DSM “recalibrates” with new strategy to underscore significance of nutrition and health markets

29 Oct 2020 --- Royal DSM is shaking off perceptions of it being solely an ingredients provider with a new brand strategy positioning the company as an end-to-end partner.

Its latest strategy targets the human nutrition and health markets in particular. DSM’s portfolio in this space will be restructured around the pillars of customized solutions, high-quality products and expert services.

“By recalibrating our positioning, we aim to demonstrate the added value that we can bring when co-innovating with our customers at every stage of development – from concept to consumer,” says Philip Eykerman, president of DSM Human Nutrition & Health.

The new strategy has been in the making for several years, Maha Elkharbotly, vice-president business line specialty nutrition at DSM Human Nutrition & Health, tells NutritionInsight. 

“Internal stakeholders representing the full spectrum of our functional disciplines, alongside external customers from a range of product categories and end markets, were consulted to help us design a strategic vision that captures who we are as a business and what we strive to achieve in an ever-changing world,” she continues. 

The company says that the strategy is representative of its offering in the general and specialty nutrition markets. 

This is while highlighting how its services, products and customized solutions can accelerate progress toward DSM’s wider objective of keeping the world’s growing population healthy.The campaign will be rolled out across trade press, digital advertising and social media.

Fitting in with broader company goals
The new positioning also forms an integral part of DSM’s overall growth strategy. 

The company says that, as a total, this will help it reach its organic growth target in the human nutrition and health markets, previously announced as delivering a CAGR of 5 percent in 2020-2023. 

The strategy also follows a significant streamlining of DSM’s solutions and services portfolio. The company says that following the acquisition of multiple brands to accelerate growth in target segments – such as Glycom in the early life nutrition market – it recognized the opportunity to tell the story of its portfolio more transparently.  

“By reorganizing how we structure our broad range of solutions, we are able to communicate our united capabilities to customers all over the world in a simple and clear way,” DSM states. 

Rolling out a new campaign 
One element of the strategy is the “Products with Purpose” campaign. 

This includes a range of concepts that express how DSM sees the individual impact of every human nutrition and health product in a distinct and engaging way, the company says. 

“Where our competitors see each product as merely an item on a shelf, we are able to see beyond that to reveal the greater purpose behind what we do at DSM,” says Elkharbotly.

DSM hopes to demonstrate an understanding of the humanity of the end-consumer and the real-life benefits that nutritional products may have on the health and well-being of people worldwide. 

“Rooted in our values of responsibility, sustainability and value, the ‘Products with Purpose’ strategy aims to elevate the customer experience and cement our place as a key strategic partner for the human nutrition and health market,” continues Elkharbotly. 

The campaign will be rolled out across trade press, digital advertising and social media. 

“The creative concepts are especially eye-catching in how they communicate our strategic platform and expertise across every vertical in a busy marketplace, further establishing DSM’s positioning and compelling customer desire to engage in a holistic way,” the company states. A running theme of DSM’s new strategy is customization and tailoring.

Personalization for immunity
A running theme of DSM’s new strategy is customization and tailoring. 

The company notes that recent advances in digital technologies and data availability, together with people’s growing desire to take charge of their own health and wellness, have resulted in considerable momentum in this emerging field.

It also has created a holistic immunity solution that combines lifestyle elements and tailored nutritional recommendations targeted at employee benefit programs, including DSM’s own.

“With immunity in the spotlight more than ever before, a personalized approach to nutrition through specific nutrient formulations has the potential to truly support consumers in optimizing their health for a more resilient future,” says James Bauly, head of personalized nutrition at DSM Human Nutrition & Health.

The company highlights immunity as an example of how it is focusing on real-world impact. It points out that nutrition has been shown to play a vital role in supporting more resilient immune function, as well as helping customers address trending consumer health concerns such as gut, brain and eye health.

“In today’s climate, consumer awareness and interest in the role that nutrition plays in health and well-being is rising at unprecedented levels, highlighting the need for solutions that can help people stay healthy and overcome global nutritional challenges,” says Elkharbotly.

She continues that COVID-19 has re-enforced and emphasized the principles of DSM’s purpose-led strategy as it works toward addressing consumer concerns arising from the pandemic such as immune health. COVID-19 has re-enforced and emphasized the principles of DSM’s purpose-led strategy, according to Elkharbotly.

A multi-disciplinary endeavor
Bauly notes that personalized nutrition requires expertise across multiple disciplines such as diagnostics, data acquisition, manufacturing and distribution. 

This ensures that the development of personalized products will empower consumers to make data-driven, conscientious choices that can positively impact their health.

“We are continuing to invest in this space to build on our position as the only fully-integrated platform partner in this field, with a robust pipeline of end-to-end solutions across multiple health benefits,” Bauly adds. 

Notably, the company has made a string of moves in this space, including acquiring AVA late last year. Other DSM personalized nutrition investments and partnerships include Panaceutics and Mixfit. 

In June, DSM stated that it was prioritizing mergers and acquisitions following the potential economic fallout stemming from COVID-19. 

By Katherine Durrell