Pharmachem
Pharmachem is a privately held Mexican distributor (founded 1995) of raw materials and primary packaging for pharmaceutical, personal care, home care, food, and packaging manufacturers, operating four COFEPRIS-compliant warehouses and serving customers through an in-house Innovation Center.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersSan Pedro, Mexico
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pharmachem does
Pharmachem (legal name PHARMACHEM, S.A. de C.V.) is a privately held Mexican B2B distributor of raw materials and primary packaging materials, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Mexico City. The company operates five vertical business units — Pharmaceutical, Personal Care, Home & Institutional Care, Food, and Packaging — distributing ingredients such as vitamins, mineral premixes, APIs, rheology modifiers, surfactants, enzymes, flavors, stevia extract, and packaging formats including glass, aluminum, and PET/PE containers to industrial customers in Mexico.
The company represents more than 25 international brand principals, including dsm-firmenich for pharmaceutical-grade vitamins, Stoelzle Pharma for glass primary packaging, Elementis for specialty rheology modifiers, Bell Flavors for natural flavors, Rahn for cosmetic biotech ingredients, and NAOLys for plant-cell cosmetic actives. Its operations are anchored by four warehouses in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Cuautitlán, and Altamira that comply with COFEPRIS sanitary norms, with monitored temperature, humidity, refrigeration, and CCTV. A separately notable capability is the Centro de Innovación (Innovation Center), which provides formulation development, prototyping, stability testing, and a trained sensory panel to customers as a value-added technical service.
Pharmachem monetizes through transaction-fee distribution across its five verticals supplemented by professional services revenue from the Innovation Center. Pricing is quote-based, customized by volume, material, and frequency, and not publicly listed. The company holds ISO 9001:2015, SARI (via ANIQ), SEDEX-SMETA 4 Pillars, and GPTW certifications, and operates a sales-led go-to-market reinforced by trade show participation and a content-driven website and social presence. The business is intentionally concentrated within Mexico, with no disclosed revenue, funding, or ownership structure beyond the operating entity itself.
Pharmachem firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pharmachem
- Legal name
- PHARMACHEM, S.A. de C.V.
- Website
- https://pharmachem.com.mx
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Pharmachem is a privately held Mexican distributor (founded 1995) of raw materials and primary packaging for pharmaceutical, personal care, home care, food, and packaging manufacturers, operating four COFEPRIS-compliant warehouses and serving customers through an in-house Innovation Center.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pharmachem industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Chemical and Raw Materials Distribution
- NAICS
- Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (424210), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (42421), Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122), Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047), Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Compounding Ingredient & API Distributors (Pharma Supply) (HLAIAJAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Prescription Pharmaceutical (Rx) Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAHAA), Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging (Blister Packs, Bottles, Vials, Ampoules) (IMALAIAA), Retail Pharmacy Supply Wholesalers (HLAIAJAE), Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Warehousing (GDP-Compliant) (TLAIACAD)
Keywords
Where Pharmachem is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Pedro
- HQ country
- Mexico
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Pharmachem business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Raw Materials Distribution: Distribution of high-quality raw materials including rheology modifiers, active plant cells, cosmetic specialties, surfactants, additives, enzymes, fragrances, vitamins, vitamin premixes, minerals, APIs, vitamin premixes, flavors, yeast extracts, and stevia extract for pharmaceutical, food, personal care, and home care industries.
- Primary Packaging Materials Distribution: Distribution of glass bottles, aluminum bottles, PET and PE containers and accessories, and sustainable packaging solutions.
- Innovation and Formulation Services: Technical support, formulation development, prototype creation, stability testing, and sensory testing services for customer product development needs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Customized quotation-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Pharmachem product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pharmachem distributes specialty raw materials and primary packaging materials to manufacturers across pharmaceutical, food, personal care, home/institutional care, and packaging industries in Mexico. The offering is organized in five business units (Personal Care, Home & Institutional Care, Pharmaceutical, Food, Packaging) supplemented by an in-house Innovation Center providing formulation development, prototyping, stability testing, and technical advisory services. Materials are sourced from over 25 international brand partners and delivered through a COFEPRIS-compliant multi-warehouse distribution network.
Product overview
Pharmachem is a Mexican raw materials distributor serving the pharmaceutical, personal care, household/institutional care, food, and packaging industries. The company operates five distinct business units — Cuidado Personal, Cuidado del Hogar e Institucional, Farmacéutica, Alimentos, and Empaque — distributing raw materials and primary packaging from over 25 national and international brand partners. Its portfolio spans rheology modifiers, active vegetable cells, cosmetic specialties, fragrances, surfactants, vitamins, minerals, APIs, pre-mixes, flavors, yeast extracts, stevia extract, glass bottles, aluminum bottles, and PET/PE containers. The offering is structured as a distribution platform supplemented by value-added services including the Centro de Innovación (Innovation Center) for formulation development and prototyping, a Commercial Team, Operations (warehousing and logistics), Quality assurance, Systems management, Customer Service, and Safety and Hygiene.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cuidado Personal (Personal Care) Raw Materials Distribution Distribution of rheology modifiers, active vegetable cells, cosmetic specialties, fragrances, surfactants, UV filters, and preservatives for the personal care and cosmetics industry. Targeted at formulators and brand owners developing personal care products.
- Cuidado del Hogar e Institucional (Home and Institutional Care) Raw Materials Distribution Distribution of surfactants, additives, enzymes, and fragrances for household and institutional cleaning and care products. For manufacturers of home care, laundry, dishwashing, and institutional cleaning products.
- Farmac\u00e9utica (Pharmaceutical) Raw Materials Distribution Distribution of vitamins, vitamin and mineral pre-mixes, minerals, and APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) for the pharmaceutical industry. For drug product manufacturers requiring COFEPRIS-compliant materials with GMP/DMF documentation.
- Alimentos (Food) Ingredients Distribution Distribution of vitamin and mineral pre-mixes, flavors, yeast extracts, and stevia extract for the food and beverage industry. For manufacturers addressing food fortification, clean label, and sodium/sugar reduction requirements.
- Empaque (Primary Packaging Materials) Distribution Distribution of glass bottles, aluminum bottles, PET and PE containers and accessories, and sustainable packaging solutions. For pharmaceutical, food, personal care, and home care manufacturers requiring primary packaging materials.
- Centro de Innovaci\u00f3n (Innovation Center) Formulation and Technical Services Value-added technical services including prototype development, complete formulation creation, applications development, technical advisory, scientific support, stability and performance testing, and sensory panel evaluation. For customers developing new or improved products across all five business units.
Companies that use Pharmachem
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Pharmachem technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Pharmachem partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- dsm-firmenichcoreStrategic partner supplying vitamins, vitamin premixes, and minerals for pharmaceutical and nutritional applications. Their products include pharma-grade vitamins with GMP, DMF, and pharmaceutical dossiers for COFEPRIS registration support.
- Bell FlavorscoreSupplier of natural flavors with advantages including no synthetic substances, guaranteed organic and natural final products, and pleasant flavor profiles for food applications.
- RahncoreOfficial distributor of Rahn in Mexico offering LIFTONIN-XPRESS and biotechnological solutions for cosmetics, foods, and pharmaceuticals including products for attenuating rosacea and redness.
- ElementiscoreGlobal leader in specialty chemicals providing Bentone Plus Glow, Bentone Luxe XO, and Hydroclay rheology modifiers for cosmetic formulations including antiperspirants and sunscreens.
- Stoelzle PharmacoreGlass packaging partner offering primary pharmaceutical packaging solutions including glass bottles, closures, and integrated supply chain services from product development to industrial production.
- ANIQ (Asociación Nacional de la Industria Química)minorPharmachem is a member of ANIQ, promoting among suppliers and clients adherence to the Integral Responsibility Administration System (SARI).
- AZECO CosmeceuticalscoreSupplier of AZEPUR 99, high-purity azelaic acid (>99%) derived from high oleic sunflower oil with COSMOS certification for cosmetic applications.
- PrespersecoreSupplier of Arcopearl Sparkle line of coated micas offering high chroma, intensity, and superior shine for cosmetic formulations with allergen-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and cruelty-free certifications.
- MulticerascoreSupplier of Candelilla Real eLife Especial candelilla wax with clean citric acid extraction process that reduces risks associated with sulfuric acid use.
- NAOLyscoreBiotechnology company specializing in plant cell ingredients for cosmetics with patented technology preserving and caring for each plant species obtained.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pharmachem competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pochteca: Leading Mexican distributor of raw materials and specialty chemicals serving industrial, food, personal care, and pharmaceutical end markets. Highly comparable as a Mexico-centric raw-materials distributor with multiple verticals and similar B2B specialty distribution model.
Broad incumbents
- Univar Solutions: Global chemical and ingredients distributor serving pharma, personal care, food, and industrial customers across the Americas. Comparable to Pharmachem in pharma and personal care distribution, though vastly larger in scale and geographic reach.
- Barentz: Specialty ingredients distributor focused on human nutrition, pharma, and personal care, with growing Latin America presence. Overlaps in vitamin premixes, APIs, cosmetic actives, and rheology modifiers supplied to similar Mexican/LATAM customers.
- Brenntag: World's largest chemical and ingredients distributor with operations in Mexico/Latin America. Overlaps with Pharmachem across pharma APIs, food ingredients, personal care specialties, and home care chemicals, but operates globally with a much broader portfolio.
- IMCD: Global specialty distribution and formulation group with strong presence in personal care, pharma, and food specialties. Directly competes for the same global principals and serves Mexico through local entities; comparable value-added formulation/technical services model.
- Azelis: Specialty ingredients distributor with deep personal care, pharma, and food verticals including operations in Latin America. Comparable ingredient-distribution business with technical sales force and laboratory/application support.
- Manuchar: Global distributor of chemicals and specialty ingredients with established Mexican operations serving pharma, personal care, home care, and food. Comparable multi-vertical raw materials distribution model but at materially larger scale.
- Helm AG: Hamburg-based distribution and marketing group for specialty chemicals, including life sciences and crop nutrition. Comparable principal-representation model focused on specialty raw materials, with pharma and personal care adjacencies.
Regional players
- Alpes S.A. (Grupo Alpes / Droguería del Sur): Specialty raw materials and pharmaceutical distributor serving the Southern Cone markets (Argentina, Chile). Comparable principal-representation and pharma/personal-care ingredient distribution model in a different LATAM geography.
- Química Borden (and Meg Chemicals): Latin American-focused chemical and ingredient distributors serving similar pharma, personal care, and home care customers. Regional peers that compete for the same Mexican and Central American principals and accounts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pharmachem social profiles
Digital presencePharmachem compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Pharmachem financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pharmachem leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Pharmachem funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pharmachem M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pharmachem
What does Pharmachem do?
Pharmachem distributes specialty raw materials and primary packaging materials to manufacturers across pharmaceutical, food, personal care, home/institutional care, and packaging industries in Mexico. The offering is organized in five business units (Personal Care, Home & Institutional Care, Pharmaceutical, Food, Packaging) supplemented by an in-house Innovation Center providing formulation development, prototyping, stability testing, and technical advisory services. Materials are sourced from over 25 international brand partners and delivered through a COFEPRIS-compliant multi-warehouse distribution network.
Is Pharmachem a public or private company?
Pharmachem is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Pharmachem founded?
Pharmachem was founded in 1995. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Pharmachem based?
Pharmachem is headquartered in San Pedro, Mexico, in the Latin America region.
How does Pharmachem make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Raw Materials Distribution is the primary driver. The others are primary Packaging Materials Distribution and innovation and Formulation Services.
Who are Pharmachem's main competitors?
Pochteca is listed as a direct peer. Broad incumbents are Univar Solutions, Barentz, Brenntag, IMCD, Azelis, Manuchar and Helm AG. Regional players are Alpes S.A. (Grupo Alpes / Droguería del Sur) and Química Borden (and Meg Chemicals).
Does Pharmachem have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pharmachem.
What industry is Pharmachem in?
Pharmachem's product category is Specialty Chemical and Raw Materials Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIAJAO, Compounding Ingredient & API Distributors (Pharma Supply), with a secondary code of CRAOAHAA, Prescription Pharmaceutical (Rx) Wholesale Distribution. Its NAICS code is 424210 and its SIC code is 5122.