More than 180 years ago, two friends started a distillery in northern France to make grain alcohol and Dutch gin. Soon after, they turned to making fresh yeast, from which Société Industrielle Lesaffre was formed — a company that grew into a global leader in yeast and fermentation-based products. The legacy of the friendship between Louis Lesaffre and Louis Bonduelle is known today as the Lesaffre Group.
Lesaffre's commitment to advancing fermentation technologies to help support and nourish the world’s growing population has broadened its portfolio to include providing resources for human health and animal nutrition. With more than 80 production facilities worldwide, Lesaffre serves clients in over 150 countries.
Lesaffre is also the parent company of Fermentis, which was created in 2003 to specialize in yeast and fermentation solutions for beverages. Fermentis by Lesaffre draws on the expertise of Lesaffre’s 70 applied science centers, 14 sensory analysis labs and 850 R&D experts to develop better fermentation outcomes. They even have an innovative hub dedicated to beverage making, named the Fermentis Academy. At the Fermentis Academy, the team works on new products, improves existing ones and educates the users with events organised throughout the world.
Wineries know Fermentis as a trusted supplier, but its reach extends beyond wine. From beer to spirits, meaderies to ciderhouses and even coffee makers, Fermentis meets beverage makers' needs
Anne Flesch, Technical Sales Support Manager, says, “More than a supplier, we want to share with beverage makers our most valuable asset: our knowledge and passion. To do so, our expert advisors are available to meet and advise customers throughout the world. This is best illustrated by the Fermentis Academy, which develops and shares knowledge about our products. Overall, we try our best to combine the Lesaffre quality with local and passionate experts.”
An innovator in fermentation
Fermentis is always looking for ways to simplify winemaking and improve fermentation management for its customers.
One of its most significant innovations was E2U™ (Easy to Use) Certified products. The yeast certified E2U™ can be added directly to the must without the traditional rehydration step, saving time, energy and water while reducing handling. The E2U™ certification is delivered after extensive testing and trials, guaranteeing consistent yeast viability, vitality and fermentation performance and wine quality.
Learn more about the E2U™ yeast winemakers have been using for 10 years: article, webinar.
Newer developments highlight Fermentis’ commitment to staying on top of the latest winemaking trends:
Low SO2 Winemaking Solutions: To help winemakers meet the growing demand for more natural winemaking practices, Fermentis launched a new non-Saccharomyces yeast strain, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, last year. SafOeno™ Bioprotect MP-72 allows to bioprotect the must while reducing reliance on sulfur dioxide and other chemical additives. Learn more: article, webinar.
Liquid Yeast Nutrient for Automation: Fermentis’ pioneering work in fermentation nutrition led to the first liquid yeast-derivative nutrients designed specifically for use with automated winemaking machinery. Viniliquid™ is 100% yeast derived and is the ideal nutrient for fermentation or propagation. It is versatile from small fermenters eased additions to large automated dosing systems. Most of all it is easy and safe to use in the cellar.. Fermentis is introducing this year a new all-in-one liquid nutrient that combines mineral nitrogen and yeast-derived components to further support modern winemaking efficiency. Learn more: article.
Low Alcohol Wine Research: Consumer demand for wines with lower alcohol levels led Fermentis to invest in research into harvest timing, yeast strains, and yeast derivatives to find the optimal way to lower the amount of fermentable sugars without influencing fermentation performance, aromatic expression or overall wine quality. They explored fermentation solutions that would allow grapes to be harvested earlier while still producing balanced wines. The resulting approaches can help reduce final alcohol levels by approximately 1%-3%. Learn more: webinar.
Whether the challenge is reducing sulfur inputs, adapting to automation, or producing balanced wines at lower alcohol levels, today's winemakers are being asked to evolve quickly—and the tools they rely on need to evolve with them. Fermentis's recent innovations reflect a company listening closely to where the industry is headed, and investing in the research to help winemakers get there. It's a continuation of the same curiosity that started in a small French distillery more than 180 years ago.
To learn more about Fermentis, you can visit Fermentis website or read their online brochure. You can also contact their US preferred distributor atpgroup.com