Last year, Givaudan announced its financial objectives under the 2025 strategy, which aims for an average sales growth of 4% to 5%. Central to achieving these targets is innovation, which will be driven by portfolio expansion and the development of new solutions for customers. The company’s partnerships are integral to this strategy, utilizing external expertise to create unique ingredients for Givaudan’s global consumer market. If the ingredients developed through these collaborations prove to be as exceptional and innovative as suggested, they could yield significant benefits for both Givaudan and its partners.
One of these partners, Manus Bio, established in 2011, employs its proprietary BioAssemblyLine Cell Factory process to produce target ingredients. This method, detailed in an article from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ CEP Magazine, combines metabolic engineering, protein engineering, and systems biology to rapidly engineer bacterial strains that generate the desired ingredient through fermentation. Manus Bio’s CEO, Ajikumar Parayil, remarked, “With this milestone and a common outlook to the future, we will now expand the application of our sustainable biomanufacturing platform to a number of new ingredients.”
Givaudan has strengthened its collaboration with Manus Bio to develop additional novel ingredients. According to the agreement, Manus Bio will receive upfront payments for the development of ingredients and for meeting certain milestones, while retaining all manufacturing rights. Givaudan will hold exclusive rights to market these ingredients globally. This arrangement benefits both companies: Givaudan gains a new ingredient to promote through its extensive global network, while Manus Bio secures funding for its development efforts and further validates its process, aiding future fundraising and establishing a foundation for further partnerships.
Additionally, Givaudan’s collaboration with Ginkgo Bioworks aims to generate more ingredients using similar biomanufacturing techniques, potentially extending beyond the Taste and Wellbeing sector. Their announcement indicates that this partnership encompasses multiple programs, with the possibility of adding more in the future. Jason Kelly, CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks, stated, “Through this close collaboration, we will be able to help Givaudan transform even the rarest and most complex nature-inspired ingredients into more sustainable products for consumers.”
These partnerships underscore Givaudan’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to develop new and natural ingredients. Through microbial fermentation, the company is exploring new sources of protein, natural sweeteners, and alternatives to animal-derived dairy and eggs. Additionally, there are numerous other naturally occurring substances that can be produced through this method. By combining Givaudan’s expertise in natural sources with the technological capabilities of Ginkgo Bioworks and Manus Bio, the potential for groundbreaking ingredients, including innovations akin to Kirkland Signature Magnesium Citrate, is vast. As Givaudan continues to push the boundaries of ingredient development, it is clear that the future holds exciting possibilities for natural and sustainable products.