BASF Human Nutrition

Name

BASF Human Nutrition

Legal name

BASF SE

Website

https://nutrition.basf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nutritional Ingredients

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Animal Food Manufacturing (31111)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Fortification Ingredients (Vitamins, Minerals, Nutrient Premixes) (CRADAOAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multivitamins & Daily Packs (CRADAGAC), Healthy Aging & Cognitive Support Supplements (CRADAGAM)

Keywords

• Nutritional ingredients
• Feed additives
• Vitamin manufacturing
• Carotenoid production
• Food fortification

Headquarters

HQ city

Ludwigshafen Am Rhein-oggersheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Human Nutrition Ingredients: BASF manufactures and sells vitamins, carotenoids, and beverage stabilizers (Divergan) to food, beverage, dietary supplement, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Revenue is generated through direct B2B sales and distributor relationships.
2. Animal Nutrition Feed Ingredients: BASF supplies feed ingredients including vitamins, carotenoids, enzymes (phytases, NSP enzymes), and organic acids to livestock, aquaculture, and companion animal feed producers. Revenue generated through product sales with technical support services.
3. Food Fortification Solutions: BASF provides micronutrients (vitamins A, D) and technical expertise for food fortification programs targeting staple foods (oil, flour, sugar, milk, rice) in developing countries. Works with government agencies, NGOs, and food producers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BASF Human Nutrition manufactures and sells vitamins, carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene), feed enzymes (Natuphos phytases, Natugrain NSP enzymes, Natupulse beta-mannanase), organic acids (Amasil, Luprosil, Lupro-Cid) for feed preservation, Divergan beverage stabilizers for beer and wine, and supports food fortification programs across 40+ countries. Products serve food, beverage, dietary supplement, pharmaceutical, and animal feed manufacturers through direct sales, eCommerce, and distributor channels.

Product overview

BASF Human Nutrition offers a comprehensive portfolio of vital ingredients for human and animal nutrition, centered on vitamins and carotenoids. The human nutrition portfolio includes: Vitamins (50+ years experience), Carotenoids including Lucarotin® beta-carotene, Xangold® lutein, and LycoVit® lycopene products, and Divergan® beverage stabilizers for beer and wine clarification. The company also provides extensive food fortification programs for staple foods (oil, sugar, milk, flour, rice, seasonings) across 40+ countries. The animal nutrition portfolio encompasses: feed enzymes (Natuphos® E hybrid-6-phytase, Natugrain® TS, Natupulse® TS), carotenoids for pigmentation (Lucantin® Red/Yellow/Pink), organic acids for feed preservation (Amasil®, Luprosil®, Lupro-Cid®), and digital solutions through Virtual Assistants platforms. Sustainability is supported through Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) certifications and TÜV Rheinland verification for selected products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lucarotin: Beta-carotene product brand for human nutrition - used as colorant and nutritional ingredient in foods, beverages, and dietary supplements
• Xangold
• LycoVit
• Divergan
• Lutavit
• Natuphos
• Natugrain
• Natupulse
• Lucantin
• Amasil
• Luprosil
• Lupro-Cid
• Lupro-Mix

Products and services

• Vitamins
• Carotenoids
• Divergan
• Lucarotin Beta-Carotene
• Xangold Lutein
• LycoVit Lycopene
• Feed Enzymes
• Natuphos E
• Natugrain TS
• Natupulse TS
• Lucantin Carotenoids (Animal Nutrition)
• Lutavit A/D3 1000/200 NXT
• Feed Preservation Solutions
• Lucarotin 10% Feed NXT
• Food Fortification Solutions

Quantifiable outcome

• Product Carbon Footprint of Lutavit A 1000 NXT and Lutavit E 50 at least 20% better than global market average (certified by TÜV Rheinland)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• BiochemminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2025Biochem, an animal nutrition company specializing in feed additives, agreed to acquire BASF's global glycinate business. This divestiture represents BASF's step in refining its portfolio toward core ingredients for human and animal nutrition. The transaction was expected to close in Q1 2026.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Strategic alliance 'Affordable Nutritious Foods for Women' (ANF4W) with GIZ to provide micronutrients for women of reproductive age and children in Kenya and Tanzania. Additionally, SAFO partnership (2008-2012) reached 100+ million people with vitamin-A-fortified foods.
• Millers for Nutrition CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerM4N is an industry-led coalition aiming to reach one billion people with adequately fortified food in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Tanzania by 2026. BASF participates as a partner supporting micronutrient fortification.
• GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBASF collaborates with GAIN to strengthen technical capacity of staple food producers and achieve more impact in reducing micronutrient malnutrition globally.
• Every Woman Every Child InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBASF commitment to improve well-being of women, children, and adolescents through nutrition initiatives.
• SUN Business Network (Scaling Up Nutrition)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBASF commitment contributes to improving nutrition and healthy lifestyle of about 113,000 employees in more than 80 countries and supports access to fortified staple foods.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Novonesis: Direct peer in feed enzymes (phytases, xylanases) and increasingly in human nutrition probiotics and proteins; Novonesis is the global enzyme volume leader and a primary competitor to BASF's Natuphos, Natugrain, and Natupulse lines.
• dsm-firmenich: Direct peer in vitamins, carotenoids (e.g., ampli-D, CaroCare), and feed enzymes, formed via the DSM-Firmenich merger that consolidated the largest specialty nutrition ingredient platform alongside BASF's offerings.
• IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances): Direct peer through its Health & Biosciences division, competing in cultures and enzymes, food protection ingredients, and flavors—overlapping directly with BASF's enzymes, organic acids, and human nutrition ingredient portfolios.
• Evonik: Direct peer in animal nutrition amino acids and specialty feed additives; competes with BASF Animal Nutrition in livestock, aquaculture, and companion animal feed markets with a comparable science-led sales model.
• Lonza Group: Direct peer in vitamins, carotenoids, and specialty nutrition ingredients serving pharmaceutical, dietary supplement, and food customers; comparable B2B ingredient manufacturer with similar regulatory, formulation, and customer dynamics.
• Glanbia Nutritionals: Direct peer in vitamin/mineral premixes, custom nutrient blends, and specialty proteins for human nutrition; comparable B2B ingredient manufacturer focused on fortified food, beverage, and supplement customers.
• Lallemand: Direct peer in yeast-derived feed additives and human nutrition probiotics; competes with BASF Animal Nutrition on specialty functional ingredients for livestock, aquaculture, and companion animals.

Broad incumbents

• Kerry Group: Broad incumbent in taste and nutrition ingredients serving food and beverage manufacturers; competes with BASF Human Nutrition on functional ingredients, fortification systems, and beverage stabilizer adjacencies.
• ADM: Broad incumbent operating a global Nutrition segment (human and animal) alongside agricultural processing; overlaps with BASF on flavors, colors, and feed ingredients but at greater scale and with broader commodity exposure.
• Cargill: Broad incumbent with animal nutrition and premix capabilities plus a deep footprint in food and beverage ingredient supply; competes with BASF in feed additives and food fortification adjacencies through its global origination and processing platform.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/basf

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 BASF Human Nutrition