In the past twelve years since ADM acquired Wild Flavors, the flavors business has evolved into a thriving part of the company’s operations. Ian Pinner, senior vice president and president of nutrition at ADM, highlighted the continuous growth and success of the flavors business during a presentation at the Barclays Global Consumer Conference in Boston.
He emphasized the importance of strong customer focus, commercial discipline, and executional discipline in driving the growth of the flavors business. ADM has invested significantly in core capabilities since acquiring Wild in 2014, aligning with emerging consumer trends such as health and well-being, functionality, and clean label.
Pinner also mentioned the strong growth in emerging markets, citing India as an example where ADM’s flavor systems and colors were recently featured in a new prebiotic beverage. Additionally, ADM aims to capture $80 million to $100 million of operating profit as companies transition to natural colors from artificial colors.
Regarding color reformulation, Pinner explained that it involves more than just replacing artificial colors with natural ones. It requires considerations such as taste, other ingredients, shelf stability, and shelf life. ADM offers a comprehensive solution by leveraging its portfolio of ingredients to provide customers with a holistic approach to product development.