Kerry establishes new Biotechnology Centre in Leipzig

Kerry, a global leader in taste and nutrition, has inaugurated the Kerry Biotechnology Centre in Leipzig, Germany, which will focus on the development of innovative biotech solutions across food, beverage, and pharma applications.

New capabilities in biotechnology are opening the field to discoveries and opportunities for innovative market solutions that can increase efficiencies across a range of food production processes, overcome ingredient scarcity, and create products tailored to precise needs – improving human health and product functionality.

Kerry has significantly developed its biotechnology capabilities in recent years, having built a dedicated technology and manufacturing footprint through a combination of strategic acquisitions and organic investment. The Biotechnology Centre in Leipzig will further enhance Kerry’s global infrastructure in this space.

Leipzig has been chosen as the location for the new facility, given the exceptional biotechnology skills base and research cluster that has developed in the city. c-LEcta, which was acquired by Kerry in 2022 for its specialist capabilities in enzymes and biotechnology, was itself established in 2004 as a spin-out from the University of Leipzig.

Kerry’s biotechnology research and production infrastructure spans three continents and is led and co-ordinated from Kerry’s Global Innovation Centre in Ireland. Aligned with the Group’s sustainable nutrition strategy, the new Biotechnology Centre in Leipzig will be directed by Dr. Marc Struhalla, the founder of c-LEcta, and will draw on the work of over 100 scientists and technical experts, including 34 PhDs based in the centre.

The primary activities that will be undertaken at the new facility include enzyme and strain identification and engineering, fermentation and bioprocess development and scale-up, and production. Novel enzymes are selected from nature, and can then be tailored to perform specific functions with applications in a broad spectrum of use cases. Some of the innovative products utilising biotech capabilities which have already been commercialised by Kerry include;

• ACRYLERASE™ – a new-to-world enzyme solution capable of removing acrylamide in instant coffee;
• DENARASE® – a best-in-class enzyme solution designed to remove residual DNA and utilised in the manufacturing of vaccines and gene and cell therapies;
• BIOBAKE™ – enzymes which dramatically increases shelf-life, and processability of baked products.

Marking the opening in Leipzig, Kerry CEO, Edmond Scanlon said: “Biotechnology solutions present a new horizon of innovation and opportunity for global food, beverage and pharmaceutical markets. Kerry’s existing portfolio of biotech capabilities, which has been built up over the past 20 years, together with this new Biotechnology Centre, enables us to play a leading role in bringing the next generation of discoveries in this space to market, supporting our customers, as they meet consumer needs for sustainable nutrition”.  

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