CHINA – Lesaffre, the French multi-national player in yeasts and fermentation, has acquired a majority shareholding in Biohymn Biotechnology, a Chinese company specialized in the production of yeast and yeast extracts to support its expansion strategy on Chinese market.
Lesaffre said that the deal, whose financial details were not disclosed, is in line with the company’s goal of strengthening its presence on the Chinese market and ensuring greater proximity to its clients.
Biohymn Biotechnology produces yeast and yeast extracts, mainly for China. The company was established in 2012 and is based in Food Industrial park of Linxi County, Chifeng City, in Northern China.
With Biohymn, Lesaffre expects to grow the market share it has built within over 20 years of operation the Chinese market. Lesaffre has been progressively expanding its presence in China since the group acquired a yeast plant at Ming Guang, near Nankin in 1999.
In 2010, the company commissioned new plants at Laibin, Guangxi, in partnership with the sugar producer Donta. Five years later, the group signed the majority shareholding in Sungain, at Chongzuo, Guangxi region, near Nanning.
Today, Lesaffre counts 3 sites of production in China (Ming Guang, Laibin, Chongzuo) and operates 4 Baking Center (Shanghai, Hong-Kong, Beijing and Canton).
With this investment, Lesaffre said that it will strengthen its presence and offering to Chinese customers, not only in baking but also in the field of food taste and pleasure, in animal nutrition and health, and in nutriments for biotechnologies.
“Lesaffre welcomes this new operation, which will enable us to strengthen our position in China. We have been present in China for many years and we want to work on long term,” said Antoine Baule, CEO of Lesaffre.
“With this new significant investment, we are establishing our will to be close to our customers, to offer them our products and services and fulfill their specific requirements. We aim to answer to the increasing market demand, especially yeast for mantou, but also in animal nutrition and biotechnologies.”
Jean-Philippe Poulin, President of China region at Lesaffre said that the partnership between Lesaffre and Biohymn will create great synergy, adding that their joint expertise will contribute to develop the main sugar production region in the north China.
“We will leverage the localization of Biohymn to further develop the North China market by better serving bakery, animal health and nutrition and biotech markets,” Poulin said.
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