Cargill announced this week to its employees “a transformation” in its Animal Nutrition enterprise that it says will make it “more customer-centric and capture greater opportunity for growth in a more cost-competitive way.”

The company said it is specifically adding “health” to the name of the division to become Cargill Animal Nutrition & Health “because of the importance it plays in our customers’ and consumers’ expectations.”

“We identify health as being one of the benefits our consumers most want and need as part of our five-year strategy -- along with performance, well-being and sustainability,” Cargill stated.

The company’s animal nutrition and health division will now be comprised of three units: Cargill Animal Nutrition, Cargill Aqua Nutrition and a new Cargill Health Technologies.

The company told Feedstuffs that the company’s current Cargill Premix & Nutrition and Cargill Feed & Nutrition business groups will be combined into a single business group called Cargill Animal Nutrition (CAN).

“By leveraging the expertise and strengths of these two businesses, we will be better able to provide an integrated customer experience across species and customer segments and as customers evolve,” the company said in a statement.

Adriano Marcon has been named group leader of the newly formed CAN.

Cargill Health Technologies will focus on digestive health and immunology for farm animals.

“The animal protein market is evolving, and consumer focus on animal health and wellness is becoming increasingly important,” the company stated. “Cargill Health Technologies will focus on leadership in specialty health ingredients, building a digestive and immune business for humans and animals."

One source suggested that Cargill Health Technologies was formed to better incorporate the newly acquired businesses Diamond V and Delacon. Chuck Warta, current president of Cargill’s animal nutrition and premix business, has been tapped to lead the new health division.

“Within Cargill, Diamond V and Delacon are at the forefront of scientific advances in digestive health and immunology, providing new opportunities to better serve our customers. This work is important to food security, human health and wellness,” the company said.

Pilar Cruz has been named group leader for Cargill Aqua Nutrition.

The company’s goal is to start implementing the new operating model on Oct. 1, 2019, and to be fully operating in this new structure by the beginning of the 2020 calendar year.