Astorg, a pan-European private equity firm, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in France-based Solabia Group, a global biotechnology ingredient solutions provider, from TA Associates, a US-based global private equity firm. TA Associates, which took a position in 2018, will reinvest in the business.
Solabia Group has a unique position in a structurally growing market, according to Nicolas Marien, partner, and Paul Arhanchiague, managing director at Astorg, driven by rising global demand for natural active ingredient solutions – deep biotech expertise, and a strong track record of sustained growth. Solabia has recorded double-digit growth over the past five years.
TA is confident in the company’s strategic vision and long-term growth potential, and is thrilled to be part of its continued journey alongside Astorg, according to the US-firm’s managing director, Patrick Sader, and director, Jérémy Dréan.
Astorg, TA and Solabia’s management team will focus on further accelerating international expansion – particularly in the US and Asia – and advancing the company’s innovation roadmap.
“We are excited to welcome Astorg as a strategic partner and to continue our successful collaboration with TA,” said Jean-Baptiste Dellon, president and CEO of Solabia. “Astorg brings a unique combination of deep sector expertise, a strong track record of value creation, and an entrepreneurial mindset that aligns closely with Solabia’s values and ambitions. Their support will be instrumental as we accelerate innovation, expand our global footprint, and continue delivering high-performance, science-based solutions to our customers around the world.”
Active ingredients
Headquartered in Paris and founded in 1972 by Gérard Josset, Solabia specializes in natural active ingredients for the cosmetics, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, as well as food and clinical testing industries. It operates 11 manufacturing sites and eight R&D labs worldwide and employs over 900 staff.
Leveraging advanced biotechnology capabilities Solabia develops high-performance ingredients that support precise formulation needs and enable differentiated product outcomes for its customers over five divisions: cosmetics, developing clinically proven and natural nutrition solutions, offering a catalogue of active and functional ingredients that meet current standards in sourcing, traceability, naturality, performance, safety, and regulations; nutrition, developing clinically proven and natural nutrition solutions; pharma, providing a diverse range of innovative healthcare ingredients; peptones & hyrdolysats, non-animal products that integrate non-allergen and non-GMO characteristics, Kosher & Halal certified, animal peptones that include a wide range of porcine products to eliminate BSE concerns and a vast choice of casein peptones; and biokar diagnostics, a catalogue of more than 350 products in different formats and packaging for microbiology laboratories from industry, service providers, research and education institutions.
It is positioned in dynamic and resilient end-markets and benefits from the continued penetration of natural ingredients in substitution to synthetic compounds. Its active ingredients play a critical role in its customer formulations and end-products quality, contributing to high customer retention and long-term supplier integration.
Over the decades, Solabia has expanded its offering in response to a constantly evolving market through several acquisitions with varied and complementary expertise.
Its latest acquisitions include: AppleChem in 2023, an American company founded in 2003 that develops and supplies a range of ingredients to improve the quality of a wide range of products; Plastlabor in 2024, a Brazilian company founded in 1978, specializing in the manufacturing of microbiological culture media and diagnostic products; and PolymerExpert in 2024, a French company founded in 2000, recognized for its expertise in the development of innovative and smart polymers.
Ninth from eighth
The transaction was made via Astorg VIII and represents the funds’ ninth investment to date. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Astorg was advised by Evercore and Wil Partners (Financial advisors), and Weil Gotshal & Manges (Legal advisor).
Solabia management was advised by Sycomore (Financial advisor) and Jeausserand-Audouard (Legal & Tax advisors).
TA was advised by BofA Securities (Financial advisor) and Latham & Watkins (Legal advisor).
Press release: Press-Release_Astorg_Solabia_Final.pdf