Novus International
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA privately owned global provider of animal nutrition, feed-additive, and animal-health solutions.
Last updated October 30, 2026
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Overview
Novus International is an American animal nutrition and animal-health company headquartered in St. Charles, Missouri. The company develops and supplies products intended to improve the nutritional efficiency, health, preservation, and productivity of livestock, aquaculture species, and companion animals. Its customers and users include animal nutritionists, veterinarians, feed manufacturers, producers, and individual animal owners. The business traces its technical heritage to Monsanto's research into animal metabolism and methionine hydroxy analogue, a methionine-related feed supplement later marketed as MHA. Monsanto began production-related work in the early 1950s, moved the project to its St. Louis research center in 1954, and introduced ALIMET in 1979. In 1991, Mitsui & Co. and Nippon Soda acquired Monsanto's MHA and ALIMET businesses and formed Novus International. This transaction established the company's core position in specialty animal-nutrition ingredients rather than in conventional feed production. Novus's portfolio has included amino acids, organic trace minerals, feed preservatives, and other nutrition and health products. Important offerings associated with the company include ALIMET methionine hydroxy analogue and MHA feed supplementation, SANTOQUIN feed preservative products, mineral solutions, and broader nutritional technologies. The company has also expanded beyond terrestrial livestock: its aquaculture business was launched in 1996, while later activities included companion-animal and human-nutrition-related businesses through divisions or affiliated brands such as Arenus and Stratum Nutrition. Research and technical development have remained central to the company's identity. Novus established a research center at Missouri Research Park in St. Charles in the 1990s, completed a global headquarters at the same research park in 2008, and opened Green Acres Farm in Montgomery City, Missouri, in 2010. These facilities supported research, testing, and development of nutritional applications across species and production systems. The company has also pursued collaborations and programs related to sustainability, agricultural research, and new feed technologies. It hosted a sustainability round table in 2007, joined the Sustainable Sites Initiative in 2010, and formed a strategic partnership with Verenium in 2011 to expand enzyme solutions for animal nutrition. Novus expanded its graduate-scholar activities in China and entered a five-year partnership with the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development program in 2009. Novus remains privately owned by Mitsui and Nippon Soda and operates internationally. Its business spans poultry, swine, dairy, beef, aquaculture, and companion animals. The company also strengthened its methionine-related manufacturing position in 2015 by securing a methylmercaptopropanal plant in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, from Union Carbide Corporation, a Dow Chemical subsidiary. Novus is therefore best understood as a specialized, research-led animal-nutrition company whose roots lie in feed-additive chemistry and whose current scope covers nutritional ingredients, feed preservation, animal health, and species-specific production solutions.
History
Novus International emerged from Monsanto's work in animal metabolism and specialty feed ingredients. During the early 1950s, Monsanto studied methionine metabolism and developed methionine hydroxy analogue, a feed supplement later associated with the MHA brand. Production began at Monsanto's Everett, Massachusetts, location, and the project moved to the company's St. Louis research center in 1954 for further development. Monsanto subsequently introduced SANTOQUIN, described as the first feed additive approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in 1959. A major commercial step came in 1979, when Monsanto introduced ALIMET. The first ALIMET sale was made to ConAgra Foods in El Dorado, Arkansas. The product became a central part of the methionine-related feed-supplement business that later formed the foundation of Novus. In 1991, Mitsui & Co. and Nippon Soda acquired Monsanto's MHA and ALIMET businesses and created Novus International. The new company also entered a contractual joint venture with Monsanto in 1992 relating to SANTOQUIN. Novus developed its research infrastructure in Missouri. Its research center at Missouri Research Park in St. Charles was completed and occupied in 1993. The company entered aquaculture in 1996, broadening its scope beyond conventional livestock nutrition. In the 2000s, it added businesses and programs that extended its activities into sustainability, companion-animal products, nutritional research, and agricultural education. Arenus was formed as a division of Novus Nutrition Brands in 2007, and Stratum Nutrition became a division in 2009. These businesses allowed Novus to apply its research capabilities to additional animal and nutrition markets. The company marked its sustainability interests through a sustainability round table held in St. Louis in 2007 and by joining the Sustainable Sites Initiative in 2010. It completed a global headquarters at Missouri Research Park in 2008 and inaugurated Green Acres Farm, a research facility in Montgomery City, Missouri, in 2010. Novus also expanded its graduate-scholar program in China and became the first private-sector partner of the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development program under a five-year agreement announced in 2009. Novus pursued external technology relationships as it developed its portfolio. In 2011, it announced a strategic partnership with Verenium to expand enzyme solutions for animal nutrition. In 2013, chief executive Thad Simons was elected to lead the board of the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association. In 2014, the Novus board appointed François Fraudeau as president and chief executive officer. In 2015, Novus secured a methylmercaptopropanal plant in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, from Union Carbide Corporation, a Dow Chemical subsidiary. The move supported the company's position in the supply chain for methionine-related nutrition products. Novus has operated across more than 90 countries and serves poultry, swine, dairy, beef, aquaculture, and companion-animal markets. It remains privately owned by Mitsui and Nippon Soda and is organized around animal nutrition, feed additives, preservation, and health-oriented solutions.
- 2015
Methionine-related manufacturing asset secured
[1]Novus secured a methylmercaptopropanal plant from Union Carbide in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana.
- 2010
Green Acres Farm research facility opens
[1]Novus inaugurated Green Acres Farm, a research facility in Montgomery City, Missouri.
- 2008
Global headquarters completed
[1]The company completed its global headquarters at Missouri Research Park in St. Charles.
- 1996
Aquaculture business begins
[1]Novus entered the aquaculture nutrition market.
- 1993
Missouri research center opens
[1]Novus completed and occupied its research center at Missouri Research Park in St. Charles.
- 1991
Novus International is formed
[1]Mitsui and Nippon Soda acquired Monsanto's MHA and ALIMET businesses and formed Novus International.
- 1979
ALIMET is introduced
[1]Monsanto introduced ALIMET, with the first recorded sale going to ConAgra Foods in Arkansas.
- 1959
SANTOQUIN receives feed-additive approval
[1]Monsanto's SANTOQUIN became the first feed additive identified in the company's history as approved by the FDA.
- 1954
Methionine research moves to St. Louis
[1]Monsanto transferred its methionine hydroxy analogue project to its St. Louis research center for additional development support.
Products and positioning
A research-led specialist in animal nutrition and health, with emphasis on feed additives, nutritional efficiency, feed preservation, and species-specific solutions.
Methionine hydroxy analogue feed supplement · 1979
ALIMET
ALIMET is a methionine hydroxy analogue feed supplement introduced by Monsanto in 1979 and later included in the business acquired by Mitsui and Nippon Soda to establish Novus. It is associated with the company's core specialty-nutrition heritage and is used in animal-feed formulations where methionine-related nutritional supplementation is required.
Methionine hydroxy analogue feed supplement
MHA
MHA refers to the methionine hydroxy analogue feed-supplement business that originated in Monsanto's metabolism research and became part of Novus in 1991. The technology represents the chemical and nutritional foundation of Novus's specialty feed-ingredient activities.
Feed preservative · 1959
SANTOQUIN
SANTOQUIN is a feed-preservative product line associated with Monsanto and later with Novus through a contractual joint venture established in 1992. Its role is connected with preserving feed quality and protecting feed ingredients during storage and handling.
Animal nutrition ingredient
Organic trace minerals
Novus supplies organic trace-mineral solutions as part of its broader animal-nutrition portfolio. These ingredients are intended for incorporation into feed programs for production animals and other species, supporting nutritional formulation alongside amino acids and related additives.
Companion-animal nutrition and health · 2007
Arenus
Arenus was formed as a division of Novus Nutrition Brands in 2007. It extended Novus-related nutrition and health capabilities into the companion-animal field, complementing the company's established livestock and aquaculture activities.
Nutrition ingredients and research · 2009
Stratum Nutrition
Stratum Nutrition became a division of Novus Nutrition Brands in 2009. The division was intended to leverage Novus's nutritional research and innovation capabilities across additional nutrition applications.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010Sustainable Sites Initiative participation
United States
Novus joined the Sustainable Sites Initiative, a framework focused on sustainable land development and land-management practices.
Outcome. The participation connected the company's facility and land-management activities with a broader sustainability framework.
- 2009AWARD partnership and graduate-scholar expansion
China · Africa · International
Novus expanded its graduate-scholar program in China and entered a five-year agreement with the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development program, becoming its first private-sector partner.
Outcome. The initiatives extended Novus's support for agricultural research and professional development beyond its commercial product activities.
- 2007Novus Sustainability Round Table
United States
Novus hosted an early sustainability round-table discussion in St. Louis, bringing sustainability considerations into its corporate and agricultural-nutrition agenda.
Outcome. The event helped establish sustainability as a recurring theme in Novus's research, facilities, and agricultural-industry engagement.
Brand decisions
2015
Secure methylmercaptopropanal manufacturing plantM&ABackground
Novus sought greater control or capacity in a manufacturing input connected with its methionine-related nutrition business.
Action taken
The company secured a methylmercaptopropanal plant in Louisiana from Union Carbide Corporation, a Dow Chemical subsidiary.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened Novus's position in the production chain supporting its specialty animal-nutrition portfolio.
2011
Partner with Verenium on enzyme solutionsStrategyBackground
Novus sought to broaden its animal-nutrition offering with enzyme technologies.
Action taken
Novus and Verenium announced a strategic partnership to expand enzyme solutions for the animal-nutrition market.
Aftermath
The partnership expanded the technologies that Novus could pursue in feed-nutrition applications.
1991
Acquire Monsanto's MHA and ALIMET businessesM&ABackground
Mitsui and Nippon Soda sought to acquire Monsanto's established specialty feed-ingredient activities.
Action taken
The two companies acquired the MHA and ALIMET businesses and formed Novus International.
Aftermath
The transaction created Novus's core business platform in animal nutrition and feed additives.
Recent events
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