New Report Details Supply Chain Complexity of Vitamin and Amino Acid Precursors

Arlington, Va., Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER), in collaboration with Kemiex, a specialized market intelligence provider, has released, “Feed Additives: A Primer on Precursors,” an introductory assessment examining the complex upstream supply chains behind vitamins and amino acids used in animal feed and pet food. Building on IFEEDER’s previous research into the United States’ reliance on imported vitamins and amino acids, the review looks beyond finished feed additives to better understand the precursor materials, intermediates and other inputs required for their 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. “Understanding the interconnected chemical and industrial supply chain for vitamins and amino acids equips industry leaders with the knowledge necessary to make decisions about the design, opportunities, risks and resilience of essential supply chains."

Supply chains for essential feed, food and health additives have evolved notably in recent years, with events such as COVID-19, geopolitical and trade dynamics, drug shortages, and changes in market concentration drawing increased attention to their structure and dynamics. While shared chemical inputs and infrastructure can improve manufacturing efficiency, they can also create interdependencies where a disruption affecting one precursor, facility or production pathway could have repercussions across multiple manufacturers and finished products.

The report provides examples of why supply chains need to be examined beyond the finished product. For example, niacin (i.e., vitamin B3) is an essential nutrient involved in animal nutrition and energy metabolism, supporting animal health, feed efficiency and overall productivity. Niacin is produced through chemical synthesis, and its production relies on beta-picoline, a key precursor, as a byproduct from pyridine production. The pyridine value chain is also connected to other chemical markets, such as the production of herbicides and other pharmaceuticals. As a result, changes in these markets can impact upstream inputs needed for niacin production and potentially affect production costs and availability.

The assessment also demonstrates that supply chain vulnerabilities vary considerably by product. Risks can be influenced by the complexity of a product’s upstream supply chain, its production route and whether alternative chemical inputs or manufacturing pathways are available. Integrated industrial parks, where manufacturers may share inputs, utilities and infrastructure, can provide efficiencies but may also create dependencies that extend 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. “Our evaluation shows how interconnected these supply chains can be, with critical precursors, intermediates and infrastructure often shared across manufacturers, products and even industries. Mapping those connections provides greater visibility into where opportunities and vulnerabilities may exist. Kemiex presents this primer for IFEEDER as a basis for further discussion and research.”

The findings underscore the importance of looking beyond direct suppliers and finished ingredients when assessing supply chain resilience. At the same time, the report recognizes practical limits to supply chain transparency, including proprietary manufacturing processes, supplier confidentiality and competition law. Understanding these complexities can help industry stakeholders identify where additional visibility, diversification and collaboration may strengthen preparedness for future disruptions.

The report, "Feed Additives: A Primer on Precursors," is now available on ifeeder.org. The report builds on IFEEDER’s ongoing work to provide independent, science-based research and practical resources to strengthen the resilience of the U.S. animal food supply chain.

To learn more about IFEEDER’s research or get involved, visit ifeeder.org.

Cornelia Poku
Institute for Feed Education and Research 
cpoku@afia.org

Stefan Schmidinger
Kemiex
contact@kemiex.com