News

Lesaffre moves on Gnosis

As part of its ongoing expansion strategy in nutrition and health, yeast and fermentation company Lesaffre has taken a majority stake in Gnosis, an Italian company specialising in the development, production and sale of fermentation ingredients for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic and veterinary industries. Founded in 1989 by biotechnology engineer Aldo Basseti and managed by […]

As part of its ongoing expansion strategy in nutrition and health, yeast and fermentation company Lesaffre has taken a majority stake in Gnosis, an Italian company specialising in the development, production and sale of fermentation ingredients for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic and veterinary industries.

Founded in 1989 by biotechnology engineer Aldo Basseti and managed by Renzo Berna, Lesaffre says that Gnosis has experienced strong growth since its inception, and that it now possesses skill and specialist expertise in microbial fermentation and in recovering and purifying molecules derived from yeasts and bacteria. Gnosis has registered more than 40 patents, in more than 60 countries. The company has two GMP production sites (Sant Antonino in Switzerland and Pisticci in Italy) and two commercial offices (USA and China). Its head office and R&D facility are based at Desio, near Milan. It employs more than 200 people, and  estimated current annual turnover is €80 million, 98% deriving from export.

The Italian industrial family group Maccaferri acquired a significant shareholding in this company in 2002 in order to support its expansion. Wishing to refocus its business activity, particularly in the field of renewable energy, it has now decided to transfer all of its shares to Lesaffre.

“Lesaffre welcomes this acquisition, which is entirely in line with its strategic development objectives,” said Antoine Baule, Lesaffre’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are pleased to contribute to the development of this company, and to build on the skills and expertise of the existing teams. The synergies that we will develop between Lesaffre and Gnosis will enable us to improve our production processes and offer products and services that are increasingly innovative and closely matched to customer and consumer needs.”

“We are pleased to join forces with Lesaffre, a family company known and recognised internationally for its professionalism and the quality of its products and services.,” said Aldo Basseti, founder of Gnosis. “This new partnership will enable Gnosis to consolidate its position, and to move into a new phase in its growth.”