What ITERG does

ITERG is a French Centre Technique Industriel (CTI) founded in 1944 and headquartered in Canéjan, near Bordeaux. It operates as a B2B industrial technical center specializing in the transformation, valorization, and characterization of vegetable oils and plant proteins, serving approximately 300 customers per year across food, animal nutrition, cosmetics, and broader industrial sectors. The organization holds CTI public-interest status and is funded in part through inter-professional contributions (CVO) from the vegetable oils and proteins industry, supplemented by European and regional public co-financing (ERDF, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region).

The technical platform spans the full Technology Readiness Level (TRL) spectrum, from laboratory research through pilot scale to ton-scale industrialization. Core service lines include Crushing & Refining, COFRAC-accredited Analytical Laboratories, Nutrition Lifesciences, Green Chemistry (Chimie du végétal), Formulation, Environment & Eco-design, and Audit-Consulting. ITERG holds proprietary patented technology in bio-based polymers, notably the EstoLight range (castor-oil estolides for cosmetic pigment dispersion) and the PRIC estolides line (~20 validated formulations for industrial use), and maintains accreditations including COFRAC, COI, ISO 17025, CIR, Carnot 3BCAR, and ACTIA membership. Recent product launches (EstoLight-1E in February 2026, ESTOTHEQUE cosmetic range in April 2026, plant-based esters, organic fat blends) point to active commercial translation of internal R&D.

The business model combines professional services revenue (R&D projects, laboratory analysis, training, consulting) with recurring membership-based income (CVO contributions and adhesion programs). The 2020 acquisition of IMPROVE and the 2025 integration of PIVERT (renamed ATV) extended the platform into plant proteins and green chemistry respectively, while new leadership (Jean-David LEAO as MD from July 2025; Paul Joël Derian as President from December 2025) is overseeing the next phase of capacity build-out, including the AZIMUT infrastructure project. Revenue and workforce have both tripled over roughly 20 years, though specific revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

ITERG

Legal name

ITERG (Institut français spécialisé dans les huiles et protéines végétales)

Website

https://iterg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ITERG is a French industrial technical center (Centre Technique Industriel) founded in 1944, specializing in vegetable oils and plant proteins R&D, COFRAC-accredited analytical testing, and bio-based polymer development. It serves approximately 300 B2B clients annually across food, cosmetics, animal nutrition, and industrial sectors from its Canéjan headquarters near Bordeaux.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial R&D and Technical Services for Vegetable Oils and Proteins

NAICS

Fats and Oils Refining and Blending (311225)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Third-Party Certification, Code Compliance & Regulatory Inspection (ASME/API/ISO) (EUAEAHAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Certified Compliance & Reporting Services (R2/e-Stewards, Audit, ESG) (BPALAIAL)

Keywords

• Vegetable oils research
• Plant proteins R&D
• Bio-based polymers
• Lipid analytical testing
• Green chemistry formulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Canéjan

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research and Development Services: Technical expertise and R&D services for companies, including applied research, process development, and industrialization support for products based on vegetable oils and proteins.
2. Analysis and Testing Services: Laboratory analysis services for vegetable oils and proteins, including COFRAC-accredited methods for hexane analysis, phthalate analysis, and sensory analysis.
3. Professional Training: Professional training programs in formulation, processing, and analysis of vegetable oils and proteins.
4. Industry Membership Contributions (CVO): ITERG receives inter-professional contributions (Cotisations interprofessionnelles - CVO) from the vegetable oils and proteins industry sector as part of its public interest mission as a Centre Technique Industriel.
5. Consulting and Audit Services: Technical consulting and audit services for industry players covering quality, sustainability, and process optimization.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ITERG is a French Industrial Technical Center (Centre Technique Industriel) that provides research, applied R&D, laboratory analysis, formulation, green chemistry, eco-design, consulting, and professional training services to companies in the vegetable oils and proteins sector. It also commercializes proprietary bio-based polymer product lines (EstoLight for cosmetics and PRIC Estolides for industrial use) derived from vegetable oils such as castor oil, supporting clients across the entire value chain from laboratory scale (kg) to industrial production (ton).

Product overview

ITERG offers a comprehensive portfolio of technical services and product lines for the vegetable oils and proteins industry. Core services include Crushing-Refining (Trituration-Raffinage), Analysis Laboratories with COFRAC-accredited testing, Nutrition Lifesciences research, Green Chemistry (Chimie du végétal), Formulation services, Environment and Eco-design, and Audit-Consulting. The company also provides proprietary bio-based product lines including EstoLight (patented bio-based polymers for cosmetics derived from castor oil estolides) and PRIC Estolides (bio-based macromolecules for industrial applications). Professional training and membership programs complement the service offerings. From idea to market, ITERG supports clients across the entire value chain from kilograms to tons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EstoLight: Bio-based polymers derived from vegetable oils, patented by ITERG. These products effectively disperse mineral fillers (pigments, pearlescent pigments, dyes, glitter, particles) while ensuring uniform mixing and good sensory properties for cosmetic formulations.

Products and services

• Trituration – Raffinage (Crushing - Refining) Mechanical processing services for vegetable oils including crushing and pressing of oilseeds and fruits, extraction, and refining to improve taste, odor, color, and oxidation stability. Targeted at industrial processors in the vegetable oils sector.
• Laboratoires d'Analyse et Expertise (Analysis Laboratories) Certified analytical testing services covering physicochemical analyses, sensory evaluation, and quality assessment of vegetable oils and proteins. Includes COFRAC-accredited methods for hexane analysis and phthalate analysis by GC-MS/MS. Serves manufacturers requiring regulatory-grade testing.
• Nutrition Lifesciences Research and development services focused on the relationship between lipids, proteins, and health outcomes, including bioavailability studies, metabolic syndrome prevention, and nutritional evaluation. For food and nutrition industry clients.
• Chimie du végétal (Green Chemistry) Development of bio-based polymers, specialty chemicals, and innovative processes using plant-derived resources. Includes work on bio-sourced polymers, lignin utilization, and sustainable chemistry alternatives for industrial manufacturers.
• Formulation Product formulation services for food, cosmetics, and industrial applications using plant-based lipids and proteins. Includes sensory analysis, texture optimization, and prototype development for product development teams.
• Environnement et Eco-conception (Environment and Eco-design) Environmental assessment services including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Bilan Carbone carbon footprint analysis, eco-design consulting, and regulatory compliance support for companies in the agri-food and industrial sectors.
• Audit – Conseil (Audit - Consulting) Technical consulting and audit services for the vegetable oils and proteins industry, including process optimization, quality management, and regulatory compliance support.
• EstoLight Bio-based Polymer Product Line Patented bio-based polymer product line derived from vegetable oils (castor oil estolides), designed for cosmetic formulations as dispersants, emulsifiers, and texture modifiers. Targeted at cosmetics manufacturers seeking sustainable, bio-based ingredient solutions.
• PRIC Estolides Bio-based Macromolecules Bio-based macromolecule product line comprising estolide-type oligomers with over 10 years of development. Includes formulations with alcohol, acid, isocyanate, and acrylate groups for use as ingredients, prepolymers, or additives in industrial applications. Targeted at industrial manufacturers seeking bio-based material alternatives.
• Formations (Professional Training) Professional training programs and educational services related to vegetable oils, proteins, and formulation technologies. For industry professionals seeking continuing education.
• Adhésion (Membership) Membership program providing access to ITERG's expertise, technical resources, and industry network for companies in the vegetable oils and proteins sector. Includes inter-professional contribution (CVO) framework.
• Laboratory Customer Portal (Espace client laboratoire) Online customer portal for accessing laboratory services, submitting samples, retrieving analysis results, and managing technical documentation for the institute's COFRAC-accredited testing offerings.
• Organic Plant-based Fat Blends Custom blends of organic plant-based fats designed for formulation applications, expanding ITERG's certified organic solutions portfolio.
• Custom Plant-based Esters for Industrial Applications Custom plant-based esters developed for industrial formulation applications, offering high performance and sensory benefits with sustainable sourcing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 20 PRIC estolide formulations internally validated, with several products manufactured on ton scale
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Actia ECOVALminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Renewed RMT (Reseau Mixte Technologique) dedicated to environmental assessment and eco-design in the agri-food sector.
• IMPROVEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Acquired at the end of 2020, IMPROVE is a cutting-edge technological and analytical platform dedicated to plant proteins. This acquisition transformed ITERG into a leading group covering both lipids and plant proteins, serving the food and cosmetics industries and addressing approximately 1,000 companies worldwide.
• LCPO (Laboratoire de Chimie des Polymeres Organiques)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on the BioMaTMeca project for the design of new high-performance bio-based polymers, combining biosourced synthons derived from plant resources such as lignin.
• Paul Pascal Research Center (CRPP, University of Bordeaux)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for the EPICES thesis project on formulation and physico-chemistry of plant proteins and lipids, focusing on bridging fundamental knowledge to food application models.
• ACTALIAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on the PROVeAL project developing plant proteins as alternatives to dairy stabilizers, with support from ERDF and Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region.
• UMR IATEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for the VALOPROP project on valorizing sorghum distillers' grains, using a reactor mill developed at UMR IATE.
• UMT Actia PROFEELcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint technology unit specializing in 'plant lipids and proteins for bioavailable and eco-responsible nutritional formulas' (Unités Mixtes Technologiques).
• Terres UniviaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner contributing to the technical hexane analysis project through inter-professional contributions (CVO) from the vegetable oils and proteins sector.
• Cosmetic ValleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Cosmetic Valley for the Lipids & Cosmetics Congress, with support from Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region and ADI Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
• ATV (formerly PIVERT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntegration of PIVERT (now ATV) in January 2025 into the Alliance, bringing green chemistry and biotechnologies expertise.
• Carnot 3BCARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarnot institute partnership for the bioeconomy and biotechnologies, with multiple joint projects including VALOPROP, BioMaTMeca, and ESTOTHEQUE.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BASF: Largest chemical company globally, with a dedicated bio-based polymers and personal care ingredients portfolio. Compares to ITERG on the green chemistry / estolide R&D front, and through its Nutrition & Health division on food lipid/protein applications, though as a much broader portfolio incumbent.
• Cargill: Global agribusiness major with significant oilseed processing operations and an in-house food ingredients and bio-based industrial R&D platform. Comparable to ITERG in oilseed expertise and bio-based polymer development, but operating at industrial scale with proprietary ingredient commercialization.
• Roquette: French global leader in starch, polyols, and plant-based ingredients (including proteins and biopolymers). Comparable to ITERG on plant-based protein and bio-based polymer R&D, and on food/cosmetic formulation services, with a far larger commercial scale.
• Croda International: Specialty chemicals company with a strong bio-based and natural-ingredients portfolio serving personal care, food, and industrial markets. Directly comparable to ITERG's EstoLight and PRIC bio-based polymer positioning, particularly in cosmetic dispersants and emulsifiers.
• SGS: World-leading testing, inspection, and certification company with food and agri-commodity testing capabilities that overlap with ITERG's laboratory services for vegetable oils and proteins. SGS serves as the global-scale incumbent against which ITERG's niche accreditation is benchmarked.
• Eurofins Scientific: Global testing, inspection, and certification giant with extensive food, cosmetics, and agro-industrial testing services. Overlaps with ITERG's COFRAC-accredited laboratory services and sensory/chemical analysis offerings, but at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.

Direct peers

• ACTALIA: French agri-food technical institute (CTI/Actia network member) focused on dairy products. Operates a near-identical model to ITERG as a CTI providing accredited analysis, R&D, and technical services to industry, making it a structural peer in the same French technical-center ecosystem (and an existing ITERG partner).
• CTCPA: Centre Technique de la Conservation des Produits Agricoles, a French CTI covering fruits, vegetables, and processed foods. Shares ITERG's CTI/ACTIA structure, accredited testing capabilities, and R&D services model, differing primarily in the underlying food sub-sector served.

Emerging players

• NatureWorks: Specialist bio-based polymer producer (PLA, Ingeo) with deep R&D in plant-derived chemistry. Comparable to ITERG's bio-based polymer ambitions (EstoLight, PRIC estolides) but with a more commercially mature product platform and global commercialization footprint.

Regional players

• Avril Group: French industrial leader in the oilseed and plant protein value chain (owner of Oleon, among others), with downstream oleochemistry and bio-based ingredient businesses. Operates in ITERG's exact French oilseed ecosystem and represents both a partner/customer and a potential vertically integrating competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 ITERG