Vitamin C may be a common ingredient, but getting it from the factory floor to store shelves is becoming increasingly complicated as companies are having to navigate supplier bankruptcies, unexpected tariff increases, trade restrictions and changing regulations.
When these pressures are further compounded by global disruptions, it can expose how fragile single-source supply chains can be.
According to a 2020 McKinsey & Company report, geopolitical risk ranks among the highest-impact threats for manufacturers worldwide. However, dsm-firmenich says it is working to de-risk supply chains.
In a market where around 90% of vitamin C originates in China, the company’s Scottish location seeks to offer advantages, with lower exposure to global disruptions and stronger transport reliability. In fact, the FM Global Resilience Index currently rates supply risk in Scotland as lower than anywhere else that produces vitamin C.
“In these uncertain times, we play a critical role in the global geopolitical landscape,” Ozren Zimonja, director of global product marketing in health, nutrition & care (HNC) vitamins at dsm-firmenich, told NutraIngredients during a tour of the company’s facility in Dalry, Scotland. “Today, consumers want to know where their products come from and to trust in their safety.”
Dalry, Scotland: A strategic hub for vitamin C manufacturing
The Dalry site was established in 1958, and the vitamin C production plant has been operating for over 40 years.
Since then, it has been the center of DSM’s vitamin operations, Rob de Hooge, vice president of the Dalry site, explained, noting that the site was strategically chosen for its access to quality raw materials, skilled labor and key European and global markets.
“The region’s stringent regulatory and quality standards align perfectly with our commitment to producing vitamin C at the highest level,” he said.
“We also benefit from Scotland’s pure water resources—an essential component for premium vitamin C production. And with excellent distribution routes across Europe and beyond, our location provides a strong logistical advantage.”
Behind dsm-firmenich’s vitamin C manufacturing
Vitamin C is typically produced synthetically through the conversion of glucose into sorbitol and then fermented to make sorbose, which is then modified (using catalysts like acetone and sulfuric acid) to form 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (2-KGA).
The dsm-firmenich vitamin C production process begins with KGA, a raw material derived from the fermentation of glucose from non-GMO European wheat. Upon arrival the Dalry site, it refined and crystallized through multiple controlled steps.
As Kristina Liukaityte, senior expert, global product marketing at dsm-firmenich, told NI: “The demand for high quality, traceable and sustainable products is higher than ever. More than 700 brands worldwide trust our vitamin C.”
