10 June 2022
dsm-firmenich has entered a strategic partnership with Italian functional ingredients innovator Nous to accelerate the commercialization of Koncentra — a next-generation botanical ingredient designed to support energy, focus, and mood. The collaboration combines breakthrough ingredient innovation with leading scientific expertise to bring a new standard of performance solutions to the global beverage market.
Energy remains one of the most prominent consumer needs worldwide, with growing attention on daily vitality and mental performance. At the same time, the functional beverage category continues to expand rapidly, driven by demand for products that deliver tangible benefits.
However, the dominance of caffeine as the primary energy solution is increasingly being challenged. Consumers are becoming more aware of its potential downsides — including jitters, anxiety, and energy crashes — and are actively seeking more balanced, natural alternatives.
This shift is creating a clear opportunity for innovation: functional solutions that deliver sustained energy and cognitive support while aligning with evolving expectations for natural, holistic, and science-backed ingredients.
Koncentra represents a new generation of functional ingredients designed to meet these changing demands. Developed through the careful screening of selected botanicals and produced using a proprietary extraction process, it delivers a multi-functional solution that supports energy, focus, and mood — without relying on caffeine.
By preserving the integrity and efficacy of its natural bioactive compounds, Koncentra offers sustained performance without the overstimulation commonly associated with traditional stimulants.
From an application perspective, the ingredient has been designed with scalability and versatility in mind. Its excellent solubility, low effective dose, and minimal impact on taste, color, and turbidity make it ideally suited for a wide range of beverage applications, particularly in energy and functional drinks.
This combination of efficacy and formulation ease enables brands to innovate rapidly while maintaining high product quality and consumer appeal.
The collaboration between dsm-firmenich and Nous is focused on unlocking the full commercial potential of Koncentra through a science-first approach. Building on dsm-firmenich’s recent investment in Nous, the partnership expands into a strategic effort to accelerate development, validation, and global market readiness.
dsm-firmenich will play a central role in strengthening the scientific and regulatory foundation of Koncentra. This includes supporting clinical trial design to substantiate claims related to energy, cognitive, and physical performance, as well as ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements across key markets.
In parallel, the company will leverage its deep consumer insights and application expertise to help transform the ingredient into scalable, market-ready beverage solutions. This integrated approach ensures that Koncentra is not only effective, but also commercially viable in demanding categories across Europe and the United States.
As the functional beverage landscape evolves, the need for differentiated, science-backed solutions has never been greater. The partnership between dsm-firmenich and Nous reflects a shared ambition to move beyond traditional stimulant-based formulations and redefine how energy, focus, and mood support are delivered.
By combining botanical innovation with rigorous scientific validation and global application capabilities, Koncentra has the potential to set a new benchmark for performance ingredients in beverages. It empowers brands to respond to shifting consumer expectations while maintaining credibility, compliance, and scalability.
Ultimately, this collaboration reinforces dsm-firmenich’s position as a leader in next-generation beverage solutions — bringing progress to life through science-driven innovation.
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10 June 2022
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