KDD

In 2020, KDD launched an important initiative to align KDD’s portfolio with the current science intersecting with metabolic health and nutrition.

This work is featured in KDD’s 2020 Corporate Report on Sustainability.

KDD’s Metabolic Reengineering Initiative

“Metabolic health is the intersection between biology and environment that promotes optimal growth and nutrition for the organism.”
– Dr. Robert Lustig, Lead Science Advisor to KDD 

KDD has forged a science-based model for transforming health outcomes and how the Food and Beverage industry formulates its products with a particular focus on metabolic health and nutrition. Since KDD was founded, nutrition has evolved, and the most current research in the field has debunked the long-held dogmas of “all calories are the same,” “eat less and exercise more,” and “dietary fat causes heart disease.” Similarly, food science has evolved and now asks: “What is in the food?” How is the food processed? and “What’s the metabolic impact of the food?” Given the evolving nutrition paradigms, KDD has embarked upon a bold initiative to reengineer its portfolio.

Why is KDD interested in Metabolic Health & Nutrition? Why develop a Metabolic Matrix?

“KDD is a 100% Kuwaiti Company that has been in the business of dairy, fruit juices, ice cream, and culinary items for almost 60 years now. The brand and its products are very popular because of consumer loyalty. Such loyalty is based upon the credibility of the brand. Our consumers expect only the best from KDD, and they truly believe that we offer it to them. Therefore, our part, as a producer, has been very mindful of this fact. We always source the finest ingredients and invest in modern technology and processes.

There are a few pertinent questions that we have been asking and trying to deal with. We want our products to be really healthy, staying true to our overall goal of “pure, wholesome goodness.” What does nutritious and healthy actually mean? Why is our population here highest globally in obesity and diabetes? Are these markers of a deeper and larger problem and not a problem of themselves?  Are there many confusing definitions of what it means to eat healthy food? Our consumers have not been guided or motivated enough to declarations that appear on the packs, say, for example, the “traffic lights.” Why are we seeing problems of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and the like, even in youngsters? Is all the spending on healthcare going to stay on the rise? Any of these health issues could result from a combination of food, lifestyle, and even genetics.

Being a food producer, we were prompted by such questions to seek the most appropriate definition for “nutritious” and “healthy.” In working with a team of experts, such as Dr. Robert Lustig and the others (on our Science Advisory Team), we realized a very simple truth that we are not what we eat but what we metabolize. The science of metabolism is explained by our experts, but for us, it is to simply define metabolism in actionable steps that will promise health and nutrition through our products. This paradigm, inspired by Dr. Lustig’s work, is three-fold: protect the liver, feed the gut, and support the brain.

Since we have defined healthy and nutritious in this manner, we have also evolved detailed criteria and have been keenly evaluating our portfolio to steer it towards maximum positive nutrition. We firmly believe that the definition of health and nutrition that we have now takes out all ambiguity regarding fats, sugars, proteins, calories and focuses on key factors that are responsible for healthy metabolism in our bodies and what harm food, particularly processed food, should not cause.

Ultimately, that is what we wish for our consumers: to stay healthy and to be happy. This is our endeavor now – the journey we have started.”

– VV Subramanian, VP & Chief Business Officer, KDD, United Nations Food System Summit, Independent Dialogue, “The link between metabolic health and nutrition is fundamental to tackling chronic disease and changing the food system,” held September 8, 2021.

This website features the progress that KDD has made with developing the Metabolic Matrix and demonstrates how KDD is sharing this work on a global scale.