Symrise invests in Cellibre to scale fermentation-based flavor innovation for food and beverage markets

Symrise has announced a strategic equity investment in US biotechnology company Cellibre to advance its capabilities in precision fermentation and strengthen its global leadership in sustainable flavor innovation. The partnership will focus primarily on developing next-generation taste ingredients for food and beverage applications, with additional potential in cosmetic actives as part of Symrise’s broader biotechnology strategy.

Cellibre specializes in engineering microorganisms for the production of natural compounds used across multiple industries, including food, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics. By integrating Cellibre’s fermentation-based platform, Symrise will gain access to scalable biomanufacturing methods that reduce reliance on traditional agricultural supply chains and mitigate seasonal or regional sourcing constraints.

“This investment accelerates our biotechnology roadmap and strengthens our ability to deliver sustainable, high-quality solutions to our customers,” commented 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.”

For Symrise, the investment reflects a growing emphasis on biotechnology as a driver of innovation in taste balancing, sweetness modulation, and clean-label flavor development. Precision fermentation allows for the production of highly pure, nature-identical ingredients with greater efficiency and environmental sustainability than conventional extraction or synthesis methods.

The collaboration also supports Symrise’s goal of diversifying its ingredient portfolio and building more resilient, traceable supply chains for natural flavor compounds. With consumers increasingly seeking products made from responsibly sourced and environmentally friendly ingredients, fermentation-derived flavors are expected to play a central role in the future of food and beverage formulation.

Cellibre’s expertise in strain design and bioprocess optimization complements Symrise’s application knowledge and global distribution network. The partnership will focus on co-developing manufacturing technologies for key food ingredients, ensuring consistent quality and scalability at commercial volumes.

“Since 2017, we have been led by the belief that biology is the future of manufacturing,” added Ben Chiarelli, CEO of Cellibre. “We are committed to creating more resilient supply chains and delivering products that are lower cost and higher quality while limiting the impact on natural ecosystems. This partnership represents another external validation of our approach and will leverage Symrise’s global market access and expertise in flavors and fragrances.”

Although the collaboration also includes opportunities in cosmetic bioactives, Symrise confirmed that its near-term focus will be on applying Cellibre’s technology to its Taste, Nutrition & Health segment – particularly for natural sweeteners, flavor modulators, and sustainable aroma compounds.

By investing in biotechnology platforms like Cellibre’s, Symrise aims to future-proof its ingredient pipeline and reinforce its sustainability commitments. The partnership aligns with the company’s long-term strategy to reduce environmental impact, diversify ingredient sourcing, and deliver science-based solutions that meet the evolving needs of consumers and food manufacturers alike.

(Main pictures shows Dr Russell Komor, Dr Caleb Walker and Dr Diep Nguyen)