What Shemberg Biotech does

Shemberg Biotech, operating under the legal entity Shemberg Ingredients and Gums Corporation (with Shemberg Biotech Corporation as a parallel entity), is a Philippine carrageenan manufacturer founded in 1966 and headquartered in Mandaue City with manufacturing operations in the Carmen Cebu Gum Industrial Zone. The company produces three grades of carrageenan — Kappa, Iota and Lambda — extracted from seaweed sourced domestically across the Philippine archipelago. It sells primarily as a B2B ingredient supplier into food applications (dairy, meat, confectionery, desserts, beer clarification, pet food), pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations, with quote-based pricing and direct sales to manufacturers.

The company's product portfolio has recently expanded beyond industrial ingredients into finished branded products: a carrageenan-based hydrogel wound dressing for burns, wounds and bedsores (medical/pharmaceutical) and a Carrageenan Plant Growth Promoter (PGP) marketed to rice farmers with claimed 20–30% yield improvement. Distribution is direct B2B, with marketing limited to the company website and a Facebook page; products are stated to conform to Philippine and International Standards. The firm is privately held with no disclosed cap table, parent company, funding history, M&A activity, named customer accounts, or management roster. With 67 employees, Shemberg is a small-to-mid-sized, vertically specialized ingredient manufacturer transitioning up the value chain into finished consumer and agricultural products.

Name

Shemberg Biotech

Legal name

Shemberg Ingredients And Gums Corporation

Website

https://shemberg.com.ph

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Shemberg Biotech is a Philippine carrageenan manufacturer founded in 1966, producing Kappa, Iota and Lambda carrageenan for food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and agricultural B2B customers, with recent expansion into finished wound-care and plant-growth products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Carrageenan Ingredients (Hydrocolloid Manufacturing)

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (3117), Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Agar, Carrageenan & Alginates (Seaweed Hydrocolloids) (AFAJABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seaweed Hydrocolloids (Agar, Carrageenan, Alginates) (AFAJAMAD), Hydrocolloid Stabilizers (Xanthan, Guar, Locust Bean, Carrageenan, Alginate, Pectin, Cellulose) (AFAJACAF), Hydrocolloids, Thickeners & Gelling Agents (Pectin, Xanthan, Carrageenan, Gelatin) (CRADAOAD)

Keywords

• Carrageenan manufacturing
• Seaweed biopolymer processing
• Food hydrocolloid ingredients
• Wound care hydrogel
• Plant growth promoter

Headquarters

HQ city

Mandaue City

HQ country

Philippines

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Shemberg Biotech manufactures and supplies carrageenan, a natural seaweed-derived biopolymer, in three primary types (Kappa, Iota, Lambda) for use as a gelling, thickening, and stabilizing ingredient across food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, beverage, and pet food industries. The company also sells finished application products including a carrageenan-based hydrogel wound dressing for medical use and a Carrageenan Plant Growth Promoter for rice agriculture, manufactured at its Carmen Cebu Gum Industrial Zone facility.

Product overview

Shemberg Biotech (operating as Shemberg Ingredients and Gums Corporation) is a Carrageenan manufacturer that produces three main product types: Kappa, Iota, and Lambda Carrageenan. The company supplies these ingredients for diverse applications across dairy, meat, confectionery, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, water jellies, desserts, beer, and pet food industries. Beyond ingredient supply, Shemberg has expanded into finished consumer products including Hydrogel Dressing for medical wound care (burns, wounds, bedsores) and Carrageenan PGP for agricultural plant growth promotion. The product portfolio spans from industrial food ingredients to pharmaceutical and agricultural applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kappa Carrageenan

Quantifiable outcome

• Rice yield increase of 20%
• +1 more outcomes

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• CP Kelco: Global leader in carrageenan, pectin, and other hydrocolloids serving food, pharma, and personal care. Largest direct competitor to Shemberg in the carrageenan category with significantly broader portfolio and global reach.
• IFF (Health & Biosciences / FMC Biopolymer): Acquired FMC's BioPolymer business and operates one of the world's largest seaweed-derived carrageenan and hydrocolloid portfolios. Directly competes with Shemberg across Kappa/Iota/Lambda grades for food and pharmaceutical customers.
• DuPont (now IFF) Nutrition & Biosciences: Large diversified ingredients supplier with hydrocolloid offerings across food, pharma, and personal care. Overlaps with Shemberg's customer base through multinational CPG and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• Cargill: Global food ingredients powerhouse with a hydrocolloid/texturizers portfolio including carrageenan alternatives. Comparable through serving the same food, beverage, and personal care end-markets as Shemberg.

Direct peers

• AEP Colloids: Distributor and processor of carrageenan and other hydrocolloids serving food, beverage, and personal care manufacturers. Overlaps with Shemberg on product offering and customer base, particularly in dairy and meat applications.
• TBK Manufacturing Corporation: Philippines-based carrageenan manufacturer located in the same Cebu industrial ecosystem as Shemberg. Direct regional competitor with overlapping raw material base and similar customer segments.
• W Hydrocolloids Inc. Specialized carrageenan and seaweed extract producer serving food, pet food, and cosmetics. Directly comparable as a focused hydrocolloid manufacturer competing in the same Kappa/Iota/Lambda segments.
• Ceamsa: Spanish producer of carrageenan and other seaweed extracts serving food, pet food, and personal care. Closest direct peer to Shemberg in terms of being a specialized carrageenan manufacturer with multiple grades.
• Ingredients Solutions Inc. Supplier of carrageenan and other hydrocolloids to food manufacturers, focused on solving texture and stability challenges. Comparable to Shemberg through serving the same B2B food ingredient customer base.

Emerging players

• Herbstreith & Fox: German hydrocolloid specialist (mainly pectin) with growing carrageenan and fiber offerings. Comparable to Shemberg as a focused specialty ingredient manufacturer targeting food and personal care end-markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/shemberg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shemberg-biotech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Shemberg Biotech