Frutarom's acquisition of Acatris Health for €10.5m ($13.3), which includes the North American division and premises in Belgium, was announced by the Israeli company yesterday.
Yoni Glickman, executive vice president and general manager of fine ingredients at Frutarom, said that the acquisition will engender cross-selling opportunities for ingredients brought to the plate by both parties.
Laurent Leduc, president of Acatris' North America Health Division echoed this sentiment. "It is a fantastic opportunity for the future of Acatris' products and people, as there are some great synergies," he told NutraIngredients-USA.com. "We will be able to expand the number of ingredients we are able to offer customers worldwide."
Leduc added that Acatris Health has a good deal of knowledge regarding branding ingredients, and very strong distribution networks; and Glickman stressed that the LifeLine branding will continue to be used as it has strong recognition in the market place.
Moreover, since Frutarom has a strong presence in flavors and cosmetic ingredients, areas in which LifeLine products have only started to make inroads, the acquisition could boost efforts in that direction.
For example, Frutarom's flavors know-how could be applied to beverages that not only taste good, but are good for you too. Frutarom has said that it aims "To be the Preferred Partner for Tasty and Healthy Success".
Some research has looked at LinumLife's potential to reduce sebum excretion in oily skin and reduce acne, and to help prevent hair loss. So far this has led to a topical aftershave product in the US to reduce razor burn, and an oral/topical combination in Malaysia to reduce hair loss.
But Leduc said that Acatris Health did not have the know-how or the distribution mechanisms to fully exploit this potential.
It is anticipated that integration of Acatris Health into Frutarom will be completed within two quarters. Leduc said he is traveling to Zurich this week for discussions on how the day-to-day organization going forward.
Acatris was formed in 2003 when Royal Schouten Group merged four of its food and health ingredients companies: Daminco, Orffa Health & Nutrition, Schouten USA and SoyLife Nederland.
The divestment of Acatris Health came as no surprise to its employees as Royal Schouten Group's shareholders took the decision to dispose of all its business units a year ago. Acatris Health was the last to go, and yesterday's news was the result of a bidding process involving four interested companies.