Identifiers
Functions
Hazards
Retinal is classified under HS Code 2936.21. This falls under Chapter 29: Organic chemicals, specifically Heading 2936 (Provitamins, vitamins; natural or reproduced by synthesis (including natural concentrates) derivatives thereof used as vitamins, and intermixtures of the fore-going, whether or not in any solvent), under subheading: Vitamins; vitamins A and their derivatives, unmixed.
* The data below is specific to the HS code, not the ingredient.
Suppliers
172
Across 37 countries
Shipments
1,120
from 2015 to 2026
Total weight
10.6M kg
1,761 TEU · standard 20-foot container units
Last shipment
6 months ago
Last updated at Feb 25, 2026
Growth
↑ 36%
Trade under 2936.21 has increased by 36% over the past 6 months
Trade activity under HS 2936.21 shows a large, active supply chain with 172 suppliers, 1,120 shipments, and over 10.6 million kg moved since 2015, but this is not ingredient-specific to retinal. The classification covers vitamins A and derivatives, so the volume likely includes other vitamin A forms. The presence of major nutritional players like BASF, DSM, and Adisseo suggests established vitamin supply chains, but retinal-specific trade cannot be confirmed. For formulation planning, treat this as evidence of a robust vitamin A derivative network, not a dedicated retinal market.
HS code 2936.21 covers 'Vitamins A and their derivatives, unmixed,' which includes retinal but also retinol, retinyl esters, and other vitamin A forms. This broad scope means the trade data cannot isolate retinal shipments. The classification is limited to unmixed vitamins, so formulated products or blends are excluded. For regulatory or sourcing decisions, this code is useful for monitoring vitamin A derivative trade but cannot confirm retinal purity or volume. Further verification, such as supplier documentation or certificates of analysis, is needed to confirm retinal-specific activity.
| Supplier | Shipments | Top customer | Growth | Last shipment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No suppliers found. | |||||
The supplier landscape appears moderately concentrated, with a few high-volume suppliers dominating shipments. Mesofarma (179 shipments), Jamieson Laboratories (106), Adisseo France (87), BASF (80), and Cultech (67) account for a significant share. However, many suppliers have only 1-3 shipments, indicating a long tail of smaller or incidental traders. This suggests a mix of established vitamin manufacturers and distributors, but not necessarily retinal specialists. For procurement, this implies potential supply security from large players, but also a need to verify which suppliers actually handle retinal.
Key supply risks include the lack of ingredient-specific confirmation—shipments under HS 2936.21 may not contain retinal. High-volume suppliers like Mesofarma and Jamieson may be distributors or formulators, not raw retinal manufacturers. Some suppliers show recent growth (e.g., Xiamen Kingdomway, Siegfried), but their retinal relevance is unverified. Additionally, many suppliers have sparse shipment histories, suggesting incidental trade. Further diligence should include direct supplier inquiries, certificates of analysis, and possibly contract manufacturing agreements to confirm retinal supply capability and avoid reliance on misclassified data.
Key sourcing geographies include Canada (30 suppliers, 177 shipments), China (35 suppliers, 142 shipments), Belgium (10 suppliers, 146 shipments), and the UK (25 suppliers, 118 shipments). France and Germany show high shipment weights, indicating significant volume. Major trade lanes appear to be transatlantic (Europe to North America) and Asia-Pacific to North America. For supply chain planning, these regions represent established vitamin A derivative hubs, but retinal-specific lanes cannot be identified. The presence of suppliers in 37 countries suggests a global network, but concentration in a few countries is notable.
By shipment count
Mexico
180 shipments
2 suppliers
331K kg total weight
Canada
177 shipments
30 suppliers
1.5M kg total weight
Belgium
146 shipments
10 suppliers
2M kg total weight
China
142 shipments
35 suppliers
959.6K kg total weight
United Kingdom
118 shipments
25 suppliers
487.1K kg total weight
France
88 shipments
2 suppliers
1.5M kg total weight
Germany
64 shipments
7 suppliers
1.8M kg total weight
Australia
58 shipments
5 suppliers
794.9K kg total weight
El Salvador
43 shipments
7 suppliers
336.1K kg total weight
India
27 shipments
7 suppliers
296.4K kg total weight