Univar Solutions and Genu-in expand collagen access across North America

Univar Solutions is giving Genu-in a much larger sales lane in North America, and that matters because collagen is no longer being treated as a one-note beauty add-in. The new partnership, announced April 8, 2026, makes Foodology by Univar Solutions the North American distributor for Genu-in’s gelatin and hydrolyzed collagen ingredients across the United States and Canada.

For brands building functional foods, ready-to-drink beverages, protein bars and fortified snacks, distribution is the real story here. Easier access through a major ingredient network can change what formulators are willing to put on the line, especially when the ingredient comes with traceability and technical backing. Univar has already framed collagen as a growing driver across the food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical spaces, which suggests this category is moving deeper into mainstream protein systems instead of staying parked in niche wellness claims.

Genu-in is bringing more than just raw material. The company is part of JBS, which describes itself as one of the largest food companies in the world, and Genu-in says it controls production from origin using raw material from JBS itself. That end-to-end model is part of the pitch to manufacturers that care about provenance as much as function. Ricardo Gelain, Genu-in’s executive director, said the company is proud to bring high-quality, traceable collagen backed by science and clinical trials through Univar Solutions’ North American footprint.

That positioning is smart market behavior, not just branding. In collagen, the winners are increasingly the suppliers who can prove continuity, origin and performance, not simply sell a powder or a gelatin spec. Genu-in says its collagen peptides and gelatins are supported by science and full control of the production chain, which gives food and supplement brands a cleaner path if they want to formulate around mouthfeel, solubility, gelling or protein enrichment without building their own sourcing network from scratch.

The partnership also fits a broader distribution strategy. Brenntag Nutrition separately signed a Genu-in agreement for Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan, showing the company is leaning on regional distributors to widen access. JBS says Genu-in launched in 2022 at a plant in Presidente Epitácio, Brazil, backed by a R$400 million investment, and now exports to more than 20 countries. JBS also says Genu-in Life Skin received efficacy recognition from Brazil’s health regulator, Anvisa, after a cited study showed a 12.2% improvement in skin elasticity and firmness over eight weeks. Taken together, the moves point to a collagen business that is being built like a premium functional ingredient platform, not a commodity side line.