Laffort

What Laffort does

Laffort is a French oenological products manufacturer founded in 1895 in Bordeaux, now in its fourth generation of family ownership and operating through an SAS corporate structure with €25,111,329 in share capital. The company designs, produces, and distributes a comprehensive range of wine-making inputs — yeasts (ZYMAFLORE® and ACTIFLORE® proprietary strains, including non-Saccharomyces bioprotection cultures), enzymes, malolactic bacteria, fermentation nutrients (NUTRISTART®), tannins, fining agents, stabilization products, oak alternatives (NOBILE® staves, chips, blocks), filtration media, cleaning products, and preservation solutions. Its underlying technology platform combines proprietary yeast breeding using QTL marker-assisted selection, an in-house experimental wine cellar for application testing, and a Precision Oenology methodology that pairs scientific R&D with technical advisory services.

Laffort serves wine producers of all sizes — from large industrial wineries to small organic and biodynamic estates — across more than 100 countries, addressing pain points including fermentation consistency, color and aromatic expression, oxidation control, stabilization, and organic certification compliance. Through its 2021-launched ALMAVITIS subsidiary, the company has also extended into upstream viticulture solutions for climate-stress management, and through its Beverages By Laffort line, into adjacent fermented beverages including kombucha, cider, fruit wines, spirits, and no/low-alcohol products.

The business model is B2B, generating revenue through one-time product sales via direct subsidiaries in nine key wine-producing countries (France, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, Spain, Italy, South Africa, plus a China entity) and a complementary distributor network covering the remaining geographies. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales, executed by technical sales representatives (technico-commerciaux) who provide formulation guidance and product trials; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is set via direct inquiry. The company supplements its core product sales with technical content marketing (IN'Press blog, YouTube application videos, webinars), industry events including its own International Red Wine Competition, and a multi-language e-commerce storefront in the US market.

Name

Laffort

Legal name

LAFFORT®

Website

https://laffort.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Laffort is a fourth-generation, family-owned French manufacturer founded in 1895 that designs, produces, and distributes a comprehensive range of oenological products — yeasts, enzymes, bacteria, tannins, oak alternatives, and stabilization inputs — to wine producers and beverage makers across more than 100 countries through nine direct subsidiaries and a global distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oenological Products

NAICS

Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Beverage Fermentation Cultures (Beer, Wine, Cider, Kombucha, Fermented Soft Drinks) (AFAJAJAC)

Keywords

• Oenological products
• Winemaking supplies
• Wine yeast strains
• Oak aging products
• Wine fermentation solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Bordeaux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Oenological Products Sales: B2B sales of wine-making products including yeasts, enzymes, nutrients, tannins, and treatment solutions to wine producers worldwide through direct sales and distribution network.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Laffort designs, manufactures, and distributes oenological products for the wine industry. Its portfolio includes proprietary yeast strains (ZYMAFLORE®, ACTIFLORE®), enzymes, malolactic bacteria, fermentation nutrients, tannins, fining agents, stabilization products, and oak alternatives (NOBILE®), serving wineries from grape reception through bottling. A subsidiary, ALMAVITIS, supplies natural vineyard solutions, and a Beverages division extends the same fermentation technology to kombucha, cider, fruit wines, and spirits.

Product overview

Laffort is a specialized oenological products company offering a comprehensive portfolio of wine-making solutions. Their offering includes two main yeast brands (ZYMAFLORE® for breeding-selected strains and ACTIFLORE® for traditional and bioprotection applications), complemented by yeast derivatives, enzymes, bacteria, nutrients (NUTRISTART®), tannins (QUERTANIN®, TAN'COR®), fining agents, and stabilization products. The NOBILE® sub-brand provides oak alternatives (chips, blocks, staves, barrel refresh), while dedicated ranges address rosé wines, sparkling wines, cleaning, filtration, and preservation. Their beverages division extends to Kombucha, cider, fruit wines, and spirits. The portfolio follows Precision Oenology principles, emphasizing natural, innovative, and responsible winemaking solutions backed by R&D and experimental winemaking capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nobile®: Oak products for winemaking including chips, blocks, staves, barrel refresh, and Nobispark products
• ALMAVITIS
• ZYMAFLORE®
• ACTIFLORE®
• Beverages By Laffort

Products and services

• ZYMAFLORE® Proprietary winemaking yeast range developed through breeding selection, offering tailored strains for red, white, and rosé wines with specific aromatic profiles and fermentation characteristics. Sold to wine producers.
• ACTIFLORE® Winemaking yeast range including Saccharomyces cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces strains (Torulaspora delbrueckii, Metschnikowia pulcherrima) for fermentation management and bioprotection, sold to wine producers.
• NOBILE® Oak wood products for winemaking including chips, blocks, staves (12mm and 18mm), barrel refresh, and Nobispark, providing controlled oak influence for wine aging and flavor development.
• Beverages By Laffort Products and technology for alternative fermented beverages including Kombucha, fruit wines, cider, spirits, and no-low alcohol options, sold to beverage producers.
• ALMAVITIS Natural solutions for vines, dedicated to helping plants cope with climate stress, secure yield and quality, and integrate into viticulturists' technical itineraries. Sold to wine grape growers.
• NUTRISTART® THIOLS Nutrient product representing the evolution of aromatic nutrition for thiol revelation in wines, sold to wine producers.
• FENOSORB™ Specific treatment for decontaminating musts while limiting color loss, sold to wine producers.
• NOBILE® STAVES 18 mm Oak staves in 18 mm format for wine aging, an evolution from the previous 12 mm format.
• OAK PROTECT® by EXCELL Alternative to sulfuring for protection of wooden containers used in winemaking.
• FLORACONTROL® Specific treatment to protect wines against spoilage microorganisms and oxidation, sold to wine producers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products certified for organic wine production (Ecocert)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EcocertcoreOthersCertification partnership for organic and ecological wine production. Laffort products are certified for use in organic winemaking under EU Regulation 848/2018 and USDA NOP standards.
• Specialized Wine Supply Distributors (USA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of specialized distributors in the USA including Alchemy Wine Supply, Carolina Wine Supply, Central Industrial Sales, Crush 2 Cellar, Davison Winery Supplies, Grapelands Supply, GW Kent, Lodi Wine Lab, MyEnologist, Napa Fermentation Supplies, Presque Isle Wine Cellars, Resolvent Supply, TCW - The Compeat Winemaker, Vintners Vault, and others.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lesaffre: Lesaffre is a global yeast and fermentation leader (parent of Gnosis and affiliated brands) operating across baking, brewing, wine, and human nutrition. It is significantly larger than Laffort and offers overlapping wine-yeast and fermentation solutions as part of a much broader fermentation platform.
• Döhler: Döhler is a German-based global ingredients company producing flavors, natural ingredients, and fermentation bases for beverages including wine, beer, and soft drinks. It is much larger than Laffort and approaches wine from a beverage-ingredients angle rather than specialist oenology.
• Novonesis (formerly Chr. Hansen): Novonesis is a global bioscience company formed from the merger of Novozymes and Chr. Hansen, producing microbial cultures and enzymes for food, beverage, and health. Its wine and plant-protection cultures directly overlap with Laffort's ZYMAFLORE®, ACTIFLORE®, and bacteria ranges, though it serves a much broader customer base.
• Kerry Group: Kerry Group is an Ireland-headquartered taste and nutrition company producing flavors, enzymes, and fermentation-derived ingredients for food and beverage manufacturers, including alcoholic beverage producers. It is a broad incumbent with selective overlap into Laffort's specialty oenology space.
• DSM-Firmenich: DSM-Firmenich is a global nutrition, health, and flavors giant with a beverage and fermentation ingredients portfolio that overlaps with Laffort's enzyme, nutrient, and yeast-derivative offerings. It serves a much wider customer base and brings materially greater R&D and capital resources.

Direct peers

• AEB Group: AEB Group is an Italy-based manufacturer of oenological products (yeasts, enzymes, tannins, fining agents, sanitizers) serving wineries worldwide. It competes directly with Laffort across multiple product categories and has a particularly strong position in European wine regions.
• Lallemand Wine (Lalvin): Lallemand's wine division (Lalvin) is the closest direct competitor to Laffort, producing proprietary oenological yeasts, bacteria, nutrients, and enzymes for wineries globally. It competes head-to-head with ZYMAFLORE® and ACTIFLORE® in nearly every major wine region.
• Enologica Vason: Vason is an Italian oenological products manufacturer specializing in yeasts, enzymes, tannins, and fining agents, with established presence across Europe and growing international distribution. It is a closely comparable mid-sized competitor to Laffort in the specialty wine-inputs category.

Emerging players

• AB Biotics (AB Biotics Wine): AB Biotics is a Spanish biotech company with a wine division producing proprietary yeast and bacteria strains developed through biotech screening. It is smaller than Laffort but competes in selected premium wine-yeast segments, particularly in Spain and Latin America.

Regional players

• IOC (Institut Œnologique de Champagne): IOC is a French oenological products company historically anchored in the Champagne region, producing yeasts, enzymes, and fining products for sparkling and still wines. It is comparable to Laffort in product scope but operates with a more regional footprint.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/laffortfrance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laffort-usa
• Instagraminstagram.com/laffortusa
• Xx.com/Laffort_France

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries10 records

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 Laffort