The world around us

At Corbion, we actively take into account the interests of a broad group of stakeholders, including employees, customers, workers in the supply chain, regulatory bodies, local communities, shareholders and the financial community, consumers, and society at large. Listening to these groups is crucial for creating a responsible, sustainable, and resilient business model. The outcomes of these interactions inform our strategic decisions, operational plans and policies, and inspire our innovation efforts, providing context and direction for everything we do.

Our customers' needs and market demands change rapidly, influenced by media narratives, geopolitical events, economic realities, and environmental challenges. By understanding shifting consumer attitudes, we help manufacturers respond effectively to trends while contributing to a more sustainable future.

In 2024, global consumers were increasingly focused on market stability and navigating economic pressures, looking for brands they can trust, enhancing their health and well-being, and protecting the planet. At Corbion, we play a small but meaningful role in addressing these key concerns by providing innovative solutions that align with market trends and customer needs. These topics, while interconnected, can be clearly categorized into the following areas.

Market stability

Despite continuing challenges, the global economy showed resiliency, growing at around 3% in 2024. Although inflation rates began to ease in 2024, slower inflation did little to lower consumer prices from the higher levels they had reached in recent years. Many consumers, especially those on limited or fixed incomes, continued to face high living costs. By late 2024, retail food prices were nearly 25% higher than they were just prior to the global pandemic, as shown by Consumer Price Index data. Rising prices for everyday essentials like food, housing, and energy were experienced by many as a financial strain, particularly in certain regions and demographics.

While post-COVID supply chain disruption largely resolved, geopolitical risks – such as conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, between Israel and Hamas, and attacks on commercial vessels on the Red Sea – highlighted the inherent fragility of global supply chains and consumers' vulnerability to pricing fluctuations.

Corbion plays an important role in helping manufacturers cope with inflation and achieve greater efficiency by reformulating products to make them more affordable for our customers. We also enable them to extend the shelf life of their products with more natural, consumer-friendly preservation solutions, thereby contributing to price inflation mitigation and consumer acceptance in the food space. Our global footprint in manufacturing, R&D, and applications development also helps to ensure security of supply for our customers and, in turn, their customers.

Trust and transparency

Consumer distrust has grown deeper and more multifaceted, according to the EIT Food Consumer Observatory, which reported in 2024 a steady increase in the percentage of European consumers who distrust food manufacturers specifically since 2021. This growing distrust reflects broader societal trends, shaped by a lack of confidence in government, frustrations in an increasingly divisive, partisan political landscape, and the spread of fake news and misinformation. Frequent data privacy breaches, misleading marketing tactics, food safety concerns, a lack of transparency from companies, unethical business practices, and a general perception that brands prioritize profit over customer needs contributed to a growing skepticism among consumers towards global brands, large corporate entities, and the claims they make.

The rise of Artificial Intelligence has introduced significant technological transformation and sparked enthusiasm about the potential long-term benefits for business and various aspects of life. However, that excitement was accompanied by worries about the inevitable downsides and challenges of the technology, many of which are still unknown.

In addition to providing nature-based alternatives to conventional, fossil-based solutions, Corbion addresses consumer distrust through a comprehensive approach that prioritizes transparency in product information and sustainability reporting, covering everything from responsible sourcing, to best manufacturing practices, and responsible disposal. We also consider the safety, well-being, and human rights of people in our supply chain. Our sustainable solutions support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and promote human and planetary health, enhancing food and biomedical safety. We engage with stakeholders across the value chain and showcase thought leadership. We play an active role and influence in the regulatory landscape through advocacy.

A healthier lifestyle

Pressures on healthcare systems increased as obesity and mental health challenges kept rising among an aging, growing population. The destigmatization of mental health, which experienced an uptick with the onset of the global pandemic in 2020, progressed further as people learned more about caring for their mental and emotional wellbeing. This led many in search of products and solutions that fit their personal condition or objective.

Much attention focused on foods characterized as 'highly processed,' and despite the absence of any clear definition of the term, advocacy groups pressed for less processed foods. While there is no shortage of opinions on this topic, the takeaway for Corbion is that foods – highly processed or not – require effective natural preservation solutions to remain safe and fresh throughout today's complex value chains. Minimally processed foods often present steeper challenges in natural preservation. This means opportunity for Corbion, as do increasing government regulations limiting sodium content and banning synthetic preservatives, for instance. All of these dynamics heighten the importance of state-of-the-art natural preservation technology.

GLP-1 medications continued to disrupt the food space, as millions embraced their use for weight loss instead of diabetes management. The disruption trend significantly impacted consumer purchase decisions and consumption patterns, as seen in the growing popularity of smaller portion sizes, higher protein and fiber content, and meal replacement solutions. For Corbion, these trends align with our capabilities, presenting opportunities to help manufacturers create more nutrient-dense offerings.

Many consumers focused on reducing/avoiding what they may consume too much of – for instance, sugar, sodium or fat – and we saw a strong movement toward adding more 'positive' elements to their diets through products making functional claims, offering greater nutrient density, or ingredients perceived as health-promoting. Allergies and intolerance to specific foods drove the development of new 'free from' products, such as dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free items. Corbion's formulation expertise can play a critical role in creating product alternatives that meet the specific nutritional profiles consumers want.

Expertise in food science and nature-inspired alternatives to fossil-based ingredients gives food manufacturers the flexibility they need to deliver product formulations that respond to consumer health goals without compromising product quality.

In healthcare, manufacturers and developers sought solutions that could bring relief to overburdened healthcare systems by enabling the delivery of high-quality, effective treatments that are less reliant on patient compliance and reduce the number of invasive procedures required for healing.

In addition, our bioresorbable polymers support life-changing medical and pharmaceutical products that meet the growing need for patient-friendly, economically sustainable solutions across both industries.

Protecting our planet

In 2024, global awareness of the impact of climate change increased significantly, as more people reported personally experiencing extreme weather events. With climate change concerns on the rise, a growing number of people incorporated climate change considerations into major life decisions, based on increasingly visible effects, such as record-breaking heatwaves, severe storms, and rising sea levels. Results of the Peoples' Climate Vote 2024 – the world's largest standalone public opinion survey on climate change – reflected a high level of public concern about climate change and its immediate impacts on daily life.

Similarly, biodiversity and the health of the planet came into sharper focus for both consumers and manufacturers, who are more clearly seeing the connection between their choices and the impacts of climate change on health, food security, and the environment. At the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) in 2024, a new framework was adopted for mapping and updating biologically significant marine areas. By sustainably producing algae-based omega-3s, Corbion contributes to preserving marine biodiversity by reducing the aquaculture industry's dependence on fish oil while helping to feed a growing population. Our expertise in nature-based food preservation solutions helps manufacturers preserve more than eight million tons of food globally, thereby reducing food waste and the emissions associated with it.

Pressures on manufacturers to act ethically and transparently grew further, illuminating the strategic importance of committing to, and following through on, an ambitious sustainability agenda. In 2024, Corbion updated its CO₂ reduction targets and committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.