Ever since our foundation, we have been working closely with our customers and partners to improve and save lives, and to identify and seize new opportunities. Our innovative spirit continues through to this day.

Our story begins in 1869 in the town of Delft, the Netherlands where, as the yeast and spirits company 'Nederlandsche Gist- en Spiritusfabriek', we created the building blocks for a  formidable 150-year track record in innovation.

From here, we became one of the first companies worldwide to produce life-saving antibiotics on an industrial scale in the 1940s. And in the decades since, we have expanded globally through acquisitions and joint ventures, first in India and China, and then Mexico. We now lead the way with our sustainable products based on our unique, proprietary sustainable enzymatic production technology.