More than a decade ago, feedstock shocks pushed the industry to diversify raw materials. Today, demand grows for mild, biodegradable bio-based surfactants.

Surfactants are among the most common chemicals in the household and personal products industry. Best known for detergency and cleansing properties, they also act as emulsifiers, wetting agents, foaming agents, antistatic additives and dispersants. Surfactants are increasingly produced in whole or in part from renewable biomass.Here, Happi sits down surfactant suppliers Coast Southwest and BASF to discuss the market’s evolution in the past 10 years, their latest innovations in bio-based surfactants and more.

Happi: How has the surfactant market evolved in the past decade and how is your company adapting to those changes?

BASF, Kayleigh Foster, director, marketing & technical service, HI&I Americas:

Over the past decade, the surfactant market underwent a major transformation driven by price volatility, sustainability demands and innovation. Early 2010’s feedstock shocks, especially in oleochemicals, pushed [the] industry to diversify raw materials and explore bio-based alternatives. Since then, demand for naturally derived, mild and biodegradable surfactants has surged – especially in home and personal care. Meanwhile, manufacturers embraced sustainable practices such as biomass balance (BMB), fermentation-derived biosurfactants, and carbon capture feedstocks. BASF responded to these market shifts by significantly expanding its portfolio of sustainable surfactants and investing in innovative technologies. The company scaled production of Alkyl Polyglucosides (APGs) globally to meet demand for mild, biodegradable solutions. We implemented biomass balance certification across key product lines to reduce carbon footprints while maintaining performance. In addition, BASF supports customer in formulating for eco-labels and is actively aligning its surfactant innovations with circularity, clean beauty and green cleaning trends. We’re a leader in the transition to safer, high-performing, and sustainable surfactants.

Coast Southwest, Jarrod A. Kaltenbach, VP-surfactants:

In just 10 years, the surfactant landscape shifted dramatically—from tightening dioxane regulations to a surge in demand for plant-based, ultra-mild ingredients. Coast Southwest keeps pace by blending the best of both worlds: nationwide distribution and in-house manufacturing. That means we can bring fresh innovation to market faster, while giving brands the sustainable, safe, high-performance surfactant options they are asking for.

Happi: What are some of the company’s latest innovations in-line with the latest trends such as bio-based surfactants?

BASF, Andrew Miller—senior marketing manager, oral, body and hair care solutions, North America:

For the personal care market, we recently launched the concept “Navigating Foam Dynamics: APG Synergies for Superior Performance.”

Foam dynamics in rinse-off formulations are shaped by the interplay of surfactants. APGs have emerged as versatile agents that enhance both performance and sensory appeal. At BASF, the enhancements provided by the synergy between APGs and co-surfactants like Taurate, Isethionate, Glutamate, Glycinate and Betaine, have been systematically explored using our Surfactant Navigator tool. This digital platform enables precise formulation by analyzing parameters such as foam volume, lathering speed, bubble size and foam stability.

Consumer studies revealed that APG-based systems deliver a lightweight, mild and creamy foam with excellent rinseability and a pleasant after-feel. These combinations not only meet technical benchmarks but also resonate emotionally with users, enhancing the perceived luxury and effectiveness of the product.

The APG-cosurfactant synergy is especially impactful in body cleansing applications, where 38% of US consumers prioritize foaming attributes (Source: Kantar Profiles/Mintel—View databook online: Soap, Bath and Shower Products—US—2024). By leveraging APGs in combination with other surfactants, formulators can tailor foam characteristics to meet diverse market needs, from rich lather to mild cleansing, while also supporting sustainability goals through bio-based ingredients.

Kayleigh Foster:

For homecare, we recently introduced Glucopon 480, a high-performance, 100% biobased APG surfactant designed for laundry applications. Notably ethylene oxide- and 1,4-dioxane-free, with a renewable carbon index of 100%, it delivers excellent cleaning efficiency. It enables reductions of up to 68% in total surfactant usage in model detergent systems—without compromising performance. Importantly, it addresses critical regulatory and sustainability topics, offering a readily biodegradable profile and meeting key criteria such as California Prop 65 compliance.

Jarrod A. Kaltenbach:

We offer one of the industry’s broadest ranges of surfactants, produced in-house and through partnerships with leaders like Holiferm and Southern Chemical & Textiles. Ranging from tried-and true options to innovative sulfate-free ingredients, highlights include Endinol Mild SCG, an ultra-mild, dioxane-free amino acid surfactant, and HoliSurf biosurfactants, which are high-performing, naturally-derived, biodegradable and microbiome-friendly.

Happi: How is your company navigating supply chain risk management in consumer products?

Jarrod A. Kaltenbach: Resilience is built in. By expanding our own manufacturing footprint in Paso Robles, CA and Arlington, TX and building redundancy into raw material sourcing, we’ve created a supply chain that is responsive and cost-effective. The goal? Zero backorders and the flexibility to deliver exactly what customers need, when they need it.

BASF, Dr. Becky Stiles, head of marketing, personal care, North America: As a global company, BASF supports conditions that allow for free trade of goods and services. Additionally, local production is essential to BASF’s strategy worldwide. In the US, most of our sales come from products manufactured in the country. This focus on local production for the local market underscores our commitment to local economies and ensures that we meet customer needs with locally produced goods. BASF supply chain teams focus on optimizing supply networks, logistics and local production footprints to ensure on-time and in-full deliveries to our customers.

Happi: How is your company different from other surfactant suppliers?

Jarrod A. Kaltenbach:

Our advantage is agility—combining the speed and service of a distributor with the customization capabilities of a specialty manufacturer. We offer short lead times, low MOQs, flexible packaging, and collaborative product development to deliver exactly what our customers need, when and how they need it.

Kayleigh Foster:

We differentiate ourselves through a combination of deep technical expertise, broad formulation know-how and an unmatched portfolio that extends far beyond surfactants. We don’t just supply ingredients—we work alongside our customers to solve formulation challenges by drawing from a diverse toolbox that includes enzymes for cleaning, actives for personal care, and a wide range of high-performance chemistries.

Our technical teams understand the interplay between ingredients—how to combine them effectively to deliver superior cleaning or sensory outcomes—and we bring this knowledge to every customer engagement. Additionally, another thing that sets BASF apart is our ability to innovate at scale. We invest heavily in R&D and have the innovation infrastructure to bring new, sustainable technologies from the lab to the marketplace.

Becky Stiles:

From the digital innovation arena, tools like D’lite Surfactant Navigator streamline formulation and sustainability optimization. Surfactant Navigator enables brands to accelerate their solutions with high flexibility to meet consumers’ needs for sustainable innovation. The digital service, based on physico-chemical, sensorial and thickening properties, uses real-world laboratory data combined with machine learning to allow formulators to find the best combinations of sustainable surfactants in place of conventional, less desirable surfactants.

Happi: What have been the company’s biggest accomplishments in recent years?

Andrew Miller:

From the surfactants point of view, expanding APG production in Thailand and Cincinnati, OH to meet global demand for biodegradable surfactants. For personal care, we’re optimizing surfactant synergies with APG technology. Aim to examine the advantages that APG technology can offer when combined with other co-surfactants that are commonly used and preferred in cleansing chassis.

Our primary focus is on developing solutions that excel in performance for new applications. By understanding the evolving needs of our customers, we can tailor our products to meet their performance and sustainability requirements. We believe in providing effective and efficient solutions that not only fulfill current demands but also anticipate future trends.

Kayleigh Foster:

In homecare, we’re proud of our Glucopon APG portfolio. These nonionic surfactants are produced from natural, renewable sources with excellent foaming and cleansing properties. Traditionally used primarily in hard surface cleaning and manual dish applications, our goal this year is to showcase the versatility of Glucopon by demonstrating its performance in laundry by launching Glucopon 480. This APG has proven performance in laundry and is approved for use in Safer Choice products. Not only can it functionally replace alcohol ethoxylates in laundry detergents without any performance loss, Glucopon 480 enables nonionic surfactant reduction. Using 32% of Glucopon 480 to replace 100% of the alcohol ethoxylate on an actives basis resulted in close to parity performance in our model detergent, with only 5% of overall detergency being lost. This surfactant reduction translates to significant PCF savings, with a PCF reduction of 39% in the model detergent (excluding biobased content, assuming an inclusion of Glucopon 480 at 32% on an actives basis).

We s.ignificantly expanded our detergent enzyme portfolio, announcing three new enzyme classes just last month. This expansion reinforces our position as a committed and capable enzyme supplier, and signals to customers that we are a long-term partner they can trust and scale with. With the launch of GLDA, we further strengthened our commitment to delivering high-performance eco-conscious solutions to the cleaning industry. GLDA expands our portfolio of biodegradable chelating agents and demonstrates our ability to innovate in line with evolving regulatory and environmental expectations. It gives our customers a reliable, future-ready alternative to traditional chelates.

Jarrod A. Kaltenbach:

Since acquiring our Paso Robles, CA, surfactant plant, we’ve launched more than 15 new products across chemistries including esters, quats, amphoterics, amides and amino acid surfactants — expanding our capabilities while maintaining the customer service we’re known for.

Happi: What’s in store for the surfactant market from your company?

Jarrod A. Kaltenbach:

We’re advancing surfactant technology with greener platforms and new bio-based solutions. Our focus is on being a strong partner to both our customers and our communities. We blend nationwide distribution with in-house manufacturing to deliver innovation faster.

Kayleigh Foster:

In homecare, BASF is investing strategically to meet the evolving needs of the surfactant market – today and in the future. We’re expanding alkoxylation capacity in both Europe and Asia, reinforcing our commitment to security of supply and supporting the growth of our customers globally. Beyond capacity, we’re innovating across our surfactant portfolio, introducing new sugar-based and bio-based surfactants, new surfactants with improved performance and claim-enablement, and integrated formulation solutions that leverage our broader strengths. Looking ahead, you can expect BASF to remain a reliable partner and innovation leader, delivering value through both cutting-edge chemistry and a deep understanding of formulation complexity.