The Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER), working with market intelligence provider Kemiex, has released "Feed Additives: A Primer on Precursors" examining the upstream supply chains behind vitamins and amino acids used in animal feed and pet food.
The assessment goes beyond finished products to trace the precursor materials, intermediates and other inputs needed for production.
“The precursors assessment looks upstream of the vitamin and amino acid supply chain, giving the feed and pet food industries a more complete picture of the complexity that could affect ingredient availability,” said Lara Moody, IFEEDER executive director.
The report shows how supply chains for these additives have changed in recent years, with COVID-19, geopolitical tensions, trade issues and drug shortages drawing more attention to how these systems work. While shared chemical inputs and infrastructure can improve efficiency, they also create interdependencies where one disruption could affect multiple manufacturers and products.
The report uses niacin, or vitamin B3, as an example. This essential nutrient supports animal health and feed efficiency. Niacin production depends on beta-picoline, a precursor that comes as a byproduct from pyridine production. The pyridine value chain connects to other chemical markets, including herbicides and pharmaceuticals. Changes in these markets can affect niacin production costs and availability.
Supply chain vulnerabilities differ by product, influenced by the complexity of upstream supply chains, production routes and whether alternative inputs or manufacturing pathways exist. Integrated industrial parks, where manufacturers share inputs and infrastructure, offer efficiencies but may create dependencies across multiple products and producers.
“Understanding nutrition and health supply chains requires looking beyond where a finished vitamin or amino acid is produced to the inputs and processes that make that production possible,” said Stefan Schmidinger, partner and head of market research at Kemiex.
The report recognizes practical limits to supply chain transparency, including proprietary processes, supplier confidentiality and competition law.
