Lesaffre is a French yeast manufacturer, and the world's largest producer.
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
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.
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]
Lesaffre business units include: Biospringer, Fermentis, and Ennolys (Food, Taste & Pleasure); Gnosis, Phileo, and Agrauxine (Healthcare); and Leaf, Procelys, and LIS (Industrial Biotechnology).[9]
In 2014, it had an annual turnover of 1.5 billion euros, 7,700 employees and 80 subsidiaries in various countries.[10] 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.[11]
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.[12]
In 2021, it was ranked 8th on FoodTalks' list of Top 30 Global Probiotic Food Ingredient Companies.[13] According to current data, the company generates annual sales of €2 billion with more than 10,000 employees and 80 subsidiaries in 50 countries.[14]
In 2024, it acquired the control of Brazilian yeast products manufacturer Biorigin from Zilor group.[15]
