How it started
Company history
Kemin Industries Inc. was founded in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.A. by R.W. Nelson and Mary Nelson. When the Nelsons started their business, they had five children under the age of seven and US$10,000 in a savings account. The company operated with two product lines, a manufacturing plant in an old wool barn, and Mary kept the books at the family home.
During the 1980s, led by Christopher E. Nelson, Ph.D., RW and Mary Nelson's oldest son and the current President and CEO of Kemin, scientists were challenged to study molecules and understand their modes of action inside living organisms. This new approach to research and development spurred the company's expansion into new markets. Kemin's ingredients expanded into animal health, nutraceuticals, pet food, food technologies, crop technologies, textiles, aquaculture, and animal vaccines.
In 1995, Kemin innovated lutein, a carotenoid molecule the company had been selling into the animal feed industry for years, for human use. This led to the establishment of Kemin's first business unit, Human Nutrition and Health. Kemin adopted the business unit-focused model for other expansions beyond animal nutrition and health into pet food and rendering technologies, food technologies, human nutrition and health, crop technologies, and more.
Highlights of Kemin's global expansion have included:
1970 – Opened first regional headquarters in Herentals, Belgium. The sales and manufacturing facility allowed Kemin to efficiently work with customers across Europe.
From Wikipedia’s article on Kemin Industries, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2