Amyris and Ingredion ink US$100M licensing deal for fermented Reb M sweetener

04 May 2021 --- Amyris has signed an agreement with Ingredion for the exclusive licensing of Amyris’ zero-calorie, nature-based, fermented Reb M sweetener.

The transaction value is estimated to be US$100 million. This includes US$75 million for the exclusive license to sell and market Reb M from fermentation plus a contribution for participation in the Brazil manufacturing joint venture. Additionally, Amyris will earn a profit share from Reb M sales.

Furthermore, the deal includes an Ingredion minority ownership stake in the Amyris Brazilian manufacturing facility that is currently under construction.

The parties will enter into an R&D collaboration agreement to create and advance sustainably sourced sweeteners and potentially other types of fermentation-based food ingredients. The companies expect to close the transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, in Q2 of this year.

Scaling ingredients
The combination of Amyris’ synthetic biology technology platform to develop, scale and produce fermentation-based products with Ingredion’s global market reach will accelerate the availability and adoption of zero-calorie, nature-based sweeteners and other clean labeled fermentation-based food ingredients to the F&B companies. 

Via its PureCircle subsidiary, Ingredion will become the exclusive global business-to-business commercialization partner for Amyris’s sugar reduction technology that includes fermented Reb M. 

Amyris will continue to own and market its Purecane consumer brand offering of tabletop and culinary sweetener products.

“We’re excited by the addition of this breakthrough ingredient to our sugar reduction portfolio, which complements our PureCircle stevia product line and will allow us to provide our customers with the broadest selection of nature-based, high-intensity sweeteners on the market,” says Jim Zallie, Ingredion’s president and CEO.

“Our partnership with Amyris positions Ingredion well to meet our customers’ increasing demand for quality ingredients that will drive transformational change in the food industry.”

“Ingredion’s sales channel, global reach and commercial capabilities will complement our leadership in developing, scaling and producing some of the best clean, sustainable molecules in the world,” adds John Melo, president and CEO of Amyris. 

He says the business model is delivering on the promise of synthetic biology ingredients, such as Reb M from fermentation, creating significant value and enabling the company to support the continued growth in our consumer business while maintaining Amyris’ sector leadership in the supply of natural and sustainably sourced ingredients.

Edited by Elizabeth Green