As a US-based producer of nutritional actives, probiotics, and nutritional yeasts, Gnosis by Lesaffre has been a pioneer in the development of vitamin K2 as Menaquinone-7 (MK-7) from fermentation.
Meanwhile, Norweigan firm NattoPharma ASA is a leader in vitamin K2 research and development, offering the industry’s first Full Spectrum K2, containing MK-6, MK-7, and MK-9, and the only clinically validated K2 as MK-7, named 'MenaQ7'.
Gnosis by Lesaffre’s vitaMK7 and NattoPharma’s MenaQ7 solutions have been a part of formulations for nutraceutical and functional food products for over 10 years. This acquisition allows Gnosis by Lesaffre to offer to the market the most complete portfolio of solutions, adapted to each market need and able to satisfy all customers.
With the acquisition, NattoPharma joins the Lesaffre Group and the two teams plan to work together to expand their capabilities, their global reach, and to fuel future innovation as demand for vitamin K2 grows.
“Vitamin K2 impacts every part of our lives,” Gnosis by Lesaffre General Manager Marc Philouze said. “From our joints to our arteries all the way down to our cells, vitamin K2 is essential for the function of several calcium-binding proteins that empower us to thrive as human beings. We’re proud to help satiate the global demand for this key ingredient by joining efforts with NattoPharma.”
Gnosis by Lesaffre and NattoPharma share the foundational values of clinically validated science and unrivaled product quality, and with this acquisition, they will collaborate to leverage combined capabilities between their teams in key areas to set the roadmap for the future of vitamin K2.
“I am proud of the entrepreneurial journey accomplished by the NattoPharma team to build the vitamin K2 market and supporting science over the past decade,” NattoPharma CEO Kjetil Ramsoy said. “Lesaffre is recognized as a worldwide key player in the fermentation industry, leveraging innovation and industrial platforms to produce fermentation products; this, paired with NattoPharma’s expertise on the various forms of vitamin K2, makes us confident that we together will accelerate research and further explore K2 benefits as the true global leader in vitamin K2 with a full range of products meeting all customer needs.”