Chr. Hansen has stepped into the human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) market by signing an agreement to buy Jennewein Biotechnologie at a price of 310m Euros.
The transaction comprises of all the shares of the international industrial biotechnology company and is in accordance with Chr. Hansen’s 2025 action plan of pursuing this deal that extend and boost its microbial and fermentation technology platforms.
According to Chr. Hansen, useful ingredients such as HMOs and probiotics are running the premiumisation trends in infant formulations.
Jennewein, hsving its headquarters in Bonn, Germany manufactures several HMO products like 2′ fucosyllactose, Lacto-N-neotetraose, and lacto-N-tetraose. The company has around 100 staffs, a worldly customer base and an IP portfolio of more than 200 patents granted in major markets.
Chr. Hansen claims that Jennewein’s products will have impregnable functional concurrence with its probiotic bacteria and amalgamating the companies will lead to an even more stronger competitive benefits.
Following the agreement, Chr. Hansen decides to invest more than €200 million in manufacturing assets till 2025, including an investment in a brown-field factory to broaden its HMO capacity.
“The tremendously-developing HMO market is a new space that we have been focussing with incredible interest for some years. In truth, we are making a long-haul investment and commitment to HMOs which I am convinced, will bring incessant value creation to our shareholders,” Mauricio Graber, CEO of Chr. Hansen declared.
He further informed- “For us, Jennewein is a strong fit to our microbial portfolio, as its fermentation platform is also upgradable and provides good long-haul margin potential as volumes rises. Jennewein is a leader in the HMO industry with a best product offering and IP portfolio, and we have faith that the company holds a prime position in this relatively new and very delightful market.”
Dr Stefan Jennewein, founder and CEO of Jennewein declared- “While initially we were very much fascinated by the anti-infective impacts of HMOs, especially against human pathogenic viruses, today we are clear that some more advantages can be hoped from the combination of HMOs with probiotics. Thus, Chr. Hansen is the perfect partner for Jennewein to take the HMO story to the next level of betterment.”
After the completion of this transaction by the end of this month, Jennewein will take upon the role as chief science and technology advisor. The HMO business will partner with Chr. Hansen’s health & nutrition unit and will function as an independent, full value chain.
