Group history

FROM A FAMILY-RUN FACTORY TO AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP

The early days…

1853: Louis Lesaffre-Roussel and Louis Bonduelle-Dalle founded a distillery to produce alcohol from grain and juniper berries in Marquette-lez-Lille

1863: Acquisition of the first mill in Marcq-en-Barœul. It was from this site that the Société Industrielle Lesaffre developed, which gradually emerged as the ‘engine room’ and the industrial and commercial driving force of the group’s yeast business.

1871: The Austrian baron Max de Springer, the owner of an excellent distillery in Maisons-Alfort, introduced an idea originally conceived at Mautner in Vienna, which involved extracting yeast from grain fermentation wort and selling it to bakers. Back then, bakers used their own yeast, sometimes accompanied by residual brewery yeast.

1873: Lesaffre & Bonduelle developed fresh yeast production at Marcq-en-Barœul on the site of the former mill.

1895: Creation of the Hirondelle yeast brand.  Undergoing numerous incarnations over the years, the well known hirondelle (swallow) logo went on to become the group emblem in 2003.

1901: The Lesaffre and Bonduelle families decided to continue their activities separately.  The company was broken up into three separate entities: Bonduelle, Lesaffre & Cie (alcohol and yeast) and Lesaffre Frères (sugar refining and distilling).
Bonduelle is today a leading player in the vegetable market.

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Continued expansion despite wars and crises

1910: The Marcq-en-Baroeul factory was totally destroyed in a major fire and rebuilt.

1923: A fresh crisis occurred, this time involving grain spirit, for which the French state decided to sharply reduce the price, making production economically impossible.  It became necessary to urgently find a new raw material for yeast production.  The decision was taken to opt for molasses, which could be used subject to a number of technical modifications being made.

1930: The environment was already a major concern for Lesaffre, which was one of the first yeast producers in the world to use evaporation as opposed to the purification of effluent (which was both costly and imperfect).  This technique resulted in a highly concentrated fermentation environment making it possible to achieve outstanding quality.

1939-1945: During the Second World War, Lesaffre developed yeast-based products designed to reduce food shortages.  Production of the first active dried yeast.

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International expansion

1963: Partnership with the Italian yeast producer STL

1965: The launch of the research and development (R&D) division

1973: First instant dried yeast production

1974: Lesaffre opened its first Baking Center

1981: Construction of a yeast factory in Toluca (Mexico)

1991: Lesaffre Development begins a major research programme in the field of aromatic substances.

1993-1998: Partnerships and acquisitions in Australia, Chile and Western Europe.

1998-2000: Expansion of the group’s position in Eastern Europe

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New horizons

2001: Creation of Lesaffre International (the Lesaffre group’s service company) and acquisition of the American company Red Star Yeast & Products.

2003: Lesaffre celebrated its 150th anniversary. Construction of a new yeast factory at Cedar Rapids (United States) accompanied by acquisitions in Russia and the Ukraine

2003-2004: The first Louis Lesaffre Cup, (selection for the Bakery World Cup)

2005: The launch of Kastalia, a “simple, safe and effective” refrigerated liquid yeast dispenser designed to facilitate the work of bakers.

2006: The disposal of the malt business
Joint-venture with Donta, the Chinese leader in the yeast extract field.
Construction of a new high-tech yeast factory in Orizaba (Mexico)

2006-2007: The second  Louis Lesaffre Cup

2007: Construction of a yeast extract factory in Iowa
Construction of a production unit in China
Acquisition of Gilde’s yeast operations (South America, United Kingdom, part of global yeast business)

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