ADM gives functional foods greater focus

Functional foods and ingredients will be given a greater focus at global agriculture company Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), the company announced on Monday.

ADM is to restructure of its Food and BioProducts Divisions to strengthen its core food and feed operations, as well as its functional foods and ingredients.

Under the new structure each of the three operations - ADM Natural Health and Nutrition (value-added products), ADM Specialty Ingredients (food), and ADM BioProducts and Feed (feed) - will function as a distinct division with its own leadership.

All these divisions will report to John Rice, Senior Vice President, Food and BioProducts Divisions.

"This new alignment will enable us to capitalise more effectively on the opportunities in each of these three important product areas," said ADM President John McNamara. "

We have brought the right people together with the right assets, and it's going to make a difference in the way they operate and add value to our customers." Tony P. DeLio will be President, ADM Natural Health and Nutrition, which includes the business units of nutraceuticals, functional foods and ingredients.

Tony will be responsible for the management of the Company's functional food products, ingredients and supplements such as Vitamins E and C, Novasoy‚ isoflavones, sterols and DAG oil.

ADM Natural Health and Nutrition will also include former Protein Specialties branded products NutriSoy,Soy 7, Haldane Foods and analogue products.

Headquartered in Decatur, Illinois, ADM has over 22,000 employees, 368 processing plants, and net sales for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2001 of $20.1 billion.