Groupe SOFRALAB

What Groupe SOFRALAB does

Groupe SOFRALAB, founded in 1922 and headquartered in Magenta in the Champagne region of France, develops, produces and markets oenological products and services for wineries worldwide. The group operates through four core brands: OENOFRANCE® (oenological consulting and laboratory analysis, founded 1943), MARTIN VIALATTE® (oenological product design and consulting, founded 1922), STATION ŒNOTECHNIQUE DE CHAMPAGNE®/SOEC® (sparkling wine specialist, founded 1971) and ŒNOTERRIS® (agro-oenology programmes, launched 2016). The product portfolio spans yeasts, enzymes, fining agents, tartaric stabilisers, fermentation nutrients, microbiological stabilisation solutions (VELCORIN®), and specialised equipment such as the GYROPALETTE® automated riddling machine; SOFRALAB also provides COFRAC-accredited laboratory analysis services and personalised technical consulting.

The technical foundation rests on proprietary, patented formulations including DIWINE® (worldwide exclusivity after 10 years of R&D, launched 2015), KTS® FLOT (the first 100% plant-based alternative to gelatine for wine fining, launched 2017), the OIV-authorised Antartika® biopolymer stabiliser range, the SELECTYS® THIOL yeast programme (developed after three years of genetic identification work), and the ProVgreen pea-protein range. Three specialised centres of expertise anchor the offering: Campus Montagnac (over €3 million invested, the world's first private campus dedicated to still wines, with a 300 m² experimental cellar, R&D lab and 3,600 m² logistics platform), Magenta (traditional-method sparkling expertise within the Champagne region) and Oderzo, Italy (Martinotti/Charmat closed-tank method for Prosecco). The ISO 22000-certified production facility at Oiry was the first in France to obtain that certification for oenological products in 2009.

SOFRALAB generates revenue through three streams: sale of branded oenological products (one-time/recurring consumables and equipment), oenological consulting services delivered by a 40–80-strong team of oenologists, and COFRAC-accredited laboratory analysis. The go-to-market is field-led and relationship-intensive, executed through 11 OENOFRANCE® agency/laboratory locations, more than 100 distributors in France, and direct enterprise channels across 75+ countries. The group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Italian Esseco Group, a family-run diversified conglomerate. Reported annual turnover is approximately €55 million with 45% generated internationally, and the group employs roughly 230 staff across France and Italy.

Name

Groupe SOFRALAB

Legal name

SAS SOFRALAB

Website

https://sofralab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Groupe SOFRALAB is a French oenological products and services group serving the global wine industry through four brands (OENOFRANCE®, MARTIN VIALATTE®, SOEC®, ŒNOTERRIS®), providing yeasts, enzymes, stabilisers, equipment, and technical consulting across 75+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oenological Products and Winemaking Supplies

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins (325991)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Ingredient Blends & Systems / Custom Formulation (Seasoning Systems, Functional Blends) (CRADAOAO)

Keywords

• Oenological products
• Wine production supplies
• Winemaking yeast enzymes
• Tartaric stabilizers
• Sparkling wine equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Magenta

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Oenological products: Development, production and sale of oenological products including yeasts, enzymes, fining agents, stabilisers, nutrition products, and fermentation adjuvants for still and sparkling wines. Products are marketed under the group's four brands: OENOFRANCE®, MARTIN VIALATTE®, STATION ŒNOTECHNIQUE DE CHAMPAGNE®, and ŒNOTERRIS®.
2. Oenological consulting services: Technical consulting provided by recognised oenologists to winemakers, cooperative cellars, and merchants throughout the winemaking process. Includes personalised technical support, wine profiling, and vintage-specific recommendations.
3. Laboratory analysis services: Physical and chemical analysis of wines and musts through COFRAC-accredited laboratories. Analysis services provided through 11 agencies/laboratories across France and via the OCEANIA subsidiary.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Groupe SOFRALAB develops, produces, and markets oenological products and provides technical consulting services to the wine industry. The portfolio spans yeasts, enzymes, fining agents, tartaric and microbiological stabilizers, nutrients, and fermentation adjuvants, plus sparkling wine equipment (notably the GYROPALETTE® riddling machine), distributed under four brands: OENOFRANCE®, MARTIN VIALATTE®, STATION ŒNOTECHNIQUE DE CHAMPAGNE® (SOEC®), and ŒNOTERRIS®. Complementary services include COFRAC-accredited laboratory analysis and personalized technical consulting delivered by a team of 40-80 oenologists.

Product overview

Groupe SOFRALAB is a portfolio company operating four distinct sub-brands in the oenological products and services market: OENOFRANCE® (laboratory analysis and consulting), MARTIN VIALATTE® (product design and consulting since 1922), STATION ŒNOTECHNIQUE DE CHAMPAGNE®/SOEC® (sparkling wine specialist since 1971), and ŒNOTERRIS® (agro-oenological programs). The product portfolio spans yeast products (VIALATTE FERM®, SELECTYS® THIOL), fining agents (GELISOL®, KTS® FLOT), tartaric stabilizers (ANTARTIKA®, KYLMA®), enzyme products (SPECTRA® THIOL, PHYLIA® ICONE), winemaking equipment (GYROPALETTE®), and specialized services (oenological consulting, R&D, experimental facilities). Key innovations include DROP&GO (easy-use products) and VELCORIN® (microbiological stabilization). The company operates three centres of expertise (Campus Montagnac for still wines, Magenta for traditional sparkling method, Oderzo for Martinotti/Charmat method) plus production and logistics support centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OENOFRANCE: Oenological products, laboratory analyses and consulting services. Founded 1943 by Mr. Dardant and Mr. Tournel. Present in the heart of vineyards across France with 11 agencies or laboratories.
• MARTIN VIALATTE
• STATION OENOTECHNIQUE DE CHAMPAGNE (SOEC)
• OENOTERRIS

Products and services

• OENOFRANCE® Sub-brand founded in 1943 providing oenological consulting and laboratory analysis services through 11 agencies/laboratories across France. Designs products based on field-level oenological issues and provides technical support to winemakers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over €3 million invested in Campus Montagnac
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature19 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• French and Italian universitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOFRALAB collaborates with several universities on a recurring basis, participating in fundamental research by supporting theses and applied research work. Includes French and Italian universities and French research institutes. SOFRALAB also contributes to the Montpellier SupAgro/Institut Agro and other academic institutions through research partnerships.
• French research institutes (IFV, SICAREX)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with French research institutes IFV (Institut Français de la Vigne et du Vin) and SICAREX for the development of yeast ranges. These partnerships contribute to the group's innovation pipeline and scientific credibility.
• Œnoppia®minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOFRALAB Group is a member of Œnoppia, an international association of oenological product manufacturers. Whether generalists in the field of oenology or specialists in a specific field, member companies share a common core business: devising, developing and distributing oenological products.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Bucher Vaslin: French supplier of winery equipment (presses, sorting, bottling lines). Comparable as a French-origin B2B supplier to wineries, but focused on capital equipment rather than oenological consumables — complementary rather than head-to-head.
• AB Biotics: Spanish biotechnology company developing selected yeast and bacteria strains for the wine industry. Comparable in the yeast/biotech innovation space and an emerging competitor/substitute for SOFRALAB's yeast ranges (VIALATTE FERM®, SELECTYS®).
• Pellenc (Perruzzo / PELLENC Group): French specialist in vineyard and winery equipment, including sorting and pressing technologies. Adjacent rather than directly competitive, but overlapping with the equipment side of SOFRALAB's offering (e.g., GYROPALETTE® ecosystem) and serving the same winery customers.

Broad incumbents

• dsm-firmenich: Global nutrition, health, and ingredients company that has historically participated in oenology (formerly through Oenobrands with Chr. Hansen). Broad incumbent with much larger scale than SOFRALAB and deeper R&D resources, relevant as a competitive benchmark and potential partner.
• Chr. Hansen (now Novonesis): Global bioscience company with a long-standing wine/oenology franchise (including the Oenobrands joint venture with DSM). Comparable through its oenological cultures and enzymes business; broader incumbent across food, health, and agriculture.

Direct peers

• Enologica Vason: Italian oenological products manufacturer (fining agents, tannins, enzymes, yeast derivatives) with a comparable product portfolio and a strong presence in Italian wineries. Direct peer in Southern European markets.
• Laffort: French family-owned oenological products company founded in 1845, supplying yeasts, enzymes, tannins, and fining agents. Closely comparable to SOFRALAB in heritage, French origin, B2B winery customer base, and product breadth.
• AEB Group: Italian-headquartered oenological products and equipment supplier serving wineries globally. Directly comparable in product mix (yeasts, enzymes, fermentation aids) and a relevant European peer, particularly in the Italian sparkling wine (Prosecco) segment where SOFRALAB also operates.
• Lallemand: Canadian/French-headquartered global leader in yeast, bacteria, and oenological products. Direct competitor across SOFRALAB's full product range (yeasts, enzymes, malolactic bacteria, fermentation nutrients) and the most relevant global benchmark for SOFRALAB's oenological products business.
• Erbslöh: German family-owned specialist in oenological products (fining agents, yeasts, stabilisers) and beverages. Comparable to SOFRALAB in mid-sized European specialty ingredients positioning, though with a stronger German and Central European footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance3 records

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 Groupe SOFRALAB