What Biochim does

Biochim S.r.l. is an Italian family-owned B2B supplier of raw materials for the cosmetics and food industries, founded in 1956 by the Carinelli family and now in its third generation of ownership under Sole Administrator Ing. Sergio Carinelli. The company operates from its registered office in Milan and an operational/production facility in Casarile, with a workforce in the 11-50 range. Its portfolio is split between two business units: food ingredients (natural colorants such as the FRUITMAX, CapColor, COLORFRUIT, and Hansen Sweet Potato lines, plus natural antioxidants based on tocopherol and rosemary extracts) and cosmetic ingredients (rheology modifiers, emulsifiers, emollients, conditioning agents, silicones, hair fixatives, and active ingredients). Biochim both produces its own natural extracts and acts as exclusive Italian distributor for premium international principals including Lubrizol (represented for 60+ years), Oterra (formerly Chr. Hansen Natural Colours), Rahn, and — since 2023 — Java Biocolloid, for which it also covers Europe and the US.

The business model is a hybrid of proprietary production and principal-agency distribution. Revenue is generated through one-time sales of raw materials to manufacturers, priced on a quote basis, with the company explicitly positioning itself to serve both large industrial customers and small/medium enterprises via flexible minimum quantities and fresh-warehouse stock. Go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven: Biochim engages customers directly through a sales team and an internal formulation laboratory that provides technical support, demonstration prototypes, and reformulation assistance. Marketing channels include a recurring LinkedIn engagement program (BiochimLabChallenge), technical webinars co-hosted with principals such as Lubrizol, participation in industry events including Making Cosmetics, and dedicated Food News and Cosmetic News blogs.

The company's competitive position rests on long-tenured exclusive distribution rights, an internal formulation lab that embeds it in customers' product development, a 60+ year heritage in natural colorant production, and a portfolio of proprietary natural color brands supplemented by internationally recognized principal brands. Headcount is small, the company is privately held with no disclosed funding, and operations are concentrated in Italy with selective European and US distribution via the Java Biocolloid partnership.

Name

Biochim

Legal name

Biochim S.r.l.

Website

https://biochim.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Biochim is an Italian, family-owned B2B distributor and producer of natural raw materials for the food and cosmetics industries, combining proprietary natural colorant production with exclusive Italian (and selective European/US) distribution for premium principals such as Lubrizol, Oterra, Rahn, and Java Biocolloid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Food and Cosmetic Ingredients

NAICS

Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (325130)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural Colorants (Plant/Algae/Microbial Extracts: Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, Chlorophyll, Spirulina) (AFAJAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Personal Care & Cosmetic Ingredients (IMAEABAJ), Application-Specific Color Solutions (Beverage, Dairy, Confectionery, Bakery, Savory, Pet Food) (AFAJAEAH), Clean-Label & Certified Colorants (Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher/Halal, Allergen-Free) (AFAJAEAI)

Keywords

• Natural food colorants
• Cosmetic raw materials
• Food additives distribution
• Natural extracts production
• Clean label ingredients

Headquarters

HQ city

Casale Minolle

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cosmetic Ingredients Distribution: Distribution and sale of cosmetic raw materials including rheology modifiers (Carbopol), emulsifiers (Pemulen), film formers, silicone alternatives (SilSense), emollients (Schercemol), and conditioning polymers. Biochim distributes Lubrizol, Rahn, and Java Biocolloid products in Italy and Europe.
2. Food Additives Distribution: Distribution of natural colors and extracts (Oterra products) and antioxidants for food applications. Includes colorants for beverages, confectionery, bakery, dairy, meat products, and supplements.
3. Proprietary Production: Production and sale of own-brand natural extracts for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical use, including chlorophyll, carotene, and other natural colorants. Also produces semi-finished products mixing colorants with food substances.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Biochim produces and markets natural colorants and extracts (chlorophyll, carotene, anthocyanins) for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The company also acts as the exclusive Italian distributor for international ingredient brands including Lubrizol (cosmetic polymers and rheology modifiers), Oterra (natural food colors), Rahn (cosmetic actives), and Java Biocolloid (natural hydrocolloids). It supports customers through an internal formulation laboratory.

Product overview

Biochim is a raw materials supplier for the cosmetics and food industries with over 60 years of experience, distributing products both under its own brand and on behalf of international chemical companies. The product portfolio centers on two main segments: (1) Food ingredients including the FRUITMAX® natural colorant brand (liquid and powder extracts with clean-label declarations), CapColor® encapsulated colors for beverages, COLORFRUIT® anthocyanin solutions, VEGEX® cloudy beverage solutions, Hansen Sweet Potato™ as a carmine alternative, and natural antioxidants based on tocopherol and rosemary extracts; and (2) Cosmetic ingredients distributed from principals including Lubrizol's Carbopol® rheology modifiers, Pemulen® emulsifying polymers, Schercemol™/Hydramol™ emollients, Fixate™ hair fixatives, and SilSense™ silicones, plus Merquat™ conditioning agents and CELLACTIVE® and CHROMAPOL™ specialty ingredients. The company also develops formulation concepts including generational capsule collections (Hungry for Beauty, My Essential Beauty, Keep Calm, Greynnaissence Beauty) targeting different demographic segments. Technical support includes an internal laboratory for formulation assistance and quality control testing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FRUITMAX® Natural Colorants Brand of natural colorants and vegetable extracts for food applications, including liquid and powder formulations with clean label declarations (without E-numbers). Includes organic certified range and specialized variants for beverages, confectionery, dairy, bakery, and meat applications.
• CapColor® Encapsulated Colors Encapsulated color technology for beverages providing bright, luminous shades with patented encapsulation process. Offers excellent thermal and light stability, no off-taste at high dosages, and resistance to neck ring or creaming issues.
• COLORFRUIT® Natural Emulsions Natural emulsions for transparent beverages, versatile and transparent solutions capable of replacing Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow, and Quinoline Yellow synthetic dyes.
• VEGEX® Cloudy Beverage Solutions Cloudy beverage solutions for opaque beverage applications.
• Natural Antioxidants (Tocopherol/Rosemary) Vegetable extract-based antioxidants (tocopherol and rosemary extracts) effective in protecting a wide variety of foods from color and taste degradation while extending shelf life.
• Hansen Sweet Potato™ Natural Red Colorant Vegetable-based alternative to carmine red, awarded Innovation Award at Food Ingredients Europe (FiE). Provides brilliant red color from sweet potato extract, stable at acidic to neutral pH with neutral organoleptic impact.
• Carbopol® Rheology Modifiers Rheology modifiers (synthetic and naturally-derived) for cosmetic formulations including skin care, hair care, and skin cleansing applications. Distributed from Lubrizol.
• Pemulen® Emulsifying Polymers Emulsifying polymers for cosmetic formulations providing emulsion stability and texture enhancement. Distributed from Lubrizol.
• Schercemol™ Emollients Emollient product lines (Schercemol/Hydramol/Algapur) for cosmetic applications providing skin feel and moisturization benefits. Distributed from Lubrizol.
• Fixate™ Hair Fixative Polymers Hair fixative polymers for styling products providing long-lasting hold. Distributed from Lubrizol.
• SilSense™ Silicone Products Silicone products for hair and skin care applications providing smoothness and conditioning benefits. Distributed from Lubrizol.
• Merquat™ Conditioning Agents Conditioning agents for hair care providing wet and dry combing benefits, thermal protection and high-temperature styling protection. Distributed from Lubrizol.
• Cosmetic Active Ingredients Comprehensive range of cosmetic active ingredients including Skin Tone, Anti-Wrinkle/Lifting, Anti-Couperose, Soothing, Protective (DNA/Free Radicals/Stem Cells), Anti-Acne, Moisturizing, Anti-Cellulite, Anti-Ageing, Eye Care, and Men Care actives, distributed from Rahn.
• Annatto (E 160b) Natural Colorant Natural colorant derived from annatto trees, with updated EU legislation distinguishing between bixin (E 160b i) and norbixin (E 160b ii) pigments.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LubrizolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLubrizol is a major international chemical company whose cosmetic ingredients division Biochim has represented in Italy for over 60 years. Products include Carbopol rheology modifiers, Pemulen emulsifiers, Schercemol emollients, SilSense silicones, and Fixate hair fixatives. This is Biochim's flagship and longest-standing distribution partnership.
• OterracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOterra (formerly Chr. Hansen Natural Colours) is the world's leading supplier of natural food colors and vegetable extracts. Biochim is the exclusive distributor for Oterra products in Italy, including FruitMax colors, CapColors, Hansen Sweet Potato colorants, and natural antioxidants. Following Oterra's acquisition of Diana Food's color division, Biochim expanded distribution to include those products as well.
• RahncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss company with over 60 years of experience in cosmetic raw materials. Rahn offers a portfolio of natural, modern, high-quality cosmetic actives with particular attention to sustainability. Biochim distributes Rahn's cosmetic active ingredients in Italy.
• Java BiocolloidminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeader in natural hydrocolloids for food and pharmaceutical sectors, with strong focus on sustainability and ethics. Java Biocolloid entered the cosmetic scene in 2023 in collaboration with Biochim. Biochim is their distributor for Europe and USA.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Caldic: European specialty ingredients distributor focused on food, personal care, and pharma end-markets, combining distribution with technical formulation support — comparable operating model to Biochim with similar dual-segment food/personal care exposure.
• Azelis: European specialty ingredients distributor with deep food and personal care portfolios, multi-territory operations, and a hybrid model that combines distribution with proprietary formulation support — directly comparable to Biochim's specialty distribution + lab-enabled service model, though at significantly larger scale.
• IMCD Group: Global specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor with strong European footprint and focus on food, personal care, and pharmaceutical applications — directly comparable B2B distribution business model, though at materially larger scale and publicly listed.
• Barentz: European specialty ingredients distributor serving food, personal care, and animal nutrition markets with a portfolio of exclusive principals and proprietary value-added services — comparable to Biochim in distribution model, principal relationships, and B2B technical-service orientation.
• Biesterfeld: European specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor with strong presence in personal care and food applications — comparable distribution-led model serving similar B2B customers in adjacent European geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Sensient Technologies: Global specialty ingredient manufacturer with leading position in natural and synthetic food colors, flavors, and cosmetic ingredients — comparable product categories (food colors, cosmetic ingredients) but operates at vastly larger scale as a global producer rather than regional distributor.
• Novonesis (formerly Chr. Hansen / Novozymes): Global bioscience company producing natural food colors, cultures, and enzymes — directly comparable as the parent of Biochim's principal partner Oterra (formerly Chr. Hansen Natural Colours) and a leading supplier of natural food colors competing in Biochim's core market.
• Givaudan: Global leader in flavors, fragrances, and natural ingredients (including natural colors via Naturex acquisition) — overlapping product portfolio in natural colors and cosmetic actives, though Givaudan operates a global integrated producer model rather than regional distribution.

Emerging players

• ROHA: Specialized global manufacturer of synthetic and natural colors for food, beverages, and cosmetics — comparable in colorant focus across food and personal care applications, though ROHA is a manufacturer while Biochim is primarily a distributor with limited proprietary production.
• Döhler: German-headquartered producer and supplier of natural ingredients for food and beverages, including natural colors, flavors, and fruit preparations — comparable in natural ingredient focus and dual food/beverage emphasis, though primarily a producer rather than distributor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biochim-s.r.l.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Biochim