'Innovation with Integrity' will serve as the theme for the 20th anniversary of Novus International, Inc., which will celebrate the company’s milestone throughout 2011. Celebrations began this month, with events and customer appreciation dinners at Asian-Pacific Aquaculture in Kochi, India and International Poultry Expo in Atlanta, Georgia.

Thad Simons, President and Chief Executive Officer of Novus, explained: "'Innovation with Integrity' has been a central attribute of Novus' culture from the beginning. Our heritage has been built on developing innovative, science-based health through nutrition products for livestock, pets and people. We are very proud of our global network of employees, customers and partnerships and excited to embark on a year of celebration with the many people who support our continued growth and success."

The company was founded in 1991, and today, has employees working in over 90 countries, serving more than 3,000 customers worldwide. Novus has facilities including corporate offices, research and development laboratories, and manufacturing operations in more than 35 countries, as well as offices with field staff in an additional 60 countries.

Mr Simons added: "'Innovation with Integrity' refers to our commitment to our clients, the industry and the environment. We seek to leverage technology and innovation to expand the capability of best practice agriculture to meet the world's growing demand for food. Our Vision 'to help feed the world affordable, wholesome food and achieve a higher quality of life' is always at the forefront of our thinking."

Novus has planned a number of activities throughout the year to commemorate its 20th anniversary, including customer appreciation dinners across the globe, VIP tradeshow events, special customer recognition activities and a gala celebration at the Global Headquarters on 16 June 2011.

Brief history

Novus International, Inc. was founded in 1991 but its scientific roots and history originated more than 50 years ago.

In the 1950s, St Louis, Missouri-based Monsanto Company began conducting livestock and poultry feed metabolism studies. In 1959, one of its products received FDA approval as an animal feed additive, which helped launch the Monsanto division that would become Novus.

In 1991, in an effort to focus on its core businesses – seed, herbicide and biotechnology – Monsanto sold its Feed Ingredients division to Mitsui & Co. Ltd. and Nippon Soda Co., Ltd. The new owners saw Novus's strategic potential for growth.

In its first year, Novus put into place the corporate Vision of "helping to feed the world affordable, wholesome food." At the time, the Vision statement was considered a bold goal and some questioned how Novus could realistically make a contribution. It was a small, business-to-business company with two products for the poultry industry, but the company's leaders understood that Novus's core knowledge of health and nutrition related to poultry could be beneficial to other species.

Working from a strong base of scientific understanding, Novus has brought to market more than 100 new products over the past decade. Today the Novus product portfolio provides a holistic approach to Health through Nutrition for poultry, cattle, pigs, pets, farm-raised fish, horses and people.

Novus's Vision – To help feed the world affordable, wholesome food and achieve a higher quality of life. Novus has a clearly defined Vision. Feeding the world over the next four decades will require producing more food than in the previous 4,000 years. Satisfying this increasing demand without straining, depleting or polluting the earth's natural resources will continue to be a complex challenge. It will require innovative solutions in nutrition, combined with a solid commitment to global sustainability.

Novus's Mission – Make a clear difference in sustainably meeting the growing global need for nutrition and health. Novus's core expertise and experience in health and nutritional research empower Novus to move toward its Mission. Together, its Vision and Mission form the solid bedrock that supports Health through Nutrition.

Core Values – Novus's Core Values bring its Vision and Mission to life. The Core Values define, in practical terms, how its 600-plus employees conduct business with each other, with customers and with other stakeholders. They guide all business strategies, plans and objectives, and shape the company's culture, which begins at the individual level and carries through to the marketplace.

• Novus seeks excellence from every employee, and encourages, expects and supports alignment, diversity, individual growth, initiative and teamwork.
• It strives to provide products with demonstrable value, and its research focuses on leading-edge concepts. It is committed to supplying preferred products and services.
• It is critical Novus maximize long-term customer satisfaction. Whether related to products, services or innovation, Novus must always anticipate its customers' needs and exceed their expectations.
• Novus protects its employees, the public and the environment. Specifically, it makes health, safety and environmental considerations a priority in everything it does.
• Novus acts with integrity, and treats all stakeholders – including employees, customers, suppliers, business partners, owners and the public – in a fair and ethical manner.