NATECO2

What NATECO2 does

NATECO2 is a German contract manufacturer specializing in supercritical CO2 extraction of natural substances, operating as a brand of Hopfenveredlung St. Johann GmbH (founded 1962, with CO2 operations since 1979 and 35+ years of accumulated extraction experience). The company provides toll extraction services (Lohnextraktion) to food and beverage, brewing, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical/marine, and industrial customers, with high-pressure capability up to 1,000 bar that enables extraction of compounds inaccessible to conventional methods, including carotenoids such as astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis algae and α-acids from hops with recovery up to 95%.

The core technology platform is supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) using only CO2 as solvent, complemented by counter-current column (SFC) chromatography, powder processing technology, and an accredited in-house analytical laboratory. Processing is oxygen-free and antibacterial, producing solvent-free, halal-certified extracts without organic solvent residues. The platform spans hops for brewing, algae-derived compounds, spices and herbs, industrial hemp, grains and seeds (including defatted plant proteins for meat substitutes), nuts and fruits, medicinal plants, and alcohol/liquor flavours.

NATECO2 runs a sales-led, project-based business model with quote-based pricing tailored to individual extraction requirements. Revenue is generated through three streams: contract extraction services (toll manufacturing of customer-owned raw materials), research/development/consulting including feasibility studies and case work with the attached analytical lab, and value-added purification, product handling, quality control, and the 'NATECO2 plus' extended service concept. Distribution is direct-to-enterprise through B2B relationships, with operations in Wolnzach (headquarters) and a wholly owned subsidiary site at St. Johann/Train, serving customers primarily in Europe with claimed global direct-sales reach.

Name

NATECO2

Legal name

Hopfenveredlung St. Johann GmbH

Website

https://nateco2.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NATECO2 is a German toll manufacturer providing supercritical CO2 extraction services for food, beverage, brewing, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical customers. Since 1979, it has used high-pressure CO2 technology to deliver solvent-free, halal-certified natural extracts under Hopfenveredlung St. Johann GmbH.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wolnzach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract Extraction Services (Lohnextraktion): Toll manufacturing model where NATECO2 provides CO₂ extraction services on a contractual basis, processing customer-owned raw materials. Services extend through to product finishing. Pricing is quote-based, tailored to specific extraction requirements and scale.
2. Research, Development & Consulting: Feasibility studies, case studies, and consulting services including an attached analytical laboratory. Services span from initial research through to market-ready industrial scale implementation.
3. Purification and Product Handling Services: Additional value-added services including product purification and handling, quality control, and the NATECO2 plus concept offering extended service packages.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NATECO2 provides contract supercritical CO2 extraction (SFE) services as a toll manufacturer (Lohnveredler) for natural substances. The company processes customer-owned raw materials through its high-pressure extraction technology (over 800 bar, capable of 1,000 bar), supporting industries including brewing, food and beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and industrial applications. It also offers complementary services including purification, product handling, quality control, research and development, consulting, and an in-house accredited analytical laboratory.

Product overview

NATECO2 is a comprehensive CO2 extraction service provider offering a platform of extraction technologies and related services. The core offering is supercritical CO2 extraction (SFE) technology, which serves as the foundational platform technology. This is complemented by specialized technologies including powder technology and counter-current column chromatography (SFC). The service portfolio includes contract extraction, purification, product handling, quality control, research and development, consultancy, and the extended NATECO2 plus concept. The company operates an accredited analytical laboratory. Extraction applications span hops for brewing, algae (including Haematococcus pluvialis for astaxanthin), industrial hemp, spices and herbs, grains and seeds, nuts and fruits, medicinal plants, alcohol flavours, and general flavours and aromas. The company operates as a brand of Hopfenveredlung St. Johann GmbH with facilities in Wolnzach and St. Johann.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NATECO₂ plus: Extended service concept offering additional services beyond standard CO2 extraction

Products and services

• Contract Extraction (Lohnextraktion) Toll manufacturing service for CO2 extraction that handles customer-owned raw materials from initial consultation and research through industrial-scale production, with product and process design tailored to individual customer requirements.
• Purification (Aufreinigung) Purification services for extracted materials to meet specified quality and purity standards.
• Product Handling (Produkthandling) Handling services for extracted products from the extraction process through to final product delivery.
• Quality Control (Qualitätskontrolle) Quality control services ensuring that extracts meet required specifications and standards.
• Research & Development (Forschung & Entwicklung) R&D services from feasibility studies to implementation at industrial scale, including pilot production.
• Consultancy (Beratung) Consulting services including case studies with connected analytical laboratory for supercritical CO2 extraction projects.
• NATECO2 plus Extended service concept offering additional support and services beyond standard CO2 extraction.
• Analytical Laboratory Services (Analytiklabor) Accredited analytical laboratory providing content analysis in food, feed, cosmetics, plant materials, residues, contaminants, method development and validation, and stability testing.
• Hop Extracts CO2-extracted hop products for the brewing industry containing alpha-acids for bitterness and aroma oils for hop taste and flavor.
• Flavors and Aromas Natural flavors extracted using CO2 from various sources including spices, herbs, and alcohol-based liquors.
• Algae Extracts Extracts from algae including Haematococcus pluvialis for astaxanthin and other microalgae-derived products.
• Industrial Hemp Extracts Leaf extracts from industrial hemp using supercritical CO2 extraction.
• Spices and Herbs Extracts Extracts from spices and herbs including ginger, pink pepper, and rosemary as antioxidant.
• Grains and Seeds Extracts Defatted plant proteins from grains and seeds for meat substitute products.
• Nuts and Fruits Extracts Extracts from various nuts and fruits.
• Alcohol/Liquor Flavors CO2-extracted flavor compounds from liquors such as whiskey, rum, gin for flavor enrichment.
• Medicinal Plants and Specialty Products Specialty extracts from medicinal plants including Calendula and other botanical ingredients.
• Supercritical CO2 Extraction (SFE) Core extraction technology using supercritical carbon dioxide as a solvent for extracting natural substances from various raw materials, operating at high pressures including above 800 bar for specialized applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 95% α-acids recovery from hop cones when extraction parameters are properly chosen
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hopsteiner: Global hop processor and hop-derivative supplier offering hop extracts for brewing; comparable to NATECO2 in hop processing heritage and customer overlap with brewers, even though extraction technologies differ.
• BarthHaas: German-headquartered hop products and services company supplying breweries worldwide; competes with NATECO2 in the brewing industry hop-extract segment and shares the German specialty-ingredients heritage.
• Groupe Berkem: French botanical extraction specialist offering plant-based ingredients for cosmetics, food, and industry; comparable as a European mid-sized contract botanical extractor competing for similar B2B customers.
• Flavex Naturextrakte GmbH: Germany-based contract extractor using supercritical CO2 extraction for botanical ingredients across flavors, fragrances, pharma, and cosmetics — the closest direct functional peer to NATECO2 in geography and technology.
• Aromtech Ltd: Finnish company operating supercritical CO2 extraction to produce plant-derived nutraceutical and cosmetic ingredients — a direct technology and business-model peer focused on high-value botanical extracts.

Broad incumbents

• Naturex (Givaudan): Formerly independent French botanical extracts specialist acquired by Givaudan in 2018; offers plant-based ingredients across food, beverage, and nutraceuticals — a much larger incumbent that competes for the same B2B botanical-extract wallet.
• Symrise: Major flavors, fragrances, and natural nutrition ingredients company with deep presence in botanical extraction; a broad incumbent whose Diana division directly overlaps with NATECO2's food and nutraceutical customer base.
• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): Global ingredients powerhouse serving food, beverage, health, and personal care — overlaps with NATECO2's customer base and offers competing natural-extract capabilities across multiple verticals.
• Givaudan: Global flavors & fragrances leader offering natural ingredient solutions including botanical extracts; competes for the same F&B and personal-care customers as NATECO2 but at vastly greater scale and portfolio breadth.

Emerging players

• Eden Research plc: UK-listed company commercialising natural, plant-derived active ingredients for crop protection and animal health; an emerging player applying botanical extraction science to adjacent end-markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nateco2

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 NATECO2