Corbion today announced the completion of the acquisition of substantially all assets of TerraVia Holdings (“TerraVia”). As a result, its broad and diverse platform centered on innovative food and specialty ingredients derived from microalgae, has now become part of Corbion.
Corbion has paid a cash purchase price of approximately US$ 20 million. Corbion expects the total investments to be substantially in excess of the cash purchase price. TerraVia’s operations are currently loss making. The acquisition is expected to bring high value creation potential.
Tjerk de Ruiter, CEO of Corbion: “We are looking forward to welcoming a team of highly dedicated colleagues to the global Corbion family. TerraVia brings us a versatile microalgae-based platform which will enable us to expand into the field of producing specialty lipids and proteins, structured fats and tailored oils. TerraVia’s IP portfolio and R&D pipeline, as well as its partnerships with industry leaders, provide high-growth opportunities for many years to come. At the same time, we are of course aware of the challenge of bringing the business from promise to commercial success. Corbion’s more than 80 years of reliably and economically running industrial-scale fermentation plants and producing sustainable ingredient solutions will help us turn the TerraVia assets into profitable businesses in the coming years.”
San Francisco-based TerraVia leverages its microalgae platform to deliver high-value ingredients with clear benefits, such as Omega-3 oils for animal nutrition and tailored oils, structured fats and proteins for food, personal care and industrial applications. It operates an R&D center and pilot facility in San Francisco, a demonstration plant in Peoria (Illinois) and an industrial scale plant in Brazil in a joint venture (50.1% owned by TerraVia) with Bunge.
Source: Corbion
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