Strong organic growth and strategic realignment fuel dsm-firmenich’s 2025 progress

For the first half of 2025, dsm-firmenich reveals it has delivered strong and robust organic sales and earnings growth, strategic portfolio realignment, and a continued synergy capture following its 2023 merger. The company’s latest financial report reveals progress on its 2025 strategic roadmap, with a full-year adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) outlook of around €2.4 billion (~US$2.7 billion).

The company highlights that it benefited from innovation-led growth and a streamlined portfolio, while organic sales increased across most business units, supported by the company’s broad capabilities in nutrition, health, and beauty.

Its adjusted EBITDA grew by 19% in Q2, boosted by vitamin pricing effects and operational efficiency, despite negative foreign exchange effects and the partial deconsolidation of divested businesses.

“Through our combined capabilities, we continue to make good progress in delivering comprehensive cost and revenue synergies across our businesses, demonstrating the success of our merger,” says dsm-firmenich’s CEO, Dimitri de Vreeze.

“With our broad exposure to key market trends in nutrition, health, and beauty, we deliver innovative solutions that provide critical performance to essential everyday consumer products.”

Impacts and strategies

According to dsm-firmenich, several factors have played a part in its profitability so far this year. One is a €150 million (US$171 million) temporary vitamin price effect stemming from a market disruption, with €125 million (~US$143 million) booked in the first half. However, the company emphasizes that the impact normalized toward the end of Q2.

Meanwhile, the company reveals that it hit a major milestone on June 2 with the €1.5 billion (~US$171 billion) divestment of the Feed Enzymes business to Novonesis. dsm-firmenich says this was part of a broader plan to exit Animal Nutrition & Health (ANH) and reduce its exposure to volatile vitamin earnings and freeing capital for higher-growth, consumer-focused areas.

The ANH exit process is now in its final stages and, despite being in transition, the ANH business posted 18% organic sales growth and a near fourfold increase in adjusted EBITDA, aided by vitamin pricing and performance innovation.

Business unit highlights

dsm-firmenich’s Taste, Texture & Health segment delivered a 6% organic sales growth and a 10% EBITDA increase, driven by strong volume growth, synergies, and demand for sugar reduction and plant-based solutions. Innovations included the company’s next-gen pea protein, a coagulant for mozzarella, and new flavor platforms for beverages and coffee.

Health, Nutrition & Care posted 6% organic sales growth and an 11% rise in EBITDA, with contributions coming from dietary supplements, algal lipids, and early life nutrition. The unit also expanded its microbiome portfolio and launched a Pharma Taste platform for enhanced sensory appeal in nutraceuticals.

Lastly, the company reports that its Perfumery & Beauty sales remained stable (-1%) with 1% volume-driven organic growth, despite a strong prior-year comparison. Fine Fragrances and Consumer Fragrances performed well, while Beauty & Care continued to face headwinds from weak sun filter demand.

Notably, the unit introduced new biodegradable encapsulation systems and microbiome-reactive “profragrances,” reinforcing its innovation leadership.

2025 outlook

dsm-firmenich says it maintains its confidence in achieving mid-term financial targets, which include an organic sales growth of 5–7% and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 22–23%. The 2025 outlook also reflects foreign exchange volatility and includes the vitamin pricing effect and the deconsolidation of Feed Enzymes.

Moreover, the company states that its sharpened portfolio, innovation pipeline, and strong financial discipline position it to accelerate growth in high-margin, science-driven segments, while the successful execution of its strategic divestments and transformation programs reinforce its long-term sustainable nutrition, health, and beauty goals.

“Our unique portfolio and global operational footprint position us well to operate in the current uncertain macroenvironment,” De Vreeze concludes. “Our focus on innovation-led growth, and the €200 million (~US$228 million) contribution from our self-help programs support our full-year 2025 outlook of around €2.4 billion (~US$2.7 billion) in Adjusted EBITDA.”