What Ceresal Gmbh does

Ceresal GmbH is an international B2B trader and manufacturer of plant-based specialty raw materials and functional ingredients, headquartered in Mannheim, Germany. The company sells certified plant proteins, gluten-free flours, fibers, starches, seeds, legumes, cold-pressed oils, fruit and vegetable powders, cocoa products, and processing by-products to food, animal feed, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Its proprietary technology is limited to two registered branded product lines — VIOSOY® (a full-spectrum soy ingredient portfolio for emulsification, water binding, and protein enrichment) and VIOGERM® (wheat germ products with standardized spermidine content for longevity and cell-health applications) — supported by three sector-critical certifications: GMP+ FSA, EU Organic (DE-ÖKO-003), and IFS Broker.

The company operates a sales-led, relationship-based go-to-market model with multi-year B2B contracts, wholesale unit pricing, and pallet-level minimum order quantities. Revenue is generated through direct sales to manufacturers, supplemented by exclusive distribution partnerships with European processors including Atura (UK legume proteins), Cereal Docks SPA (Italian HELIAPRO sunflower protein), and UpGrain (German/Swiss upcycled spent-grain ingredients). Ceresal maintains an active presence at major European trade shows including BIOFACH, Vitafoods, Suedback, Internorga, FIBO, and World of Private Label.

Ceresal is a privately held GmbH founded in 2016 with approximately 14 employees, led by Managing Directors Stefanie Strebel and Lars Kuchenbuch. The company is founder/management-owned with no disclosed institutional investment, no public listing, and no subsidiaries. Geographic coverage centers on Germany and broader Europe (including the UK, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Portugal, and Spain via dedicated regional product management).

Name

Ceresal Gmbh

Legal name

Ceresal GmbH

Website

https://ceresal.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ceresal GmbH is a Mannheim-based international B2B trader and manufacturer of certified plant-based specialty ingredients, supplying proteins, flours, fibers, starches, seeds, and oils to food, feed, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical manufacturers across Europe under the VIOSOY® and VIOGERM® brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-based Food Ingredients

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Soybean and Other Oilseed Processing (311224), Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing (31122)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Grain Mill Products (2040)

akta.pro primary industry

Proteins & Functional Nutrition Ingredients (Plant/Animal Proteins, Collagen, Amino Acids) (CRADAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fibers, Starches & Texturizers (Resistant Starch, Maltodextrin, Inulin) (CRADAOAK), Hydrocolloids, Thickeners & Gelling Agents (Pectin, Xanthan, Carrageenan, Gelatin) (CRADAOAD)

Keywords

• Plant-based ingredients
• Food ingredients supply
• Animal feed ingredients
• Plant protein concentrates
• Gluten-free flours

Headquarters

HQ city

Mannheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B Ingredient Trading & Manufacturing: Ceresal operates as an international B2B trader and manufacturer of plant-based ingredients. Revenue is generated through the sale of certified raw materials and processed ingredients (proteins, flours, fibers, starches, seeds, legumes, oils, press cakes) to food, feed, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The model is transaction-based with recurring B2B customers, featuring contract-based supply agreements and wholesale unit pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ceresal GmbH is an international B2B trader and manufacturer of certified plant-based specialty raw materials and functional ingredients, headquartered in Mannheim, Germany. The company supplies plant proteins, flours, fibers, starches, seeds, legumes, cold-pressed oils, press cakes, fruit and vegetable powders, and cocoa products to industrial manufacturers in the food, animal feed, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical sectors. It operates two proprietary branded sub-lines—VIOSOY® for soy ingredients and VIOGERM® for wheat germ products—and holds GMP+, EU Organic, and IFS Broker certifications.

Product overview

Ceresal GmbH is an international B2B trader and manufacturer of high-quality plant-based ingredients based in Mannheim, Germany. The company offers a diverse portfolio of plant-based raw materials organized into twelve product categories: plant-based proteins (including branded VIOSOY® soy products), gluten-free flours, plant fibers, fruit and vegetable powders, plant starches, seeds and legumes, cold-pressed oils, pomace and press cakes, cocoa products, and the branded VIOGERM® wheat germ line. Their products serve the food, animal feed, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. The portfolio is structured around core ingredient categories with two main branded sub-lines (VIOSOY® for soy products and VIOGERM® for wheat germ products with standardized spermidine content), which are positioned as functional ingredients with specific technical applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VIOSOY: Brand for soy products including flours, protein flours, concentrates, isolates, texturates, and fibers for food production applications.
• VIOGERM

Products and services

• VIOSOY® Soy Product Portfolio

Quantifiable outcome

• 76% of Europeans actively control their sugar consumption (FMCG Gurus 2023) — driving demand for Ceresal's sugar-reduction ingredient solutions.
• +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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AturacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtura is the exclusive partner for the distribution of Ceresal's legume-based plant proteins. Products are processed in the UK from European raw materials and available in both organic and conventional quality. Product range includes faba bean protein/starch flour, chickpea protein/starch flour, and lentil protein/starch flour, serving meat and dairy alternatives, convenience foods, bakery, sports nutrition, beverages, and snacks.
• Cereal Docks SPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCereal Docks SPA cooperates exclusively with Ceresal for mechanically produced sunflower protein 50% (HELIAPRO). Available in native and pasta-optimized variants. The protein is allergen-free, made from EU raw materials, with short delivery routes and high availability. Applications include bakery, pasta, meat alternatives, and seasonings.
• UpGrainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUpGrain upcycles spent grain from brewing into functional ingredients rich in proteins, fibers, and micronutrients. Regional products from German and Swiss brewing barley are processed in Appenzell. Ceresal distributes UpGrain's barley protein, barley fiber, and barley flour products derived from spent grain, available in organic and conventional quality.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Roquette: Global leader in plant-based ingredients (pea proteins, starches, polyols, fibers) serving food, nutrition, and pharma manufacturers. Directly comparable as a B2B supplier of plant proteins, starches, and fibers, but at vastly larger scale and with proprietary processing.
• AGT Foods: Global supplier of pulses, legumes, grains, and plant-based proteins (pea, lentil, chickpea, faba bean) for food and feed. Comparable specialty B2B ingredient trader/manufacturer focused on plant proteins and seeds/legumes, similar middle-market positioning.
• Axiom Foods: Plant-based protein specialist offering rice, pea, hemp, and sacha inchi proteins, plus flours and starches, to food and supplement manufacturers. Comparable niche player focused on plant proteins and flours, similar sales-led B2B model with clean-label positioning.
• Emsland Group: German-based manufacturer of plant-based ingredients including potato proteins, starches, fibers, and flours for food and feed applications. Closest regional peer — same German footprint, similar plant-based portfolio, same B2B ingredient trading/manufacturing model.
• Herbstreith & Fox: German specialist in dietary fibers (apple fiber, citrus fiber, cocoa fiber, oat fiber) for clean-label, sugar reduction, and texture modification in food applications. Directly comparable on the fiber portfolio segment Ceresal is positioned in.
• BENEO: Specializes in functional food ingredients derived from chicory root (inulin), sugar beet (fiber), rice (protein/flour), and wheat (gluten) for clean-label, sugar reduction, and protein enrichment. Highly comparable on fiber/clean-label positioning and B2B sales to food manufacturers.

Broad incumbents

• Ingredion: Global ingredient supplier specializing in starches, sweeteners, and plant-based proteins from corn, tapioca, potato, and pea. Overlaps directly with Ceresal's starch and protein categories but serves customers at much larger scale.
• Cargill: Global agribusiness and food ingredient supplier offering proteins, starches, fibers, oils, and sweeteners across food, feed, and industrial markets. Overlaps with Ceresal's full portfolio but operates at vastly larger scale with proprietary processing assets.
• ADM: Global ingredient company with a major plant-protein (pea, soy) and specialty food ingredients business, plus animal nutrition. Comparable across plant proteins, fibers, and feed segments but with extensive proprietary processing and global reach.

Regional players

• Meelunie (now part of AGT): Dutch-based specialist in plant-based proteins, starches, and flours (pea, wheat, soy) for food applications across Europe. Comparable European plant-protein and starch supplier with B2B food-industry focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Ceresal Gmbh