U.S. consumers want protein raised with the same natural health supplements humans use

Cargill's latest Feed4Thought survey, which polled more than 1,000 people in the U.S. in Dec. 2017, found 62 percent of millennials want the protein they eat to be raised with the same health supplements used in humans, such as probiotics, plant extracts and essential oils. Consumers in general report they are three times more likely to prefer protein that were fed those natural feed additives to improve the animal's digestive health and overall well-being.

"We've seen a rise in the popularity of digestive health supplements for humans, which is echoed in the demand for protein raised with natural supplements," said Chuck Warta, president of Cargill Premix and Nutrition. "People want natural, wholesome and sustainable ingredients. In turn, they are increasingly seeking out protein options in line with their values and personal natural health routines."

Additional results from the Feed4Thought survey include:

• Probiotics were the most well-recognized natural supplement for animals (43 percent).
• Almost three-quarters (72 percent) of respondents were aware of the availability of natural health products to feed animals.
• More than 80 percent of respondents reported adjusting or supplementing their diet to achieve better gut health.

Investing in Natural Feed Additives
Other consumer research confirms this trend, which is driven by rapidly increasing demand for quality animal products. A recent MarketsandMarket™ study projects the total probiotics animal feed market will reach about $5.07 billion by 2022, growing at a rate of nearly 8 percent per year. Meanwhile, a senior industry analyst from Nutrition Business Journal, said global supplement sales for humans will also grow steadily through 2020.

"It's important for the animal agriculture community to remain in touch with food trends so that we can continue to provide the choices consumers demand," said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, vice president of communications at the Animal Agriculture Alliance. "Just as human health supplement offerings expand and improve, so do the options to raise animals with natural supplements. Consumers can now find the meat, milk and eggs raised with the same natural health supplements they personally use."

"Cargill is expanding its efforts in healthy, naturally supplemented protein," Warta said. "We are doing that through our acquisition of Diamond V and equity investment in Delacon. These two global businesses are leading the way in the production of sustainable and wholesome food that consumers want."

Iowa-based Diamond V produces natural immune support products for animal feed, contributing to an overall safer and more sustainable food supply. Austria-based Delacon makes phytogenic feed additives, which use ingredients like herbs, spices, and other plants to improve animal performance.

"Our mission is to develop products that are natural, research-proven solutions that help optimize animal health and productivity," said Diamond V's president, Jeff Cannon. "Our technology works naturally with the biology of the animal to strengthen the immune system, which supports benefits beyond health and performance."

About Cargill
Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and 150 years of experience. We have 150,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

About Cargill Animal Nutrition's Feed4Thought Survey
Feed4Thought is a regular consumer survey effort from Cargill Animal Nutrition that explores key perceptions and opinions about important topics in the animal protein supply chain. This Feed4Thought online survey for Cargill Animal Nutrition was conducted by ORC International. The U.S. survey was conducted in December 2017 and polled a demographically representative sample of 1,020 U.S. adults. Additional survey results available request.

About Cargill Animal Nutrition
Cargill's animal nutrition business has more than 20,000 employees at more than 275 facilities in 40 countries. Fuelled by our innovation and research, we offer a range of products and services to feed manufacturers, animal producers, and feed retailers around the world, helping put food on the plates of nearly one billion people around the world every day. Cargill's animal nutrition business offers a range of compound feed, premixes, feed additives, supply chain and risk management solutions, software tools and animal nutrition expertise that is unmatched in the industry. For more information about Cargill Animal Nutrition, visit: https://www.cargill.com/animal-nutrition.

SOURCE Cargill

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