Novonesis

What Novonesis does

Novonesis is a publicly traded biosolutions company headquartered in Hørsholm, Denmark (with principal operating presence at Lyngby), formed in January 2024 through the combination of Novozymes (spun off from Novo Nordisk in 2000) and Chr. Hansen (founded 1874). The company develops and sells enzyme, microbial, probiotic, culture, yeast, and functional protein biosolutions derived from biological sources for industrial and consumer applications. Its products span bioenergy (ethanol, biodiesel, biogas, renewable diesel, carbon capture), food and beverages (dairy, baking, beverages, meat, plant-based foods), household care (laundry and dishwash), human health (probiotics, early life nutrition, precision proteins), animal and plant solutions, and industrial bioprocessing (starch, oils & fats, leather, pulp & paper, sustainable plastics, textile, water treatment), with flagship trademarked platforms including Eversa, FlexFit, Cellic, Cellerity, Quara, BB-12, Pylopass, Urex, Alflorex, and DVS.

The technology stack rests on proprietary strain libraries and fermentation/biocatalysis platforms built over more than 100 years, paired with application engineering, regulatory dossier infrastructure for health claims, and approximately 25+ manufacturing facilities and R&D centers across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific. Strategic product franchises include proprietary probiotic strains documented over decades, enzymatic biodiesel processing (Eversa Advance, FlexFit), cellulosic ethanol enzyme blends (Cellic) and yeast (Cellerity), renewable diesel pretreatment (Quara LowP/Supreme), and emerging enzymatic carbon capture via carbonic anhydrase.

Novonesis generates revenue primarily through direct B2B product sales of biosolutions to enterprise customers across Food & Beverages, Human Health, and Planetary Health divisions, complemented by channel partnerships (notably Rovensa Next for US agricultural biosolutions) and regional distributors in emerging markets. The company serves more than 30 industries with 11,000+ employees and reports serving 200+ oils-and-fats plants globally; its biosolutions are embedded in 50%+ of all bread, yogurt, and cheese produced globally and reach 2 billion people daily through food applications. Leadership is anchored by a globally experienced executive team including CEO Ester Baiget (ex-Dow) and CFO Rainer Lehmann (ex-Sartorius), with Novo Holdings A/S (Novo Nordisk Foundation) controlling 25.50% of shares and 63.35% of voting rights via dual-class share structure. Q1 2026 results showed 7% organic sales growth and 37.8% adjusted EBITDA margin, supporting a 2026 revenue forecast of approximately $5.25 billion and a 2030 roadmap targeting 6-9% organic sales CAGR and ~39% adjusted EBITDA margin against a stated EUR 60 billion biosolutions TAM.

Name

Novonesis

Legal name

Novozymes A/S, part of Novonesis Group

Website

https://novonesis.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Novonesis is a publicly traded Danish biosolutions company developing enzymes, microbes, probiotics, cultures, yeasts, and functional proteins for food and beverages, human health, household care, animal nutrition, bioenergy, and industrial bioprocessing customers across more than 30 industries globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Biotechnology and Biosolutions

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Bioprocess Development & Scale-Up/Scale-Down Platforms (DoE, high-throughput, modeling) (HLAAAJAF)

Keywords

• Industrial enzyme solutions
• Microbial biosolutions
• Probiotic cultures
• Bioenergy enzymes
• Food fermentation ingredients

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyngby

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices26 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Biosolutions Product Sales: Novonesis generates revenue primarily through the sale of biosolutions including enzymes, microbes, probiotics, cultures, yeasts, and functional proteins to customers across 30+ industries. Revenue is generated from product sales across Food & Beverages, Human Health, and Planetary Health divisions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Novonesis develops, manufactures, and sells biosolutions — enzymes, microbes, probiotics, cultures, yeasts, and functional proteins — to industrial customers across more than 30 industries. Its products are organized into two divisions: Planetary Health Biosolutions (food & beverages, bioenergy, household care, animal & plant, industrial bioprocessing) and Human Health Biosolutions (dietary supplements, early life nutrition, precision proteins). Revenue is generated primarily through direct product sales to enterprise customers supplemented by channel partner distribution.

Product overview

Novonesis is a world-leading biosolutions company offering a broad portfolio of enzyme, microbial, probiotic, culture, and functional protein products organized around two divisions: Planetary Health Biosolutions and Human Health Biosolutions. The company serves more than 30 industries including bioenergy (ethanol, biodiesel, biogas, biomass, renewable diesel, carbon capture), food and beverages (dairy, baking, beverages, meat, plant-based foods, functional foods), household care (laundry, dishwashing, home cleaning, industrial cleaning), human health (dietary supplements, early life nutrition, precision proteins, probiotics), and industrial bioprocessing (starch, oils & fats, leather, pulp & paper, sustainable plastics, textile, water treatment). The portfolio was significantly expanded through the January 2024 merger of Novozymes and Chr. Hansen, and further through the 2025 acquisition of dsm-firmenich's Feed Enzyme Alliance. Key product brands include Eversa® (biodiesel biocatalysts), FlexFit® (enzymatic process), Cellic® (biomass enzymes), Cellerity® (yeast technology), Quara® (oil processing), BB-12™ and Alflorex® (probiotics), Pylopass™ and Urex™ (microbiome strains), DVS® (fermentation technology), and the Protective Cultures platform for bioprotection. The company operates globally through approximately 100 subsidiaries and a direct commercial presence across all major regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eversa: Enzymatic biodiesel processing solutions including Eversa Advance and Eversa Transform 2.0 biocatalysts
• FlexFit
• Quara
• Cellic
• Cellerity
• BB-12
• Pylopass
• Urex
• PrecisionBiotics
• DVS

Products and services

• Eversa® Advance An enzymatic biocatalyst for biodiesel processing that enables conversion of used cooking oil and tallow into biodiesel, delivering up to 3% additional yield versus acid esterification and glycerolysis, and up to 45% reduction in operating costs. Targeted at biodiesel producers seeking feedstock flexibility.
• Eversa® Transform 2.0 An enzyme biocatalyst that simultaneously catalyzes transesterification of glycerides and esterification of free fatty acids (FFA), enabling processing of low-quality feedstocks with high FFA content in biodiesel production. For biodiesel producers working with challenging feedstocks.
• FlexFit® Biodiesel Process An enzymatic transesterification process for biodiesel production providing feedstock flexibility, reduced capital expenditure by avoiding expensive high-temperature equipment, and lower operating expenses through operation at 35–40°C. For biodiesel producers seeking capex and opex reductions.
• Cellic® CTec3 HS A multi-enzyme blend for cellulosic ethanol production offering low cost-in-use and process flexibility, suited to simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) processes. For cellulosic ethanol producers converting agricultural residues.
• Cellerity® 1.0 A yeast technology for cellulosic ethanol fermentation offering broad robustness, fast ethanol production, flexibility in nitrogen sources, lower CAPEX, and rapid xylose conversion. For second-generation biofuel producers.
• Carbonic Anhydrase Enzymatic Carbon Capture An enzyme for post-combustion carbon capture that converts CO₂ molecules into carbonate, enabling more efficient and affordable capture compared to traditional chemical methods and requiring only 80°C thermal energy versus 120°C for conventional processes. For carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) operators.
• Quara® LowP An enzymatic pretreatment solution for HVO/HEFA renewable diesel feedstocks that helps crushing and refining plants meet quality specifications with maximum yield and minimum by-products, providing feedstock flexibility and reducing waste. For renewable diesel producers.
• Quara® Supreme A thermostable enzymatic water-degumming solution that improves crude vegetable oil yield and operational flexibility for soybean, rapeseed, and canola refining, reducing yield losses without increasing free fatty acids. For edible oil refiners.
• HMO (Human Milk Oligosaccharides) Ingredients for early life nutrition that help infant formula provide nourishment closer to nature's intent. Production supported by the acquired Thailand facility from Meihua. For infant formula and early-life nutrition manufacturers.
• Precision Proteins Tailored protein solutions to meet exact nutritional needs throughout consumers' different stages of life, part of the human health biosolutions portfolio. For human nutrition and dietary supplement manufacturers.
• Microbial Solutions (Plant) Naturally occurring microbes and enzymes for agriculture that help farmers improve plant health and increase crop yield, supporting sustainable farming through biological interventions. For row crop, specialty crop, and forage producers, distributed in the US via Rovensa Next from the 2027 growing season.
• Microbial Solutions (Animal) Science-based probiotics, microbes, and enzymes for animal health that work in synergy with agricultural strategies to drive consistent results in livestock production. For animal feed manufacturers and livestock producers, expanded through the dsm-firmenich Feed Enzyme Alliance acquisition completed in February 2025.
• Laundry Enzymes Enzyme solutions for laundry applications that deliver superior cleaning at competitive price points, enabling biodegradable and renewable formulations. For detergent and household-care manufacturers.
• Dishwashing Enzymes Enzyme solutions for dishwashing that boost performance from scrubbing power to quick cleaning, supporting eco-friendly, biodegradable, and renewable formulations. For automatic dishwashing detergent manufacturers.
• DVS® Technology (Direct Vat Set) A fermentation technology introduced in 1978 that transformed fermentation into a modern biotechnology platform, enabling consistent, high-performance cultures for dairy and food fermentation. For dairy manufacturers producing cheese, yogurt, and other fermented dairy products.
• Protective Cultures (Bioprotection) Food safety biosolutions launched in 2012 that slow spoilage yeasts and molds, keeping dairy products fresh for longer and reducing food waste. For dairy and food manufacturers seeking shelf-life extension.
• Starch Enzymes Enzymes central to efficient starch processing, from corn separation to natural sweeteners, part of Novonesis's industrial bioprocessing portfolio. For starch processors and sweetener manufacturers.
• Oils & Fats Enzymes Enzymatic processing solutions for oils and fats that reduce chemical use, enable switching to low-cost feedstocks, and improve profitability for edible oil producers. Used by 200+ oils and fats processing plants globally.
• Leather Enzymes Biosolutions for leather processing that serve as alternatives to chemicals, making leather processing gentler and easier while significantly improving quality. For tanneries and leather goods manufacturers.
• Pulp & Paper Enzymes Biosolutions for pulp and paper mills that help meet growing demand while achieving sustainability goals, reducing environmental impact of paper production. For pulp and paper manufacturers.
• Sustainable Plastics Enzymes Enzymatic biosolutions that reduce the environmental impact of plastics and increase recyclability, addressing plastic waste through biological degradation. For plastics manufacturers and recyclers.
• Textile Enzymes Biodegradable, environmentally friendly enzymes for textiles that support mills and laundries in the circular fashion movement. For textile mills and garment manufacturers.
• Water Treatment Enzymes Enzyme solutions that improve water purification and process water quality while reducing chemical use, supporting efficient water recycling and lower environmental footprint. For water treatment and industrial process water operators.
• Biogas Enzymes Tailor-made enzyme solutions for biogas production from agricultural residues, food production waste, wastewater, and sewage, delivering higher biogas yields, reduced operational costs, and prevention of hard crust formation in digesters. For biogas plant operators.
• BB-12™ Probiotic Strain One of the world's most researched Bifidobacterium strains, supporting immune function, digestive health, and overall wellbeing across all ages, introduced in 1984. For dietary supplement, dairy, and infant nutrition manufacturers seeking clinically documented probiotic strains.
• Feed Enzyme Alliance (Animal Nutrition) Animal feed enzyme business acquired from dsm-firmenich for approximately EUR 1.5 billion in February 2025, combining enzyme, microbe, and probiotic innovation for animal nutrition with global sales and distribution. For animal feed manufacturers and livestock producers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7% organic sales growth in Q1 2026
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic, minor, innovation, acquisition and workforce development.

• Nhà Xanh Vietnam (Nha Xanh)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026MoU signed at Embassy of Denmark in Hanoi to jointly boost domestic bioethanol production supporting Vietnam's E10 fuel rollout. Partnership combines Novonesis enzyme and yeast technology for corn and cassava-based ethanol with Nhà Xanh production infrastructure to address Vietnam's estimated 75,000 cubic meters monthly ethanol supply shortfall worth approximately USD 1 billion annually in imports.
• Rovensa NextcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 June 2026Distribution agreement under which Rovensa Next commercializes select Novonesis agricultural biosolutions in the United States beginning with 2027 growing season. Rovensa Next assumes direct commercial responsibility for products covering soybeans, corn, pulses, peanuts, and fruit/vegetable crops, expanding its full crop-cycle portfolio from planting to post-harvest.
• UndoAgestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026MoU signed in Beijing forming strategic partnership to collaborate in China's probiotics and microbiome health market, focusing on stomach health and women's microbiome health segments. Collaboration leverages Novonesis proprietary probiotic strains (Pylopass™ and Urex™) and UndoAge consumer market expertise to develop science-backed products under 'Healthy China' strategy.
• Rinck AdvertisingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 May 2026Partnership earned 2026 PRSA Silver Anvil Award for Manufacturing Day 2025 campaign designed to inspire students about biomanufacturing careers. Novonesis was national flagship host site welcoming hundreds of students to facilities in North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
• BiocodexcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Next phase of nine-year strategic partnership formalized with new agreement at leadership meeting in Copenhagen. Partnership focused on microbiome science and consumer health, expanding scientific collaboration and market reach for flagship product Alflorex®, now available in over 15 countries. Agreement expected to accelerate growth through deeper scientific collaboration.
• KvantifyinnovationTechnology or Integration · 19 November 2025Danish quantum computing software company launched Qrunch platform for chemical and biological engineering industries. Novonesis already using technology to improve enzyme products and model larger molecular systems for pharmaceutical applications. Platform enables domain scientists to build quantum algorithms without quantum expertise.
• thyssenkrupp UhdestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Partnership to develop enzymatic fat-splitting process replacing traditional thermal methods, reducing energy and water consumption in oleochemical production. New process operates at lower temperatures and pressures, offering significant cost savings, flexibility, and sustainability benefits.
• SAIPEMstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver enzyme-based, cost-effective carbon capture solution. SAIPEM leverages expertise as leading EPC provider with advanced CCUS technology and proven track record in plant construction. Novonesis supports with robust global enzyme supply chain, R&D capabilities, and world-class enzyme quality for large-scale applications.
• DTU (Technical University of Denmark)innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on CO₂ to protein sustainable food innovation projects. Partnership leverages academic research capabilities with Novonesis industrial biotech expertise.
• MeihuaacquisitionOthersNovonesis acquired production facility in Rayong, Thailand from Meihua for approximately USD 50 million, expanding footprint in Southeast Asia and strengthening fermentation capabilities. Facility expected to be commercially operational in 2027 and will support HMO production.
• NC State Universityworkforce developmentOthersNovonesis supported development of NC State's agricultural formulations certificate program designed to prepare workforce-ready scientists for developing pesticides, fertilizers, growth regulators and biological products. Faculty from multiple departments collaborating on initiative.

Scale indicators28 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• AB Enzymes (ABF Ingredients): Germany-based industrial enzyme specialist focused on food, beverage, and industrial applications; competes in baking, starch, and beverage enzyme categories.
• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): IFF's Health & Biosciences division (including the legacy DuPont N&B enzyme and cultures business) directly competes with Novonesis in food enzymes, cultures, probiotics, and bioprocessing ingredients, serving overlapping F&B customers globally.
• DSM-Firmenich: Dutch-Swiss nutrition and biosciences major; Novonesis acquired its Feed Enzymes Alliance in Feb 2025 but DSM-Firmenich remains a peer across animal nutrition, human nutrition, and personal care biosolutions.
• Lesaffre: French global yeast and fermentation leader with overlapping capabilities in baking, brewing, bioethanol, and human nutrition probiotics; competes with Novonesis's DVS® cultures, yeast, and Cellerity® technologies.
• Lallemand: Canadian privately held yeast and bacteria producer with direct overlap in baking, brewing, animal nutrition, and human health probiotic categories.
• Kerry Group: Irish taste and nutrition company with bioscience-enabled ingredients for F&B; competes with Novonesis's food enzymes, cultures, and probiotic ingredient portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• BASF: Global chemical major with a sizable industrial enzymes and biosolutions business serving feed, food, and industrial biotech; broader portfolio overlaps with Novonesis at the commodity end.
• ADM (Archer Daniels Midland): Global agribusiness and nutrition company with bioscience-enabled ingredients, animal nutrition, and fermentation capabilities that overlap with Novonesis's animal and plant biosolutions segment.
• Cargill: Privately held agribusiness giant with animal nutrition, food ingredients, and bioindustrial operations; competes in animal feed enzymes and food applications alongside Novonesis.

Emerging players

• Codexis: US-based protein engineering company developing novel enzymes and biocatalysts for pharmaceuticals and sustainable manufacturing; smaller but technologically adjacent to Novonesis's enzyme innovation pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Novonesis
• Facebookfacebook.com/novonesisbio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/novonesis
• Instagraminstagram.com/novonesis
• Xx.com/novonesis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Novonesis