DSM Establishes Branch Office in Kenya

KAISERAUGST, SwitzerlandDSM Nutritional Products established a branch office in Kenya to support the marketing and promotion of its business in human nutrition and health in East Africa. The move is in response to a growing need for support from both non-governmental organizations and food companies in the development of fortification solutions that will improve the nutritional status of the population.

The office will be a branch office of DSM Nutritional Products South Africa (Pty) Ltd, and will be led by Peter Wathigo.  Wathigo, a Kenyan national, brings with him knowledge of micronutrient fortification in the context of African needs and diets. The presence of DSM Nutritional Products in Africa includes sales offices in Cairo, Egypt and Johannesburg, South Africa, and a dense network of agency and distribution partnerships. It further comprises a human nutrition premix plant and an animal nutrition premix plant in South Africa and a satellite food premix plant in Nigeria operated under license by DSM partner Biochemical Derivatives BDL) Ltd. The animal nutrition business is represented in East and West Africa through various distributors. Last year, DSM's micronutrient powder, MixMe, was shown in a study to provide a highly absorbable form of iron and zinc, and reduced deficiencies of both minerals in South African school children with low iron status.