Evolva
Swiss biotech firm (now EvoNext Holdings SA) that developed fermentation-based natural ingredients—vanillin, valencene, nootkatone, and resveratrol—for food, beverage, fragrance, and personal care customers, acquired by Lallemand Inc. in December 2023.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersReinach, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Evolva does
Evolva (now EvoNext Holdings SA) is a Swiss biotechnology company founded in 2004 and headquartered in Reinach, Switzerland. The company specializes in fermentation-based production of natural, sustainable ingredients used in flavors, fragrances, nutraceuticals, and personal care applications. Its core product portfolio comprises natural vanillin, valencene, nootkatone, and resveratrol, each produced through proprietary biotechnological processes that provide clean-label, supply-stable alternatives to traditional plant extraction or synthetic routes. Underlying technology centers on industrial fermentation and synthetic biology, with cost efficiency cited as the primary differentiator against natural extraction from sources such as vanilla beans and grapefruit.
Evolva served three primary vertical segments: food and beverage manufacturers seeking natural flavor ingredients, supplements and personal care companies (notably for resveratrol), and fragrance/personal care ingredient buyers (with nootkatone also holding EPA-approved biopesticide status for insect repellent applications). Revenue was generated through ingredient product sales to B2B customers, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The company was historically publicly listed on the SWX and underwent multiple dilutive financing rounds, including a CHF 6.3 million private placement in May 2022 at CHF 0.101 per share and two Nice & Green SA-led facilities of approximately $13 million each in 2020 and 2021.
In December 2023, Canadian biotechnology firm Lallemand Inc. acquired Evolva AG for $23.5 million to integrate its sustainable and clean-label flavor ingredients portfolio into Lallemand's yeast-based operations. Following the acquisition, Evolva Holding SA's shareholders approved a name change to EvoNext Holdings SA in 2026, and the entity continues to publish annual and half-year reports, reflecting its ongoing operating status under new ownership.
Evolva firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Evolva
- Legal name
- Evolva Holding SA
- Website
- https://evolva.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Swiss biotech firm (now EvoNext Holdings SA) that developed fermentation-based natural ingredients—vanillin, valencene, nootkatone, and resveratrol—for food, beverage, fragrance, and personal care customers, acquired by Lallemand Inc. in December 2023.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Evolva industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fermentation-based Specialty Ingredients
- NAICS
- Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411), Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (32532)
- SIC
- Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ingredient Blends & Systems / Custom Formulation (Seasoning Systems, Functional Blends) (CRADAOAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biological Formulation, Fermentation & Scale-Up Manufacturing (AFABAEAM), Natural/Green Pest Control Products (CRAJAHAK)
Keywords
Where Evolva is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Reinach
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Evolva business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ingredient product sales: Sale of bio-based flavor and fragrance ingredients including natural vanillin, valencene, and nootkatone produced through fermentation technology
Evolva product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Evolva develops and commercializes ready-to-formulate, nature-based ingredients produced via fermentation and synthetic biology for the food & beverage, supplements, fragrance, and personal care industries. Its core products — natural vanillin, valencene, nootkatone, and resveratrol — serve as sustainable, clean-label alternatives to synthetic compounds and costly plant-extracted natural ingredients. The company supplies these bio-based ingredients directly to formulators and brand owners globally.
Product overview
Evolva (now EvoNext Holdings SA) is a Swiss biotechnology company specializing in the development and production of sustainable, fermentation-based natural ingredients for the flavors and fragrances industry. The company's core offerings include natural vanillin, valencene, nootkatone, and resveratrol—all produced through proprietary biotechnological processes that provide clean-label, sustainable alternatives to synthetic and extracted natural ingredients. These ingredients serve the food and beverage, personal care, and nutraceutical sectors. In December 2023, Evolva AG was acquired by Lallemand Inc., a Canadian biotechnology firm, strengthening its portfolio of sustainable and clean-label flavor ingredients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Natural Vanillin A natural flavor ingredient produced through fermentation-based biotechnology, providing a clean-label, sustainable alternative to synthetic vanillin for food, beverage, and flavor applications.
- Valencene A natural citrus-flavor ingredient produced via fermentation, used in flavor and fragrance applications as a sustainable, clean-label alternative to synthetic citrus compounds.
- Nootkatone A natural fragrance and insect repellent ingredient produced through fermentation-based methods rather than from grapefruit, used in personal care products and EPA-approved biopesticide applications.
- Resveratrol A natural ingredient produced via biotechnology, used in supplements and personal care products for its anti-aging and metabolic health properties.
Quantifiable outcome
- Bio vanillin market projected to grow from USD 221.4 million in 2025 to USD 485.5 million by 2036 at 7.4% CAGR
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Evolva
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Evolva technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Evolva partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Evolva competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Conagen: Synthetic biology and fermentation company developing high-purity ingredients for flavors, fragrances, cosmetics, nutrition, and pharma. Directly comparable to Evolva's fermentation platform targeting vanillin, nootkatone, and other specialty molecules.
- Amyris: Fermentation/synthetic biology company producing sustainable ingredients (squalane, vanillin, nootkatone) for F&B, fragrance, and personal care — closest direct analog to Evolva's yeast-based specialty ingredient model, with similar scale and historical challenges.
- Codexis: Engineered enzyme and biocatalysis company producing pharmaceutical and sustainable ingredients. Comparable to Evolva in applying biology-driven manufacturing to specialty ingredient production, though focused more on pharma intermediates.
Broad incumbents
- dsm-firmenich: Integrated nutrition, health, and F&F major with substantial biotechnology capabilities and a broad natural ingredient portfolio. A broad incumbent comparable to Evolva across food, beverage, personal care, and fragrance end markets.
- Givaudan: World's largest flavors and fragrances house with extensive natural and biotech ingredient portfolios. Indirect incumbent competitor across Evolva's entire F&F product range, with vastly greater scale and customer reach.
- International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): Global F&F major with broad ingredient portfolios including biotechnology-derived natural solutions post-DuPont N&B merger. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating across the same end markets as Evolva.
- Symrise: Major F&F and nutrition ingredients player with growing investment in biotech-derived natural ingredients. Competes with Evolva across flavors, fragrances, and natural ingredient categories at global scale.
- Solvay: Major chemical company and historically the world's leading producer of synthetic vanillin (Rhovanil brand), plus other aroma chemicals. Competes directly with Evolva's fermentation-derived natural vanillin on price and scale.
Emerging players
- Borregaard: Norwegian biorefinery producing bio-based vanillin (and other lignin-based ingredients) as a sustainable alternative to both synthetic and fermentation-derived vanillin. Direct substitute competitor in Evolva's flagship natural vanillin market.
- Manus Bio: Synthetic biology startup engineering microbial platforms for natural product manufacturing including flavors, fragrances, and sweeteners. Overlaps with Evolva on fermentation-based specialty ingredient development at similar early-commercial stage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Evolva social profiles
Digital presenceEvolva financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Evolva leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Evolva funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds10 records
Investors14 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Evolva M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Evolva
What does Evolva do?
Evolva develops and commercializes ready-to-formulate, nature-based ingredients produced via fermentation and synthetic biology for the food & beverage, supplements, fragrance, and personal care industries. Its core products — natural vanillin, valencene, nootkatone, and resveratrol — serve as sustainable, clean-label alternatives to synthetic compounds and costly plant-extracted natural ingredients. The company supplies these bio-based ingredients directly to formulators and brand owners globally.
Is Evolva a public or private company?
Evolva is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Evolva founded?
Evolva was founded in 2004. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Evolva based?
Evolva is headquartered in Reinach, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Evolva make money?
One revenue line is on record: ingredient product sales.
Who are Evolva's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Conagen, Amyris and Codexis. Broad incumbents are dsm-firmenich, Givaudan, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), Symrise and Solvay. Emerging players are Borregaard and Manus Bio.
Does Evolva have an API?
No public API is recorded for Evolva.
What industry is Evolva in?
Evolva's product category is Fermentation-based Specialty Ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAOAO, Ingredient Blends & Systems / Custom Formulation (Seasoning Systems, Functional Blends), with a secondary code of AFABAEAM, Biological Formulation, Fermentation & Scale-Up Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 325411 and its SIC code is 2833.