. Its portfolio centers on organic trace minerals (glycinates and amino-acid chelates), probiotics, mycotoxin binders, betaine products, and species-specific formulations (such as RumiPro® for ruminants, LiquiTonic LC for poultry, and CalmSoul for pets) sold B2B to the global mixed-feed industry, veterinarians, and farmers across more than 90 markets.

Product overview

Biochem is a German feed additive specialist offering a comprehensive portfolio of nutritional products and feed solutions for animal health and productivity. The product range centers on organically-bound trace minerals (glycine chelates and amino acid-bound minerals), probiotics (TechnoSpore®), mycotoxin binders (B.I.O.Tox® Activ8), betaine products (Hepatron®), and specialized species-specific solutions including ruminant products (RumiPro® line), poultry liver support (LiquiTonic LC), and companion animal products (CalmSoul). All products are researched, developed, and produced in Germany to meet the highest quality standards, with certifications including GMP+, ISO 9001:2015, and EcoVadis sustainability recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TechnoSpore®: Probiotic based on Bacillus coagulans DSM 32016 for gut health and feed digestibility
• B.I.O.Tox® Activ8
• E.C.O.Trace®
• BetaTrace®
• LiquiTonic LC
• RumiPro®
• Hepatron®
• B.I.O.Key®
• CalmSoul
• TechnoMos®

Products and services

• TechnoSpore® Probiotic feed additive based on Bacillus coagulans DSM 32016 designed to enhance gut health, feed digestibility, and growth performance in poultry and other animals, for use by compound-feed producers and farmers.
• B.I.O.Tox® Activ8 Combined mycotoxin binder with surface-activated binding agents and phytogenic components offering superior binding efficiency against aflatoxins, ochratoxins, zearalenone, T-2/HT-2 toxin, deoxynivalenol, and fumonisins for use in compound feed.
• E.C.O.Trace® Iron Glycine-bound iron (glycinate) with superior stability at low pH and higher bioavailability than inorganic iron sulfate, supporting growth, immunity, and production in livestock, poultry, swine, and aquaculture.
• BetaTrace® Iron Unique patented organic iron molecule combining betaine bound to iron that resists rumen degradation, provides superior methyl-group supply in dairy cows, and supports gut health, immune function, and energy metabolism in high-demand animals.
• LiquiTonic LC Concentrated liquid feed additive combining L-carnitine, betaine, and phytogenic extract to support fatty acid metabolism and protect liver cells in poultry, including egg-laying hens and broilers.
• E.C.O.Trace® Premix Standard I Premix of glycine-bound trace minerals (copper, manganese, zinc in 1:2:4 ratio) for swine, cattle, poultry, aquatic animals, horses, and other species, providing enhanced antioxidant defense and immune support.
• B.I.O.Key® Iron Organic iron bound to amino acids from hydrolyzed soy protein, with superior gastrointestinal stability and higher bioavailability than inorganic iron for high-performance animal feeds.
• Hepatron® 95% Premium anhydrous betaine product (95%) promoting enhanced growth performance, improved nutrient digestibility, and high-level liver protection with osmoregulatory effects during heat and metabolic stress.
• RumiPro® Wean Feed additive developed for ruminants to support calves during the weaning transition, part of the RumiPro® line for dairy cattle.
• RumiPro® Urea Slow-release urea supplied as free-flowing granules for dairy cattle diets, reformulated with rapeseed-based fat instead of palm fat to support sustainability while providing controlled nitrogen release.
• RumiPro® Adapt Multidimensional dietary feed supplement combining rumen stabilization, osmoregulation, immune support, and antioxidant capacity for stress management in dairy cattle during high-stress periods.
• CalmSoul Natural, non-sedative complementary feed paste for cats and dogs using synergistic botanical and amino-acid formula to manage stress without causing drowsiness.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15-day reduction in rest period and 9% increase in insemination success in dairy cows with E.C.O.Trace use
• +5 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BASFflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Biochem announced agreement for Biochem's acquisition of BASF's Global Glycinate Business. This strategic acquisition reinforces Biochem's role as a pioneer in high-performance organic trace minerals (OTMs) since 1992 and broadens its global market presence. The acquisition is pending regulatory approval.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Adisseo (Bluestar): Global feed additive manufacturer with strong positions in methionine, enzymes, and trace minerals (including organic/chelated forms), competing with Biochem directly in ruminant and poultry OTM and betaine segments.
• Orffa: Specialist in feed additives including trace minerals, betaine, and probiotics, headquartered in the Netherlands and serving the global livestock market — the closest functional twin to Biochem in European OTM and feed additive distribution.
• Alltech: Global animal nutrition company with deep product overlap in organic trace minerals (Bioplex), mycotoxin binders (Mycosorb), and probiotics/yeast — a peer in virtually every species Biochem serves.
• Phibro Animal Health: Animal health and nutrition company with product overlap in trace minerals, mycotoxin binders, and species-specific feed additives — a focused competitor in mid-market nutrition segments.
• Novus International: Animal nutrition and feed additive specialist with trace mineral (MINTREX chelated trace minerals) and gut health product lines overlapping Biochem's E.C.O.Trace and TechnoSpore portfolios.
• Kemin Industries: US-based global feed ingredient and functional additive supplier (mycotoxin management, gut health, trace minerals) with overlapping product categories across ruminants, poultry, and swine — directly comparable to Biochem's species-segmented approach.
• Selko (Royal ADM-Pancosma): Feed additives brand of ADM focused on trace minerals, mycotoxin solutions, and gut health across multiple species — directly comparable product matrix and customer base to Biochem.

Broad incumbents

• Trouw Nutrition (Nutreco): Premix, feed additive, and animal nutrition solutions provider with global reach and species-specific programs — overlaps with Biochem in trace minerals, mycotoxin binders, and young animal nutrition across ruminants and swine.
• DSM-Firmenich (Animal Nutrition & Health): Global animal nutrition major with a much larger portfolio spanning vitamins, enzymes, eubiotics, and premixes — competing with Biochem across OTM and feed additive categories but with substantially broader capabilities and scale.
• Evonik Animal Nutrition: Producer of amino acids (DL-methionine, L-lysine) and gut health/probiotic additives (such as Ecobiol) — competes with Biochem in additive categories for poultry and swine and offers a much larger industrial footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSelSW5Sp_K9pQdJNtZZeqA
• Facebookfacebook.com/biochemcareers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biochem-gmbh

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Biochem