The Ballard Group, Inc.

What The Ballard Group, Inc. does

The Ballard Group, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned U.S. specialty ingredient company founded in 1996 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company operates two intertwined lines of business: (1) importing and distributing specialty feed and pet-food ingredients sourced from established producers across Asia, Europe, and Africa, warehoused in the U.S. and sold domestically to feed mills and pet-food manufacturers; and (2) manufacturing and selling SALMATE®, a proprietary spray-dried omega-3 (EPA and DHA) powder produced under a GMP+ certified process in Kentucky, USA.

SALMATE® is the company's flagship product and the technical anchor of the business. It is a free-flowing powder made from refined fish oil encapsulated in a modified-starch matrix with natural antioxidants, designed to protect omega-3 fatty acids from oxidation during storage and processing while delivering targeted intestinal release for improved bioavailability. The product is offered in three grades — SALMATE® Regular (balanced EPA/DHA), SALMATE® DHA+ (elevated DHA for reproductive, early-life, and cognitive nutrition), and SALMATE® Natural (clean-label format) — and is supported by full batch traceability from marine source through finished powder.

The company generates revenue through B2B product sales to formulators in the pet food and animal feed industries, using a consultative, sales-led go-to-market model that emphasizes personal service, direct relationships, and support for sourcing, compliance, and omega-3 nutrition needs. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customers include dog and cat food manufacturers and livestock feed mills serving dairy, swine, and equine end-markets, primarily across North America. The company employs approximately 6 people and operates with no public listing, no disclosed funding rounds, and no institutional or private-equity backing.

Name

The Ballard Group, Inc.

Legal name

Ballard Group Inc.

Website

https://ballardgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ballard Group is a family-owned U.S. specialty ingredient importer and the maker of SALMATE®, a proprietary spray-dried omega-3 (EPA/DHA) powder, serving feed mills and pet-food manufacturers across North America since 1996.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Animal Nutrition Ingredients

NAICS

Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119), Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42491)

SIC

Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom & Private-Label Pet Food Manufacturing (AFADAFAO)

Keywords

• Specialty feed ingredients
• Pet food ingredients
• Omega-3 encapsulation
• Animal nutrition powders
• Marine omega-3 supplements

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Specialty Ingredients Distribution: Imports and distributes specialty feed and pet-food ingredients sourced globally from established producers, warehoused in U.S. facilities and delivered domestically to feed mills and pet-food manufacturers. Revenue generated through product sales with consistent, recurring customer relationships.
2. SALMATE® Proprietary Omega-3: Sale of proprietary spray-dried omega-3 powder (EPA and DHA) under the SALMATE® brand. Three grades offered: Regular, DHA+, and Natural. Manufactured to company specification in Kentucky, USA. Revenue from recurring product sales to formulators.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Ballard Group imports and distributes specialty feed and pet-food ingredients sourced globally from established producers, warehoused in U.S. facilities and delivered domestically to feed mills and pet-food manufacturers. The company also develops and sells its proprietary SALMATE® brand of spray-dried omega-3 (EPA and DHA) powders, manufactured to specification in Kentucky, USA, for stable dry delivery in kibble, premix, pellet, and supplement formulations.

Product overview

The Ballard Group is a specialty ingredient importer and distributor serving the pet food and animal feed industries. Their portfolio consists of two main categories: (1) Proprietary omega-3 products under the SALMATE® brand, including SALMATE® Regular (balanced EPA/DHA), SALMATE® DHA+ (elevated DHA for reproductive and cognitive nutrition), and SALMATE® Natural (clean-label format); and (2) Sourced specialty ingredients including fruit/vegetable/botanical powders, joint & functional ingredients, and specialty omega-3 powders. SALMATE® is their flagship proprietary product—a spray-dried, encapsulated omega-3 powder manufactured to their specification in Kentucky, USA, designed for stable, free-flowing delivery of EPA and DHA in dry feed, premix, kibble, pellet, and supplement formulations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SALMATE®: Proprietary spray-dried omega-3 (EPA and DHA) powder for animal feed and pet food, available in Regular, DHA+, and Natural grades. GMP+ certified and made in Kentucky, USA.

Products and services

• SALMATE® Regular Balanced EPA and DHA spray-dried omega-3 powder for everyday feed and pet-food formulation, serving as the core workhorse omega-3 product for pet food and feed manufacturers.
• SALMATE® DHA+ Elevated-DHA profile spray-dried omega-3 powder designed for reproductive, early-life, and cognitive nutrition across species, targeted at pet food and feed manufacturers.
• SALMATE® Natural Clean-label spray-dried omega-3 powder format for natural and premium product positioning in pet food and animal feed, targeting manufacturers needing clean-label ingredient options.
• SALMATE® Proprietary Omega-3 Powder Proprietary spray-dried omega-3 (EPA and DHA) powder made from refined fish oil, encapsulated in a modified-starch matrix with natural antioxidants for stable, free-flowing delivery in pet food and animal feed applications. Available in Regular, DHA+, and Natural grades.
• Fruit, Vegetable & Botanical Powders Nutrient-dense plant powders including kale, spinach, ginger, and turmeric sourced globally and supplied for clean-label and functional pet-food and feed formulations.
• Joint & Functional Ingredients Established joint and mobility support ingredients including glucosamine, MSM, and chondroitin sourced for companion-animal nutrition formulations.
• Specialty Omega-3 Powders Spray-dried and specialty powders including refined fish oil and coconut oil powder alongside proprietary omega-3 products for pet food and feed manufacturers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Longer shelf life and reduced waste compared to liquid fish oil due to encapsulated omega-3 protection
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Alltech: Global animal nutrition company with specialty feed ingredients including omega-3, trace minerals, and yeast-based products. Comparable to Ballard Group in proprietary specialty ingredients targeting dairy, swine, equine, and pet nutrition.
• Aker BioMarine: Norwegian supplier of marine-derived omega-3 ingredients (krill and fish oil) for human and animal nutrition. Highly comparable to Ballard Group's SALMATE® offering in marine omega-3 encapsulation, with both serving pet food and animal feed customers.
• Epax (Pelagia): Specialist marine omega-3 concentrate and ingredient manufacturer serving nutrition and pet food customers. Comparable to Ballard Group's SALMATE® in supplying encapsulated/concentrated EPA and DHA to B2B nutrition formulators.
• Lallemand Animal Nutrition: Specialty animal nutrition company offering proprietary microbial and functional feed ingredients to feed mills and pet food manufacturers. Comparable to Ballard Group in proprietary ingredient positioning and B2B consultative sales model.
• Kemin Industries: U.S.-based specialty ingredient manufacturer serving animal feed and pet food with proprietary encapsulated nutrients and antioxidant systems. Closely comparable to Ballard Group in product customization, regulatory certifications, and B2B feed/pet food customer base.
• Phileo by Lesaffre: Specialty animal nutrition and pet food ingredient business of Lesaffre, focused on proprietary yeast-based and functional ingredients. Comparable to Ballard Group as a B2B specialty ingredient supplier with proprietary product lines for feed and pet food manufacturers.

Broad incumbents

• ADM Animal Nutrition: Diversified agricultural major supplying specialty feed ingredients, premixes, and omega-3 to feed mills and pet food customers. Comparable to Ballard Group's distribution and specialty ingredient positioning, with much broader portfolio.
• Cargill Animal Nutrition: Major animal feed ingredient and premix supplier with deep relationships across feed mills and pet food manufacturers. Overlaps with Ballard Group on omega-3 distribution but at vastly greater scale and product breadth.
• dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health: Global animal nutrition giant offering VERAGOS/Ropufa omega-3 products and a broad premix/specialty ingredient portfolio. Comparable to Ballard Group in marine omega-3 for pet and feed, but with vastly larger scale and R&D.
• BASF Animal Nutrition: Global chemical and nutrition major supplying vitamins, omega-3, carotenoids, and specialty feed additives. Comparable to Ballard Group in omega-3 and specialty feed ingredients but operating at industrial scale with deep R&D.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-ballard-group-inc.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Ballard Group, Inc.