We are committed to delivering nature-inspired, scientifically validated solutions that address the most pressing challenges in animal health and performance. At the heart of this lies a clear mission: Improving animal performance. This is more than a slogan—it’s a customer-centric promise backed by innovation, transparency, and a deep understanding of species-specific needs.
CEO
A&P Nutrition
At the beginning of 2026, one of the notable developments in the livestock and feed additives sector was the unification of the long-established companies agromed and PATENT CO. under the A&P Nutrition brand. Shaped by the strategic vision of Austria’s agricultural powerhouse RWA (Raiffeisen Ware Austria), this new organization aims to translate the principle of “strength through unity” into a global success story. Active in more than 50 countries, A&P Nutrition is shaping the sector with a broad portfolio ranging from mycotoxin management and phytogenic solutions to sustainable fiber sources and precision nutrition technologies.
In this exclusive interview with Dr. Lukas Maier, CEO of A&P Nutrition, we take an in-depth look at the brand’s formation process, the challenges of cultural integration, and the operational implications of a truly customer-centric approach. Dr. Maier emphasizes that A&P Nutrition represents far more than a name change; it reflects a new corporate identity built on trust, excellence and a strong people-driven culture. By also examining future agricultural trends—from alternative proteins to AI-supported nutrition solutions—this conversation provides a transparent view of A&P Nutrition’s strategic roadmap in global markets.
A&P Nutrition was born from the merger of two well-established companies and a powerful parent organization. Could you tell us the story behind the emergence of this new brand, including the journey of PATENT CO. and agromed, and the strategic role RWA played within this structure?
What cannot be achieved alone should be achieved together. This principle from the founding father of the Raiffeisen cooperative system, Mr. Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen, is deeply rooted in RWA’s heritage. As the umbrella organization of Austria’s agricultural cooperatives, RWA carries more than 130 years of history as both a dedicated service provider and a strategic partner to the farming sector.
Over time, it became clear that we needed to expand our role along the value chain. RWA had long been active in feed production and, through Garant, held a leading position in Austria. We also operate in the feed-additive segment through agromed. The acquisition of PATENT CO. strengthened our compound feed leadership in Southeast Europe and enriched our portfolio with expertise in mycotoxin management and phytogenic solutions. Our compound feed activities have been, and continue to be, managed locally. However, it soon became clear that our global Feed Additive activities require central coordination.
Bringing together these long-established cultures was both a challenge and an opportunity. Early on, we made a conscious decision to move away from a top-down integration. Instead, we introduced a transition period in 2023 to identify the shared value that could be created by uniting the feed additive businesses of the two companies. Our starting position was already strong — a global presence in more than 50 countries and established relationships with customers and partners. But we knew we had to professionalize our market approach, strengthen our market intelligence, and focus on being closer to our customers.
Before expanding — and ultimately doubling — our teams, we harmonized and aligned our sales organizations in each market. This meant defining a clear market focus, ensuring a deep understanding of the value our products deliver, and providing enough time to build the right structure and processes to support our vision. Managing these priorities while navigating cultural differences was our most significant challenge and overcoming them is something I am particularly proud of.
Looking back, our key success factor was giving heritage and culture the respect and time they deserve, while identifying where each organization’s true value contribution lies. This approach reflects RWA’s core beliefs. A&P Nutrition is now coming to life because we have united potential, empowered people, and encouraged them to unlock their true potential. This is how we build our organization: striving to be better than average and learning every day how to improve.
Today, the heritage of PATENT CO.’s and agromed’s additive business is fully integrated under our new, unified brand — A&P Nutrition. For us, this new brand is not just a milestone; it is a starting line. Together, we now move forward with one unified identity, clarity, and ambition.
An integration process of this scale inevitably brings operational and cultural challenges. What were the most significant hurdles you faced during the merger, and what management philosophy did you adopt to overcome them?
The most complex part of our transition was bringing people on board with the vision — aligning cultures, expectations, and mindsets. At the same time, the solution was precisely the same: empowering our people and trusting them.
We moved away from a top-down approach and instead built our processes and structures from the bottom up. And our team proved that, when entrusted with responsibility and given the right environment, they can overcome any challenge and deliver performance well above average. They succeeded in a framework that they helped design themselves — and that is what makes this achievement truly exceptional.
As of January 2026, you have begun conducting all operations under the A&P Nutrition name. What are your primary strategic objectives during this transition phase? Where do you aim to position the brand in the medium to long term?
We are shifting our focus from a product-centric model to a truly customer-specific approach. For us, this means being as close as possible to our customers and investing the time to understand their challenges in depth. Only with this level of insight we can deliver complete and meaningful solutions.
A solution-based approach also means that whatever problem a customer presents, we commit to finding an answer. And we take it a step further: we integrate analytical tools, technical services, and the expertise of our in-house specialists. This is how we build genuine partnerships — by working alongside our customers and tackling their challenges together, at scale.
The new brand places a heavy emphasis on “customer-centricity.” What message do the A&P Nutrition name, logo, and brand language convey to your clients? What is the core philosophy driving this brand story?
We aim to become the first choice — and the trusted partner — for feed & animal protein producers on a global scale. Achieving this position relies not only on our holistic portfolio but also on our ability to consistently deliver real value.
To ensure this, we have strengthened our organization with a top-tier technical team: highly educated experts with diverse experience and deep practical knowledge. Their expertise allows us to support customers at a level that goes far beyond products, reinforcing our commitment to performance, reliability, and long-term partnership.
We are committed to delivering nature-inspired, scientifically validated solutions that address the most pressing challenges in animal health and performance. At the heart of this lies a clear mission: Improving animal performance. This is more than a slogan—it’s a customer-centric promise backed by innovation, transparency, and a deep understanding of species-specific needs.
The concept of “synergy” is frequently highlighted under the new brand. How will PATENT CO.’s expertise in feed additives—such as phytogenics and mycotoxin binders—and agromed’s sustainable, fiber-based solutions translate into tangible added value for customers under A&P Nutrition? What specific advantages will your partners and customers gain from this new identity?
By combining the strengths of both organizations — our knowledge, expertise, products, and services — we have created a unique and comprehensive portfolio for our clients. We are present on the ground, accessible, and in constant dialogue with our key partners and customers. Our approach goes far beyond selling products. It is rooted in the belief that challenges which may seem insurmountable individually can be overcome together. This deep commitment to generating value, supported by strong expertise and practical know-how, is the core advantage of A&P Nutrition. It is what truly sets us apart.
Could you provide some insight into your current organizational structure in global markets? As you move forward as A&P Nutrition, do you plan to make any changes to this international setup?
A&P Nutrition operates through a globally distributed, locally rooted structure with centralized leadership for the feed additive business. The integration of agromed and PATENT CO. has led to aligned sales organizations, a unified market approach, and a strong technical team supporting customers across more than 50 countries. Moving forward, we do not anticipate major structural changes, but we will continue refining and strengthening our international setup. This includes expanding customer‑facing capabilities, enhancing technical and analytical services, and selectively growing our presence in key regions. Any evolution will follow the same bottom‑up, people‑driven approach that guided our integration, ensuring we remain globally coordinated, locally relevant, and deeply connected to our customers’ needs.
How will this restructuring and rebranding impact your market presence? Which factors do you believe will most strengthen your competitiveness in the global arena during this process?
The restructuring and rebranding significantly strengthens our global market presence by uniting the complementary strengths of agromed and PATENT CO. under one coordinated, centrally managed structure. What truly elevates our competitiveness is the combination of our holistic portfolio, our strong technical and analytical expertise, and our shift toward solution‑driven, customer‑specific support.
We are certainly not stopping at our current problem-solving capabilities. A major part of building the A&P Nutrition brand was defining a clear business strategy, and this process has given us a precise roadmap for the future — including the key projects where we plan to invest. For us, this means continuous improvement and long-term relevance in the market. For our customers, it means a steady flow of fresh, up-to-date solutions that address their evolving needs. This commitment to ongoing development is what ensures we remain a reliable and forward-thinking partner.
You noted that your portfolio has been “updated and expanded” following the merger. What innovations can customers expect regarding products, technical services, and analytical support in the coming period? How will the rebranding drive innovation and growth?
Our R&D and innovation pipeline is driven by two main streams: continuous improvement of our existing products and the development of entirely new solutions. Ongoing enhancements are closely linked to our mycotoxin management portfolio, where we are enriching our approach and consistently elevating product performance.
At the same time, we are investing in two highly promising areas: alternative protein sources, and probiotics and postbiotics. I am particularly excited about these developments, as they have the potential to significantly enhance efficacy while supporting animal stability, resilience, and overall health.
What key trends do you think will stand out in the animal nutrition and feed additives market in 2026? In light of sustainability goals, evolving regulations, and economic pressures, what do you believe will be the industry’s greatest challenge?
The animal nutrition sector is advancing across multiple interconnected innovation frontiers with the potential to significantly transform production in the near future. Key developments include:
• Alternative proteins that break the soy – fish meal paradigm – such as precision fermentation creating animal-identical proteins with net-zero carbon impact, insect protein scaling to 0.5–1.5 million tons annually, and microalgae delivering 55–76% protein with added bioactive compounds – thereby decoupling animal production from traditional agriculture’s environmental footprint.
• AI-powered precision nutrition is shifting feeding strategies from standardized herd approaches to individualized regimes, achieving 5–10% milk yield increases, reducing feed costs, and identifying high-methane-emitting animals with 80% accuracy.
• Gut health revolution, driven by pro- and postbiotics, is expanding into a $6.5 billion market by 2032, enhancing nutrient absorption by 15–20% and replacing antibiotics,
• Methane reduction solutions such as 3-NOP (28–36% reduction), red seaweed (up to 98% reduction), and plant extract mixtures are gaining regulatory approval, particularly in Europe and North America.
The convergence of these innovations – alternative proteins, AI, blockchain, and microbiome-targeted additives creates integrated systems that simultaneously address productivity, sustainability, animal welfare, and climate mitigation. While the feed additives market alone will reach $48 billion by 2030, the larger opportunity lies in systems-level transformation that enables agriculture to feed a growing population within planetary boundaries.
A&P Nutrition is part of transformation towards more sustainable and balanced production models. Through our portfolio, we contribute practical solutions that improve efficiency — enabling producers to achieve greater output with fewer inputs, while protecting animals from added stress.
Finally, if you had to define A&P Nutrition in just three words, what would they be? How do these three words encapsulate both the brand’s current state and its vision for the future?
If you were to ask me to describe our business in three words I would say Improving animal performance – as this is more than our slogan, it is our purpose, promise, and, tomorrow, it will become our legacy. But if we talk about the brand, I choose Trust, Excellence, and People.
TRUST is the foundation we build our relationships on – both internally and externally. We are committed to open communication and transparency, creating long-lasting partnerships grounded in mutual understanding and respect.
EXCELLENCE defines everything we do. We challenge ourselves, commit to sustainable performance and growth, and take ownership of our results. Excellence is not only how we design our solutions; it is a mindset we cultivate within the organization and a promise we consistently deliver to our customers.
PEOPLE are at the core of our business, both internally and externally. As a customer-focused brand, we prioritize our customers’ needs above all and invest in partnerships created by people, for people. At the same time, our people in our team have played a crucial role in building the A&P Nutrition brand and they continue to be the main driving force behind our success.
