What Sacco System does

Sacco System is an Italian microbial biotechnology group that develops, manufactures, and commercializes lactic acid bacteria cultures, probiotic strains, enzymes, coagulants, and specialty food-grade cultures for B2B customers in the food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and agro-veterinary industries. The company's portfolio is organized around three market divisions — Food (dairy, bakery, meat, plant-based fermentation), Microbiome (probiotics and postbiotics for human health), and Agro-vet (biocontrol, biostimulants, and animal feed fermentation) — and spans product formats including freeze-dried (Lyofast), frozen pellet (Cryofast), heat-inactivated postbiotics, and custom blends. Core technical assets include a heritage culture library rooted in Caglificio Clerici (operating since 1872), proprietary strains such as CRL1505, LPLDL, SYNBIO, and L. rhamnosus CA15, and dedicated R&D at Centro Sperimentale del Latte.

The company operates through multiple wholly-owned subsidiaries including Caglificio Clerici (rennet and coagulants), Centro Sperimentale del Latte / CSL USA (lactase enzymes and dairy processing solutions), Sacco System Australia, and recently acquired BioInsumos (Uruguay) and Sacco Brasil, giving it direct commercial presence across EMEA, North America, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific. Revenue is generated through direct B2B sales of microbial ingredients in enterprise volumes, supported by quote-based pricing tied to formulation and volume, regional sales teams (e.g., Sales Director EMEA & LATAM), and a multilingual digital presence (Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Russian). The go-to-market combines enterprise field sales, industry trade shows (Vitafoods, Probiota, CPHI, SupplySide Global, etc.), content marketing, and a dedicated "Ingredients by Sacco System" platform, with regulatory milestones — including GRAS self-affirmations for CRL1505 HI and CA15, plus FSANZ recommendations — functioning as a primary commercial lever in regulated markets.

Name

Sacco System

Legal name

SACCO s.r.l.

Website

https://saccosystem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1872

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sacco System is an Italian microbial biotechnology group that supplies lactic acid bacteria cultures, probiotics, enzymes, and coagulants to B2B manufacturers in the food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and agro-veterinary industries through subsidiaries across EMEA, North America, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microbial Ingredients and Cultures

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultures, Probiotics & Fermentation Ingredients (Starter Cultures, Yeast, Adjuncts) (CRADAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Enzymes & Processing Aids (Baking, Brewing, Dairy, Meat) (CRADAOAH), Probiotics & Digestive Health Supplements (CRADAGAF), Yogurt & Cultured Dairy (Yogurt, Kefir, Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese) (CRADACAB), Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC)

Keywords

• Lactic acid bacteria
• Probiotic cultures
• Food-grade cultures
• Microbial ingredients
• Dairy enzymes

Headquarters

HQ city

Capolago

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B Ingredients Sales: Sacco System generates revenue through the sale of microbial ingredients to food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and agro-veterinary manufacturers. Products include lactic acid bacteria cultures, probiotics, enzymes, coagulants, and specialty ingredients sold in B2B quantities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sacco System is an Italian microbial biotechnology group that manufactures and supplies lactic acid bacteria cultures, probiotics, enzymes, coagulants, moulds, yeasts, and complementary food ingredients on a B2B basis. Its portfolio serves food (cheese, dairy, bakery, meat, plant-based), nutraceutical/human health (probiotic and postbiotic supplements), pharmaceutical, and agro-veterinary manufacturers across global markets. The group operates through specialized subsidiaries including Caglificio Clerici for rennet/coagulants and Centro Sperimentale del Latte (CSL) for enzymes.

Product overview

Sacco System operates as a microbial innovation company providing a comprehensive portfolio of biotech ingredients across three divisions: Food (ingredients and solutions for cheese, fresh/fermented products, meats, fish, bakery, and plant-based products), Microbiome (microorganisms and active ingredients for human health including probiotics and postbiotics), and Agro-vet (lactic ferments for the agro-veterinary sector). The product portfolio centers on starter lactic acid bacteria cultures (Lyofast, Cryofast, Lyoto, Cryostart, dairy-free variants), probiotic strains and blends (CRL1505, LPLDL, SYNBIO, CA15), enzymes (Lactase, Lipase), food culture ingredients (Moulds, Yeasts, NSLAB), protective cultures (4Protection line), and cheese-making solutions (Lab/Rennet, KISET, complementary additives). The company also provides the Ingredients by Sacco System platform for accessing its portfolio, and has recently launched new products like PerforMilk for dairy processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CRL1505: Probiotic strain isolated from goat's milk, ideal for fermented milk, yogurt and probiotic cheese, stimulating immune response in children and adults
• LPLDL
• SYNBIO
• KISET
• PerforMilk
• Lyofast
• Cryofast
• 4Protection
• VChoice

Products and services

• CRL1505 (Lactobacillus rhamnosus CRL 1505) Probiotic strain isolated from goat's milk, ideal for fermented milk, yogurt, and probiotic cheese production. Documented to stimulate immune response and promote protective effects on immune, digestive, and respiratory systems in children and adults.
• LPLDL (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LPLDL) Probiotic strain for cardiovascular health that helps control cholesterol and blood pressure, suitable for functional and probiotic foods targeting older customers or those with cardiovascular concerns.
• SYNBIO (Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC 501 + Lactobacillus paracasei IMC 502) Blend of probiotic strains with multiple applications including improving athletic performance, intestinal well-being, and products targeting household dust mite allergies. Also positioned for healthy ageing support.
• Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus CA15 Probiotic strain for women's health applications that achieved GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status, enabling use in US food applications.
• Lab (Rennet) Milk-coagulating enzyme ingredient used in cheese making to separate curd from whey. Produced by Caglificio Clerici since 1872, available in liquid, paste, or powder forms ensuring rapid and uniform cooking for creamy cheeses.
• KISET Classic Coagulant for cheese production positioned as a modern choice respecting traditional methods, supporting consistent curd formation.
• Lactase Natural enzyme that breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose for lactose-free dairy production. Does not alter organoleptic characteristics of milk.
• Lipase Pregastric lipase enzyme used to enhance cheese flavor with distinctive aromas. Veal lipases give sweet and slightly spicy taste, lamb gives more pronounced flavor, kid gives strong and spicy taste.
• Moulds (Penicillium roqueforti, P. camemberti, P. nalgiovense) Essential ingredients for cheese and food production with typical aesthetic and organoleptic characteristics. P. roqueforti for blue cheese (Gorgonzola, Roquefort), P. camemberti for Camembert and Brie, P. nalgiovense for sausages.
• Yeasts Microorganisms important for production of certain dairy products contributing to correct structure and aroma of specific cheeses (Kefir, Gorgonzola) through Saccharomyces spp.
• Non-Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria (NSLAB) Secondary bacterial flora for cheese ripening and eye formation (hole production) in cheese, providing specific organoleptic properties while limiting undesirable flavors.
• Lyofast Freeze-dried lactic acid bacteria cultures for direct inoculation during milk processing. Available in packages of 5 to 50 unit doses (UC) for dairy, meat, bakery, plant-based, and functional food applications.
• Cryofast Frozen pellet lactic acid bacteria in standard quantities of 50 unit doses (UC), available in other quantities upon request, for industrial dairy applications.
• Lyoto Freeze-dried lactic acid bacteria for industrial starter culture production, achieving best results when combined with specialized Lacmon media enriched with bioactivators and vitamins.
• Cryostart Frozen lactic acid bacteria for industrial starter culture production.
• Dairy-Free Starter Cultures Lactose-free starter cultures without any substances of animal origin, GMO-free, and without soy derivatives, serving dairy-free product applications.
• 4Protection Line Lactic acid bacteria line for product protection against unwanted microorganisms, maintaining structural and organoleptic quality during shelf life for plant-based and meat applications.
• VChoice Cultures Cultures for plant-based fermented products from soy, lupine, peas, chickpeas, fava beans, coconut, oats, rice, almonds, and cashews. Naturally lactose-free, allergen-free, non-GMO, and compliant with V-Label requirements.
• Complementary Products for Cheese Range of cheese production additives including lysozyme (natural enzyme protecting against clostridia), natamycin (inhibits yeast and mould growth), nisin (natural preservative), casein labels (cheese traceability), plastic coatings, smoke flavor, edible glue, transglutaminase, annatto (natural dye), and covering waxes.
• PerforMilk Solution for maximizing milk potential while preserving protein quality in dairy production, helping dairy processors improve yield and quality outcomes.
• Ingredients by Sacco System Ingredient brand and platform for accessing Sacco System products for good nutrition and healthy lifestyle, serving as a partner program for B2B customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• CRL1505 stimulates immune response and improves immune, digestive, and respiratory systems in children and adults
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Concerto BiosciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2026Development and commercialization agreement signed January 2026 for next-generation microbial ingredient discovery. Sacco System contributes its heritage library of food-grade cultures while Concerto applies its kChip technology and kAI platform to systematically study microbial interactions and identify optimal strain synergies. The collaboration aims to develop novel ingredients composed of synergistically interacting microbes with desirable functional properties for food and health applications.
• 3Biotic Hub (Landlab, Synbiotec)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Network created through synergy between Sacco System, Landlab, and Synbiotec to serve as research and application partners for optimizing biofertilizers, biostimulants, and biocontrol agents in agriculture. The hub represents a new network of companies focused on agricultural biotechnology innovation and sustainability.
• List BiotherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2024Strategic alliance for expanding horizons in microbiome therapeutics. Collaboration focused on commercial manufacture of microbial therapeutics, scaling from microliters to tons in production capacity.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Broad incumbents

• DSM-Firmenich: Large nutrition and health ingredients company with probiotic and enzyme offerings. Comparable to Sacco in microbiome and human health ingredients, but operates at much broader scale and scope.
• Kerry Group: Global taste and nutrition company with broad food ingredient and functional portfolio. Overlaps with Sacco in dairy enzymes, cultures, and probiotic ingredients as part of a wider B2B ingredient offering.

Emerging players

• BioGaia: Swedish probiotic specialist focused on Lactobacillus reuteri strains for human health and pediatric applications. Comparable to Sacco's CRL1505 and LPLDL strain-specific nutraceutical positioning, though narrower in scope.
• Probi: Swedish probiotic ingredient supplier with proprietary Lactobacillus plantarum strains. Comparable to Sacco's LPLDL strain-focused cardiovascular health probiotic positioning and nutraceutical customer base.
• AB Biotics (Kaneka Probiotics): Probiotic strain developer and supplier serving nutraceutical and functional food markets. Comparable to Sacco's strain-branded probiotic portfolio with similar target customers in human health supplements.

Direct peers

• Novonesis (formerly Chr. Hansen): Global leader in microbial cultures, enzymes, and probiotics for food, dairy, and human health. Closest direct peer to Sacco System across starter cultures, probiotic strains, and enzyme offerings for cheese, dairy, and plant-based applications.
• IFF (DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences): Through its Danisco ingredient platform, IFF supplies cultures, enzymes, probiotics, and food protection solutions. Direct overlap with Sacco's starter culture, protective culture (4Protection analogue), and enzyme product lines.
• Lesaffre: Global yeast and fermentation solutions company expanding into probiotics and functional ingredients. Directly comparable to Sacco in food-grade cultures, fermentation expertise, and dairy/bakery applications.
• Lallemand: Privately held Canadian microbial solutions company producing yeast, bacteria, and probiotic ingredients. Competes directly with Sacco in dairy cultures, probiotic strains, and agro-veterinary fermentation products.
• Gnosis by Lesaffre: Lesaffre's human nutrition division producing probiotic, yeast-based, and fermented ingredients. Directly comparable to Sacco's probiotic and postbiotic offering targeting nutraceutical and supplement manufacturers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SaccoSystem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sacco-system

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Sacco System