BASF 'impressed' with Cognis integration, expecting more M&A

One year on from the $3.1 billion acquisition of Cognis, Samy Jandali, VP of nutrition and health North America for BASF, told Stephen Daniells why he is impressed with the progress of the integration and why we can expect more M&A in the nutrition industry.

Speaking with NutraIngredients-USA at the IFT annual meeting and food expo in New Orleans, Jandali said that the enlarged company was focusing on the strengths inherent in both BASF and Cognis to deliver higher value to their customers and the end consumer.

“The days of being an ingredient supplier only are long over,” he said.

“We will see more M&A and consolidation in the industry will continue,” said Jandali

“We’re trying to feed nine billion people on the planet by 2050 and I hope that’s not only what’s driving BASF but also our competition because we have a job to do in this extent.”

Jandali also talked about BASF’s sustainability program, called “The S.E.T. Initiative”, which is designed to enable the implementation of ‘sustainability’, ‘eco-efficiency’ and ‘traceability.

BASF has developed analysis to optimize profitability and improve the environmental and social aspects involved in a product’s evolution.