Our History

A nutritional ingredient manufacturer, Kemin is a privately held corporation, founded in 1961 by R.W. and Mary Nelson.

Kemin is Born The fledgling business - initially called 'Chemical Industries' - was a family effort beginning in 1961, based on developing innovative agricultural products and marketing them throughout the mid-western United States. These early products included mold inhibitors and flavors and grew to encompass a full line of ingredients for animal feeds.   Our First Success Spurred by a robust agricultural climate in the U.S. during the 1970s, Kemin Industries enjoyed an era of rapid expansion. As ag commodities skyrocketed and cattle prices set all-time records, the distribution of Kemin crop preservatives experienced phenomenal growth. In response to the times, our sales force increased dramatically to cover the whole of the United States. The Des Moines manufacturing facility underwent two expansions. A new plant was built in Texas. Kemin also entered the global market.   Global Growth Entering into international business expanded the line of Kemin products in response to the needs of production agriculture around the world. Building on its early success in the U.S., Kemin Industries had embarked on its first export sale of products during the late 1960s. The company's earliest overseas markets were the United Kingdom and Spain where Kemin products were sold through European distributors. By 1973 product demand necessitated a European sales and production site which was built in Herentals, Belgium. A second major overseas manufacturing plant was built in Singapore in 1988.   Focus on Research and Development The early eighties brought changes as well. A second generation of the Nelson family was to bring a renewed focus to science. Dr. Chris Nelson entered the scene as R&D director at Kemin Europa, introducing the new science of biochemistry. There, Chris built the Kemin research program and oversaw the construction of a new R&D facility. He also developed a mold inhibitor still marketed by Kemin today.   New Opportunities Although Kemin emerged as a leader in agrifoods, over the past four decades it has evolved into a global organization meeting the needs of a growing number of industries. The unifying vision behind the multi-faceted growth is the Kemin commitment to improving the nutrition of the world. The 1990s were a significant period in reaching toward this goal. Backed by compelling research, FloraGLO® brand lutein was introduced for human use in 1995 and a new business unit was formed to establish the new market within the vitamin and dietary supplement industry. In the same timeframe, a pet food division emerged to address manufacturers' needs for pet food palatability, nutritional quality and extended shelf-life. During the late nineties, Kemin formed a new agrifoods division in India, initiated ground-breaking research in biotechnology and began production of a rosemary-based antioxidant in the Americas. Expanding into the human foods arena, Kemin preservatives were introduced to bakeries and tortilla manufacturers. Subsequently, lutein was marketed as an ingredient for functional foods and beverages. In recent years we have seen the development of a pharmaceutical division in Europe and a new business unit in China. Kemin has also invested heavily in sophisticated laboratories in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa and India. The momentum continues to this day. Recent successes have included a foray into the consumer market with Kemin's new satiety aid and the launch of natural antioxidants within the pet food industry.   Kemin Today Innovation and adaptability have been key to the exceptional growth and transformation of Kemin Industries. From a small entrepreneurial effort, the Kemin organization has grown into a global company with activity in over 60 countries. It remains a family company with the second generation of the Nelson family at the helm and positioned at different levels throughout the company. While Kemin Industries is still headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa (USA) we now operate in over 60 countries, with manufacturing facilities in China, Singapore, Thailand, India, South Africa, Belgium, Brazil and the United States.