Lesaffre, an independent French key global player in fermentation and microorganisms, and Zilor, a privately held Brazilian multinational that produces sugar, ethanol, renewable electric energy, and natural ingredients for animal nutrition from sugarcane processing, announce today the completion of the acquisition by Lesaffre of a 70% stake in Biorigin, a business unit of Zilor. This leads to the creation of a joint venture that will leverage Biospringer by Lesaffre and Biorigin’s complementary capabilities and competencies to enable enhanced yeast derivative and savory ingredient solutions for food and feed markets.
By combining strengths, Lesaffre and Zilor will unlock significant mutual benefits to deliver enhanced natural yeast-based ingredient solutions to customers around the world. This innovative partnership will accelerate the delivery of customer-centric solutions. It will rely on common values, recognized sales and technical expertise and on a global industrial network including Biorigin’s production unit in Quatá/São Paulo, combined with a vertical and sustainable supply chain.
Zilor will continue to run its production unit for ethanol and brewer’s spent yeast for animal nutrition. The yeast-based products for pet and livestock nutrition produced at the Lençóis Paulista (SP) and Macatuba (SP) facilities will remain under the management and commercialization of Zilor.
Lesaffre’s business units will benefit from this joint venture and will reinforce their position as key players in the human food, animal nutrition, pet supplement and aquaculture markets.
The Quata/Sao Paulo site has world leading performance in carbon neutrality as a result of using biomass as an energy source. Moreover, Lesaffre and Zilor remain strongly committed to minimizing their environmental impact through the implementation of best practices and ongoing enhancements.
The strategic partnership between Lesaffre and Zilor was first jointly announced on October 4, 2024.
ABOUT LESAFFRE
Lesaffre is a key global player in fermentation for more than a century with a €3 billion turnover. Established on all continents with 80 production sites in 55 countries, it counts 11,000 employees and more than 100 nationalities. On the strength of this experience and diversity, we work with customers, partners and researchers to find ever more relevant answers to the needs of food, health, naturalness and respect for our environment. Thus, every day, we explore and reveal the infinite potential of microorganisms.
To nourish 9 billion people, in a healthy way, in 2050 by making the most of our planet’s resources is a major and unprecedented issue. We believe that fermentation is one of the most promising answers to this challenge.
Lesaffre – Working together to better nourish and protect the planet
More information on www.lesaffre.com
Join us in conversation on LinkedIn and on Twitter
ABOUT ZILOR
Zilor is a Brazilian company with 79 years of experience in the sugar-energy sector. It produces sugar, ethanol, clean electricity, and natural ingredients for animal nutrition — all derived from sugarcane.
With 4,400 direct employees, Zilor operates four agro-industrial units in the countryside of São Paulo State (Lençóis Paulista, Macatuba, Quatá, and Lucélia), with a processing capacity of 13.8 million tons per harvest. This positions the company among the largest producers in the country, serving the growing demand for clean energy and food in a constantly changing world.
Zilor is a founding member and significant shareholder of Copersucar, holding a 12% stake in the world’s largest global trader of sugar and ethanol, present in over 70 countries.
A reference in social and environmental management, Zilor adopts sustainable practices such as 100% mechanized harvesting and invests in social projects focused on education, culture, health, safety, and the environment — promoting development in the communities where it operates.
Zilor – Creating value and promoting societal well-being by transforming innovative, natural agricultural resources into food and energy.
More information at: www.zilor.com.br
Join us in conversation on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/zilor
Press contacts:
Lesaffre – Jean-Clément Vergeau – Tel. : +33 6.74.83.02.54 – press@lesaffre.com
Zilor – Guilherme Bourroul – Tel.: +55 11 94528-2233 – guilherme@cropcom.com.br
Biorigin – Merylin Miguel – Tel.: +55 11 93020-0744 – merylin.miguel@biorigin.net
