Recent developments
Food-contact packaging
Food-contact packaging advanced toward lower-plastic, lower‑concern chemistries. Stahl’s Repura barrier coatings portfolio targets paper conversion with oil, water and OTR protection while remaining repulpable. PPG introduced the first U.S. PVC‑non‑intent one‑component coil coating for aluminum pet food cans. Clariant expanded PFAS‑free polymer processing aids and bio‑based rice‑bran wax additives with multi‑region food‑contact clearances. Evonik and Fuhua completed a specialty hydrogen peroxide plant in Leshan including grades for food packaging.
Aroma ingredients
Upstream flavor capacity tightened supply risks. BASF commissioned world‑scale menthol and linalool plants in Ludwigshafen and a citral unit in Zhanjiang, integrating aroma ingredients into Verbund networks for reliability. Croda Q1 2026 sales were in line with guidance, with Fragrances & Flavours growth offsetting weaker Crop Protection.
Regional capacity builds
Formulation and scale-up support grew regionally. Symrise opened an upgraded Food & Beverage site in Parets del Vallès, adding powder capacity, a large-scale mixer, and application labs for ready meals and processed meats to shorten commercialization cycles. Upstream, BASF will invest €40 million to modernize seed processing at Nunhem, fully powered by renewables.
Market and structure
Demand signals were mixed. Symrise’s Q1 2026 organic sales dipped 0.4%, with Food & Beverage low single‑digit growth and continued transformation actions. BASF Q1 2026 posted solid volumes but lower prices in Nutrition & Care amid currency headwinds. A review of BASF’s Verbund model underscored energy‑price vulnerability and ongoing footprint shifts toward Zhanjiang.
Extraction and solvents
Processing aids evolved in edible oils. Rompetrol Rafinare’s Vega Ploieşti began 60%‑purity hexane production, enabling faster extraction and higher yields, with most volumes exported to Europe and Asia.