USA – Mérieux NutriSciences, a world player in food safety, quality, and sustainability, has entered into an agreement to acquire the food testing business of Bureau Veritas for an Enterprise Value of EUR 360 million (US$39.56m)

This deal covers Bureau Veritas’ food laboratory testing activities, microbiological and chemical analysis, and molecular testing.

The lab serves food sector customers through a network of 34 laboratories and 1,900 technical staff across 15 countries in the Americas, Africa, and Asia Pacific.

The transaction will create a business with US$1bn in revenue, significantly reinforcing Mérieux NutriSciences’ position as a global leader in food testing, inspection, and certification (TIC).

It expands Mérieux NutriSciences’ geographic footprint, doubling its presence in Asia Pacific and Canada, and providing access to new regions with considerable growth potential.

“The acquisition of Bureau Veritas’ food testing business marks a pivotal milestone for Mérieux NutriSciences. It will significantly enhance our ability to serve our customers, and ultimately increase our contribution to the safety, quality, and sustainability of global food systems,” said Nicolas Cartier, CEO of Mérieux NutriSciences.

“After closing of the transaction, together with the 1,900 future colleagues joining us from Bureau Veritas, we will be even stronger in fulfilling our purpose: ‘Better Food. Better Health. Better World.”

Hinda Gharbi, CEO of Bureau Veritas commented that Mérieux NutriSciences, a leader in Food testing, whose global footprint and proven expertise is the perfect fit for the food business and would allow it to thrive and to contribute to make food systems safer, healthier and more sustainable.

This strategic acquisition, supported by its parent company, Institut Mérieux, reinforces Mérieux NutriSciences’ commitment to promoting safer, healthier, and more sustainable food systems on a global scale.

At the same time, Mérieux NutriSciences is in advanced discussions with AsureQuality, the New Zealand-based food assurance provider, to continue the joint ventures which currently exist between Bureau Veritas and AsureQuality in Australia and Southeast Asia.

Mérieux NutriSciences explained that the US$15B global food TIC market is experiencing steady growth of around 5% annually, largely driven by rising consumer demand for food safety and quality, heightened stringency in regulations, sustainability and traceability of the food supply chain, and innovation in food technology.

With a network of almost 140 laboratories and more than 10,000 employees, the company is gearing up for stronger growth by offering a wide range of services.

They include testing, auditing, consulting, research, environmental footprinting, training, and digital solutions to address the changing demands of this expanding industry.

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE