Last summer, dsm‑firmenich sold its yeast extraction activities to Lesaffre. Lesaffre was already well known to dsm‑firmenich as both a competitor and a customer. The situation is changing as a result of the sale. Until the end of 2025, dsm‑firmenich will continue to produce and supply yeast extracts; after which the plant will be closed. From then on, the products that dsm‑firmenich supplied will be produced in France and Serbia. “Lesaffre has sufficient production capacity there,” says Esther de Graaf-Groenendijk. “We are currently busy preparing these sites for the arrival of the Delft yeast extracts. They are special products that continue to exist with their own technology and brand name.”
Growth ambitions
What will Lesaffre be doing at the Biotech Campus Delft? Esther: “We are working on sales, marketing, logistics, regulatory affairs, application and the development of new products.” Lesaffre and dsm‑firmenich have entered into a technological partnership. Esther: “dsm‑firmenich was always the first to bring innovative yeast extracts onto the market. Lesaffre believes it is important to maintain that position. So we will continue to innovate and keep a short line between research, development and business. That can be done here on the site: there is a great deal of knowledge here.” Lesaffre has growth ambitions in the field of fermentation and natural products. “We are keen to create a broader range so that we are no longer an ingredient supplier, but can offer a total solution to the customer.”
Fermentation
The new products are based on fermentation, because this is where Lesaffre’s strengths lie. “Fermentation allows you to manufacture highly controlled and concentrated products that have a much lower impact on the environment than when they are made chemically. Cultivated meat for example: this has a very different ecological footprint to meat from cows or pigs. We can support the cultivated meat producers with innovative ingredients.” Initially, Esther and her team continued to operate from dsm‑firmenich’s Wetering office, but in April they moved to a state-of-the-art Planet B.io location on the campus with room for fifty employees and its own test kitchen. “The Biotech Campus Delft is a good place to realize our ambitions: it has all the facilities we need, the level of knowledge is high and you can benefit from cooperating with the other companies that are already based here.”
Warm welcome
Conversely, Esther’s team, formerly employed by dsm‑firmenich, was warmly welcomed by Lesaffre. “The company has very high expectations of us and we work very closely with the Lille headquarters.” We are currently working extremely hard to transfer the activities from dsm‑firmenich to Lesaffre. “As of 1 April 2025, the business must be able to run completely independently, including all its ICT. And in Q2, we expect to deliver the first commercial samples produced in France and Serbia to our customers.” After that, it will be full steam ahead with developing new products. “We are building a portfolio of premium products developed and manufactured in Europe that are sustainable, innovative, reliable and flexible. In doing so, we are giving the legacy of dsm‑firmenich (and Gist-Brocades) a new future at Lesaffre!”
Like to find out more? Visit: www.lesaffre.com
photo: Lesaffre CEO Brice Audren Riche, Savory Ingredients GM Esther de Graaf-Groenendijk and her team on 1 Oct 2024