Dr. Arno de Kreij, PhD, MBA, Marketing Director, Animal Nutrition & Health, ASPAC at IFF, shares his perspective on science-led innovation, regional challenges and practical nutritional solutions for a more efficient and sustainable poultry industry.
The poultry industry across Asia is navigating an increasingly complex landscape, shaped by the need for improved animal performance, greater production efficiency, responsible resource utilization and evolving nutritional requirements. In this environment, science-backed feed solutions and their effective application under local production conditions are becoming increasingly important.
At IFF, innovation is driven by a long-standing commitment to scientific research, customer collaboration and practical application. With a portfolio spanning enzymes, probiotics and phytogenics, IFF continues to work with customers to address evolving challenges across animal production.
In this exclusive interaction with Poultry Technology, Dr. Arno de Kreij, PhD, MBA, Marketing Director, Animal Nutrition & Health, ASPAC at IFF, discusses the company’s strategic priorities for Asia Pacific, the importance of translating scientific innovation into customer value, regional barriers to technology adoption and the role of sustained research and development in advancing poultry nutrition.
Q&A | In conversation with Dr. Arno de Kreij
1. Asia Pacific Strategy & Growth: As the Regional Marketing Director for Asia Pacific for Animal Nutrition & Health at IFF, what are the primary pillars of your strategy for 2027 and 2028 to enhance animal performance in the increasingly competitive regional poultry market?
For over 47 years, our Animal Nutrition & Health business has been developing innovative feed additive solutions, like enzymes, probiotics, and phytogenics. Through continued customer intimacy, we understand the key challenges, and are developing solutions to reduce environmental emissions and antibiotic use, while lowering costs and improving meat quality for animal producers.
While the specific challenges change over time, the key need of our customers has remained constant; science-backed solutions to their problems. We remain committed to invest in new knowledge development to support our customers in solving their challenges.
2. Innovation: Could you share your career background and the unique perspectives or experiences you have brought to the field of animal nutrition?
I have spent my entire career in biotechnology-based businesses, so IFF’s world-leading Health and Biosciences division is a natural home. Turning science into customer solutions is complex, and I have worked on almost every aspect of it through my career. Whether it is investing in new consumer brands, developing novel fertility treatments, or helping livestock producers with their challenges, the commonality is that excellence and success comes from continuous focus on what matters for the customer, and how we as a supplier can create value for the customer. It gives me great joy when this comes together in for example Axtra® PHY GOLD, the leading phytase, or Syncra® AVI where we combined enzymes and probiotics to great effect.
3. Regional Dynamics: What challenges do you see in the Asia Pacific region when it comes to adopting new nutritional technologies?
We need to support our customers with relevant application knowledge. That is why IFF continues to invest in application trials in Asia Pacific to optimize the application under realistic and relevant local conditions. You cannot rely just on laboratory experiments or a single poultry trial in North America or Europe.
Second, regulatory challenges remain a significant barrier to technology adoption. Lengthy and complex approval processes can delay the introduction of new technologies to the market. Another example is regulation of feed labelling. Although these regulations were introduced with positive intentions, they may limit the adoption of lower-protein, nutritionally balanced diets because current specifications often overlook the value contributed by individual feed ingredients.
4. Research & Development: How do you balance the need for rigorous scientific R&D with the commercial necessity of bringing innovative health solutions to market quickly?
Developing novel additives and advancing their applications requires investment, dedicated expertise and a long-term commitment to innovation. We try to focus our efforts on a small number of programs, and make them both fast to market and robust in terms of regional application development.
Unfortunately the animal producers will continue to face many challenges in the years ahead, fortunately that supports ongoing investment by IFF’s Animal Nutrition and Health. We have been doing this for 47 years, and I fully expect that we will continue to support the industry for many years to come.
From scientific discovery to practical poultry solutions
Dr. de Kreij’s insights underline an important consideration for the poultry industry: innovation delivers meaningful value when scientific advancements are translated into solutions that address real-world production challenges.
For poultry producers and feed manufacturers in India, the relevance of nutritional technologies depends not only on scientific development but also on their application under local conditions, the ability to demonstrate value and the availability of practical technical support. Continued investment in research, application trials and customer collaboration remains central to addressing these needs.
IFF’s experience in animal nutrition and health reflects a commitment to developing science-backed solutions that help customers navigate changing industry demands. As the poultry sector continues to pursue greater efficiency, responsible production and improved animal performance, collaboration between technology providers, nutritionists, feed manufacturers and producers will remain essential.
Meet IFF at the Poultry Feed Show 2026
The conversation on innovation, nutritional efficiency and the future of poultry production continues at the industry’s leading forums. IFF invites poultry professionals, feed manufacturers, nutritionists, integrators and industry stakeholders to connect with its team at the Poultry Feed Show, November 2026.
Visit IFF at Booth T36–T44, Hall No. 4, HITEX Exhibition Complex, Hyderabad, Telangana, from 25–27 November 2026.
Discover IFF’s science-led approach to animal nutrition and health, exchange perspectives on emerging industry challenges, and explore practical solutions designed to support the evolving needs of the poultry industry.
Connect with IFF. Explore the science. Shape the future of poultry nutrition.