Lesaffre is a French yeast manufacturer, and the world's largest producer.

Lesaffre
Company typePrivate
IndustryFood
FounderLouis Lesaffre
HeadquartersMarcq-en-Barœul
Websitewww.lesaffre.com

History

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The company was founded by Louis Lesaffre, the co-founder of Bonduelle, in the mid-19th century.[1][2]

One of its subsidiaries, Bio Springer,[3] was founded by Baron Max de Springer in 1872 in Maisons-Alfort.[4]

In 2004, it formed a North American joint-venture with Archer Daniels Midland, known as Red Star Yeast.[5]

In 2006, the end of the malt business, via its subsidiary International Malting Company (IMC), then the fifth largest maltster in the world, created tension among the family shareholders.[6] IMC was acquired at 100% by ADM.

In 2007, it was the world's largest producer of yeast.[2] In 2011, it bought the factory of "Voronezh Yeast" LLC in Voronezh.[citation needed]

After the foundation of the Lesaffre Advanced Fermentations (LEAF) subsidiary, the Swiss biofuel start-up Butalco, founded by Eckhard Boles and Gunter Festel, was acquired in July 2014.[7] With this acquisition, Lesaffre entered the market for second generation, waste-based bioethanol and biobutanol.[8]

In 2014, it had an annual turnover of 1.5 billion euros, 7,700 employees and 80 subsidiaries in various countries.[9] The capital is not listed on the stock exchange, but shared among 400 shareholders from the founders' family, whose professional fortune is estimated at 3 billion euros.[10]

In 2018, the group took control of Tunisian Rayen Food Industries, which specializes in the production of baker's yeast, and of a Serbian Alltech plant specializing in yeast extracts.[11]

In 2021, it was ranked 8th on FoodTalks' list of Top 30 Global Probiotic Food Ingredient Companies.[12] According to current data, the company generates annual sales of €2 billion with more than 10,000 employees and 80 subsidiaries in 50 countries.[13]

In 2024, it acquired the control of Brazilian yeast products manufacturer Biorigin from Zilor group.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "History". Lesaffre. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  2. ^ a b Lenoir, Alexandre (July 13, 2007). "La saga d'une gros se légume". L'Express (in French). Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  3. ^ "About Us". Bio Springer. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Visitez la fabrique de levure". Le Parisien (in French). October 21, 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  5. ^ Greg Pletras. "Opened in 2005, the Red Star Yeast Co. plant in Cedar Rapids…". Efficient Plant. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  6. ^ Nouvelle, L'Usine (2014-03-13). "Lesaffre, la mue du roi de la levure" (in French). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^ "Lesaffre Acquire Butalco". Bio-based News. July 24, 2014.
  8. ^ Lane, Jim. "Lesaffre acquires Butalco: will the race for sustainable butanol ever be the same?". Biofuel Digest. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  9. ^ "The group in a nutshell". Lesaffre Group. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  10. ^ Eric Tréguier (15 November 2018). [106 "les 500 fortunes..."] Challenges (in French). {{cite journal}}: Check |url= value (help)
  11. ^ "Lesaffre, numéro un mondial de la levure, multiplie les acquisitions". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2018-04-18. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  12. ^ Zhao, Viola (2021-04-20). "2021年全球食用益生菌原料企业30强". FoodTalks (in Chinese). Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  13. ^ "Marketing & Sales Analyst". Lesaffre. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  14. ^ "Zilor vende ativo à francesa Lesaffre em acordo de R$ 665 milhões". InfoMoney (in Brazilian Portuguese). Reuters. 2024-10-03. Retrieved 2024-10-04.