Kerry is uniquely positioned to meet current market challenges, says Europe CEO [Interview]

“We are very much an insight and consumer-driven company, translating trends into our portfolio of solutions and, through this, we are uniquely positioned to respond to market requests and the pace of the current environment,” said Thomas Hahlin Ahlinder, President and CEO at Kerry Europe and Russia.

“For example, the evolution of plant-based foods, although ongoing for quite some time, is now accelerating rapidly. People are asking questions like, ‘are these products equally good or even better from a nutrition and taste point of view?’ and ‘how do you mimic the original product in the best possible way?’”

“Kerry has invested lots of research on innovation and time working with customers on solutions to help them meet this challenge: bringing alternative meat and dairy products to the market that are nutritious, taste good and remain safe to consume throughout shelf life. When we consider plant-based meat, it faces the same food safety risks as animal meat. Yet, spoilage challenges are often higher due to the diversity of raw materials used. Our recent acquisition of Niacet creates a new leadership for Kerry in the preservatives space and by combining this with our plant protein and taste capability and knowledge, we are well-placed to meet what is an accelerating market demand.”

“The pandemic advanced the need in the marketplace, and I believe this will be sustained over time. There is much greater awareness among consumers about how different solutions can help their immunity.”

“I’m old enough to remember a time when there were only products available for when you were already ill. It wasn’t about preventing a health problem but fixing it when it happened, and that has changed dramatically,” he added.

“Historically, acquisitions have been a big part of […] the DNA of Kerry. We are always looking for technology to add value to our current offering and strengthen our position in the market,” said the CEO, who joined the company less than one year ago but previously worked at ingredient companies. “It’s ongoing work, scouting the market and identifying potential gaps in our portfolio, and then bringing in new technologies, for example with Biosearch and Niacet.”

“The global demand for technologies that preserve freshness, extend shelf life and reduce food waste is growing. By combining Niacet and Kerry’s collective technologies, capabilities and expert knowledge and by layering in Kerry’s broader taste and nutrition portfolio, we are able to develop solutions for even the most complex of food safety challenges.”

“We have a number of technologies that we bring to the market to help customers include the right taste profile for each product. That is fundamentally important. If it doesn’t taste well, there is a risk they won’t repeat buy.”

“We are at the forefront in bringing taste and nutrition together. When you consider the added value of our proactive health, plant-based and preservation platforms, I would argue that we are uniquely positioned to support our customers to overcome their challenges to create sustainable, nutritious, good-tasting food.”