Symrise invests in Cellibre to advance fermentation-based flavor innovation
Symrise aims to produce clean-label ingredients with consistent quality, reduced environmental impact, and enhanced supply chain stability.
USA – Symrise has announced a strategic equity investment in Cellibre, a U.S.-based biotechnology company pioneering sustainable biomanufacturing, to accelerate the development of fermentation-derived flavor ingredients.
The partnership marks a pivotal step for Symrise in advancing precision fermentation technologies to create natural, high-value taste solutions while strengthening its sustainability, innovation capabilities, and leadership in next-generation ingredient science.
The collaboration will initially focus on the commercialization of next-generation flavor ingredients and taste-balancing solutions that address growing global demand for natural, responsibly produced food and beverage products.
By leveraging Cellibre’s advanced precision fermentation platform, Symrise aims to produce clean-label ingredients with consistent quality, reduced environmental impact, and enhanced supply chain stability, overcoming challenges linked to traditional agricultural sourcing and seasonal variability.
“This investment accelerates our biotechnology roadmap and strengthens our ability to deliver sustainable, high-quality solutions to our customers,” said Imke Meyer, Project Lead for Biotechnology at Symrise. “Together with Cellibre, we will combine scientific expertise with application know-how and market reach to unlock new growth opportunities and shape the future of taste innovation.”
Cellibre, founded in 2017 and based in San Diego, California, has built a strong reputation for engineering microorganisms into efficient cell factories capable of producing cultured natural ingredients.
Its technology offers scalable production of key flavor molecules and natural compounds used across food, beverage, nutraceutical, and cosmetic sectors.
While the collaboration includes applications for cosmetic bioactives, its primary focus will remain on the food side, developing sustainable, great-tasting flavor solutions for global brands and reformulating existing products for cleaner, greener ingredient profiles.
According to Ben Chiarelli, CEO of Cellibre, “Biology is the future of manufacturing. We are committed to creating resilient supply chains and delivering products that are lower cost, higher quality, and less taxing on natural ecosystems. This partnership validates our approach and enables us to reach new markets through Symrise’s expertise in flavor and consumer understanding.”
This investment aligns with Symrise’s broader strategy to integrate biotechnology into its operations, ensuring long-term competitiveness, portfolio diversification, and sustainability-driven innovation.
Through precision fermentation, the company reinforces its commitment to producing flavorful, safe, and environmentally responsible ingredients that meet the evolving expectations of both customers and consumers worldwide.
Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.
