Barentz Strengthens Human Nutrition Capabilities in China with New Shanghai Office and Application Laboratory

Barentz, a leading global specialty ingredients solutions provider, has announced the opening of its new Shanghai office and Human Nutrition application laboratory, marking a significant investment in technical capabilities and customer support in China. The new facility strengthens Barentz's ability to help customers accelerate product innovation through local application expertise, technical service, and formulation support.

The investment represents an important milestone for Barentz's Human Nutrition business in China and the overall APAC region, supporting the company's ambition to deliver always a better solution by combining high-quality ingredients, deep market knowledge, technical application expertise, and tailored support for customers and principals.

New Shanghai Facility Details

The newly opened Shanghai office and application laboratory is designed to serve as a hub for product development and technical collaboration in the Chinese market. The facility is equipped to support formulation development, ingredient testing, and application prototyping across key food and beverage categories.

With extensive experience in modified starches and stabilizer systems, the laboratory will play a key role in supporting customers across China while also contributing to the wider APAC and global Human Nutrition technical community. The facility enables closer collaboration with customers, faster product development, and stronger technical support for innovation projects throughout China and the broader Asia Pacific region.

Initial Focus: Bakery and Savoury

The laboratory will initially concentrate on bakery and savoury applications, two of the fastest-growing segments in China's food and beverage industry. This strategic focus allows Barentz to address immediate customer needs while building capabilities for future expansion into other food categories.

Globally, Barentz's Human Nutrition business supports customers across bakery and pasta, beverage, dairy, confectionery, nutrition, savoury, meat and fish, and ingredient producer markets. The Shanghai laboratory extends this comprehensive support to the Chinese market with dedicated local expertise.

Part of a Global Technical Network

The laboratory forms part of Barentz's broader global human nutrition technical network led by Mariano Vasconcellos, Global Technical Director. Barentz maintains application laboratories across multiple regions, which includes 22 dedicated human nutrition application laboratories worldwide, supported by more than 40 application specialists.

These specialists focus on key food and beverage segments including bakery, beverages, health and nutrition, savoury, dairy, meat and fish, plant protein solutions, and other food categories. By combining local market knowledge with access to Barentz's global application network, the Shanghai facility enhances the company's ability to deliver innovative solutions tailored to regional preferences and market demands.

Long-Term Commitment to China

The opening of the Shanghai office and laboratory demonstrates Barentz's long-term commitment to the Chinese market. Sue Song, Vice President Human Nutrition APAC, emphasized that customers increasingly expect more than ingredients alone.

"Customers increasingly expect more than ingredients alone. They need technical expertise, formulation support, and faster innovation. This new facility enables us to work more closely with customers and principals to help accelerate their growth and bring innovative solutions to market," said Sue Song.

The Shanghai facility is a strategic investment that positions Barentz to capture growth opportunities in China's rapidly evolving food and beverage industry. With rising consumer demand for healthier, more innovative food products, the ability to provide local technical support and rapid prototyping becomes a critical competitive advantage.

About Barentz

Barentz is a global provider of specialty ingredient solutions for the life sciences and performance materials sectors. The company forms strong partnerships with customers and principals to deliver high-quality ingredients, technical expertise in ingredient selection and application, and tailored services.

Established in 1953, Barentz operates in over 70 countries through its network of laboratories, sourcing and formulation centers across EMEA, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. This enables the company to serve more than 27,000 customers worldwide, with approximately 2,800 employees and a turnover of approximately EUR 2.3 billion.

The company's commitment to responsible business practices has been recognized with a gold rating from EcoVadis, placing it among the top 5% of companies assessed globally. Guided by technical expertise, global reach, and commitment to partnership, Barentz remains focused on delivering always a better solution.