BASF strengthens biotechnology footprint to enter natural F&F ingredients market
Market entrance with biotech-based natural vanillin, valencene and nootkatone.
By acquiring Isobionics, an innovation leader in biotechnology which is serving the global market for natural flavors and fragrances (F&F), and through a cooperation agreement with Conagen, a leader in biotechnology research, BASF enters the market for natural F&F ingredients. Being known as a leading supplier of synthetic aroma ingredients, the company now broadens its portfolio with natural ingredients such as vanillin, nootkatone and valencene. BASF intends to advance the technology for biotech-based aroma ingredients by combining its own R&D excellence and broad market access with the know-how and expertise of Isobionics and Conagen.
“Reflecting the potential of changing consumer habits and the scarcity of natural ingredients, the strengthening of our biotechnology footprint is at the heart of BASF’s strategy,” says Melanie Maas-Brunner, who leads BASF’s Nutrition & Health division.
Acquisition of Isobionics
“The Flavor & Fragrance industry is experiencing an increasing need for natural ingredients,” says Julia Raquet, who heads BASF’s Aroma Ingredients business. “But fluctuating product quality, availability and sustainability are constant challenges for our customers. By entering the market with biotechnology-based aroma ingredients, we intend to provide our customers with high-quality products to respond to the current market challenges.”
“BASF is known for its high-quality standards, traceability and excellent regulatory know-how,” says Toine Janssen, founder of Isobionics. “By combining our biotech-based product portfolio and strong development pipeline with BASF’s expertise and its global market reach, we can provide the natural aroma ingredients market with even more innovations – and boost our growth.”
Isobionics is a biotech-based aroma ingredients company, located in Geleen, the Netherlands. The company develops and produces a wide range of natural ingredients for the F&F market with a focus on citrus oil components such as nootkatone and valencene. Isobionics, with all its employees, will become part of BASF’s Aroma Ingredients business.
Cooperation agreement with Conagen
Besides acquiring Isobionics, BASF signed a cooperation agreement with Conagen, a research leader in the field of biotechnology. Through this partnership, BASF will be able to serve the market with natural vanillin, one of the aroma ingredients with the highest market demand.
The natural vanillin that BASF initially markets is based on ferulic acid sourced from rice and therefore named Natural Vanillin F. With its clean vanillin character, Natural Vanillin F is ideal for all flavor applications, such as chocolate, strawberry and caramel, while maintaining an “all-natural” labeling.
Conagen has strong R&D and commercialization capabilities for fermented ingredients. Fermentation is an ancient cultural technique well known from processes like brewing beer and baking bread. It uses microorganisms like e.g. bacteria or fungi to convert one substance into another.
BASF’s Nutrition & Health division furthermore recently established a global business unit dedicated to the research and production of enzymes, which can be used as natural processing aids or ingredients for a large variety of applications in food, feed and technical industries.
Related News
-
News US BIOSECURE Act passed by US House of Representatives
The controversial act, which has already impacted several foreign companies operating in the US, was passed by the House of Representatives on September 9, 2024. It is now headed for the US Senate before it can be signed into law by President Joe Biden... -
News Pharma Supply Chain People Moves
The latest appointments, promotions, and structural changes across the pharmaceutical supply chain. -
News Drug prices agreed upon as part of the US Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act brought into constitution by the Biden administation in 2022, which proposed a drug price negotiation between the government and pharmaceutical companies, has reached it's first agreement. -
News BIOSECURE Act continues to loom over Chinese pharma manufacturers
With the US BIOSECURE Act on its way to passing into legislation, Chinese companies are facing declining revenues within the first half of 2024 as US pharmaceutical and healthcare companies pull their businesses from the country. -
News Ophthalmologic drug product Eylea faces biosimilar threats after FDA approvals
Regeneron Pharmaceutical’s blockbuster ophthalmology drug Eylea is facing biosimilar competition as the US FDA approves Biocon’s Yesafili and Samsung Bioepis/Biogen’s Opuviz. -
News ONO Pharmaceutical expands oncology portfolio with acquisition of Deciphera
ONO Pharmaceutical, out of Japan, is in the process of acquiring cancer-therapy maker Deciphera Pharmaceuticals for US$2.4 billion. -
News First offers for pharma from Medicare drug price negotiations
Ten high-cost drugs from various pharma manufacturers are in pricing negotiations in a first-ever for the US Medicare program. President Biden’s administration stated they have responded to the first round of offers. -
News Eli Lilly’s Zepbound makes leaps and bounds in weight-loss drug market
In the last week, Eli Lilly has announced their partnership with Amazon.com’s pharmacy unit to deliver prescriptions of Zepbound. Zepbound has also surpassed Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy for the number of prescriptions for the week of March 8.&nbs...
Position your company at the heart of the global Pharma industry with a CPHI Online membership
-
Your products and solutions visible to thousands of visitors within the largest Pharma marketplace
-
Generate high-quality, engaged leads for your business, all year round
-
Promote your business as the industry’s thought-leader by hosting your reports, brochures and videos within your profile
-
Your company’s profile boosted at all participating CPHI events
-
An easy-to-use platform with a detailed dashboard showing your leads and performance