Lesaffre has acquired Altar, a specialist in adaptive laboratory evolution to boost the group's ability to innovate in the fermentation space.
Altar has recently developed a technology that enables the continuous, uninterrupted cultivation of micro-organisms with specific health-boosting properties.
Through the acquisition, Lesaffre will have access to the start-up's technology, platform and expertise, allowing the company to boost its current assets in the R&D pipeline.
The deal will also involve the merger of Altar and Lesaffre's teams, which was closed at the end of September.
Lesaffre made this strategic acquisition as part of its initiative to invest more into its research, development and innovation equipment, which will assist the group in meeting the needs of its customers.
It will also allow Lesaffre to offer its clients more complex micro-organismal strains, while improving the quality of their products.
Chief RD&I Officer at Lesaffre, Christine M'Rini, commented: “At Lesaffre, we are convinced that today’s RD&I are the products of tomorrow. By investing today in our innovation capabilities, we give our research and development experts the means to develop healthier, more sustainable products that best meet the needs of our customers,"
"We are very pleased to welcome the Altar team to Lesaffre and to be able to join forces to build the solutions of tomorrow together.”
Gingko Bioworks' Chief Business Officer, Ena Cratsenburg, added: “Lesaffre’s acquisition of Altar, our French subsidiary, allows Ginkgo to refocus strategically, while enabling Lesaffre to go even further in innovating and responding to the major challenges of tomorrow."
"We are excited to maintain our access to this powerful technology, developed and scaled by the Altar team on Ginkgo’s platform, which nicely complements Lesaffre’s know-how in the field of microorganisms. We are very grateful to our employees joining Lesaffre and look forward to continuing working with them for long into the future.”
