Ten years of leveraging biotech for new ingredients
Ten years ago, Givaudan took the bold step of entering into the active cosmetic ingredients business and beauty biotechnology with the acquisition of Soliance in Pomacle, France.
As per the recent study conducted by Kline, we are the number one biotech company for high precision beauty thanks to the Givaudan Active Beauty site in Pomacle.
With our unique biorefinery, we are singularly positioned to integrate the full personal care biotech value chain from strain design up to industrial production, developing sustainable technologies for personal care. Givaudan is the reference in white biotechnology, a fusion of science and nature that allows for the sustainable creation of high-precision beauty ingredients through a fermentation process optimising locally available renewable biomass.
Expanding our portfolio
Over the past decade, we have grown our biotech industrial site, making significant investments and expanding the cosmetic actives portfolio with the purchases of Induchem, Indena*, Naturex, AMSilk*, and the acquisition of Alderys and an unparalleled science and technology platform. With the acquisition of b.kolormakeup & skincare in July 2024, we are now entering the make-up category, further expanding our portfolio and enhancing our ability to deliver innovative solutions to our customers.
Sustainable active ingredients
Leveraging the exceptional human skills and capabilities in biotechnology has allowed us to design, create and produce new active ingredients for the cosmetic industry in a sustainable way. These investments – part of Givaudan’s broader strategy to remain at the forefront of innovation and maintain its leadership in providing breakthrough cosmetic solutions – have set new standards in the field, including new hero molecules around hyaluronic acid (HA). All of these efforts have solidified our position as a key player in the beauty industry.
As an example, in 2024 Givaudan Active Beauty launched PrimalHyal™ 50 Life, a groundbreaking low molecular weight hyaluronic acid that significantly enhances sustainability in its production, achieving a remarkable 91% reduction in environmental impact. Using strain engineering and precision fermentation, this innovative ingredient boasts impressive improvements in various environmental parameters, including a 92% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and 75% less water consumption, while offering potent skincare benefits like deep skin penetration and enhanced hydration.
Continuous growth and innovation
Overall, our Active Beauty business includes more than 500 team members working in 45 countries, 10 creation and R&D centres, and 5 production sites. Their work has led to more than 190 patents and more than 350 actives and specialities.
In addition to white biotechnology, we pursue blue and green biotech, and focus on numerous activities in botanicals, wellbeing and delivery systems. Looking ahead, we see possibilities in next-generation power ingredients such as sustainable hyaluronic acids, as well as in dermacare, work on the microbiome and in neurocosmetics.
The 10th anniversary of Soliance’s acquisition – which played a pivotal role in our initial ability to offer exceptional products coming from biotech to our customers – underscores Givaudan’s dedication to continuous growth and innovation. With the beauty market now expecting more sustainable and natural alternatives backed by a high level of science and performance, we are confident that we will meet these needs thanks to the team and capabilities we have in Pomacle.
We are proud of our achievements at the site and remain committed to investing in capabilities that will further strengthen our position as the leader in biotech cosmetic ingredients.
* Cosmetics business only