Blagnac (France), September 22, 2008 - Lallemand Animal Nutrition announced today the acquisition of the New Zealand animal nutrition company Vitec Nutrition Ltd., based in Auckland. This latest acquisition follows on the heels of the integration to the group of animal nutrition supplier Vitam International in South Africa earlier this year, and Katec Agroteknika, in Brazil, a year ago. With this latest asset, the company is now well established within the world’s major animal production markets. This reflects its “global, yet local” strategy, whereby Lallemand is willing to remain close to its customers around the world to deliver tailored solutions and services. In addition to its various sales and distribution facilities around the world, Lallemand also operates 15 yeast production plants and three bacteria plants worldwide.
Olivier Clech, VP Human and Animal Nutrition for Lallemand, comments: “ Lallemand Animal Nutrition provides not only products but locally adapted solutions and answers, anchored in technical expertise. This is the reason why we have always wanted to be established close to our customers, close to the field.” He added: “Today, the animal production market is global, our customers are international - this is why it is important to be present at the heart of the world’s main markets for animal production: initially Europe and North America, more recently Brazil, South Africa, and today New Zealand, a market with great potential for growth in terms of feed additives and silage inoculants. We are very pleased to welcome Vitec’s team within our group. We are confident that Vitec will be a great platform to develop our business in New Zealand and possibly other countries in the region, offering a very good level of technical support , which is essential to sell our portfolio.”
Vitec Nutrition Ltd. provides animal nutrition and health products to New Zealand livestock farmers and stock feed manufacturers. The company was founded in 1997, and its present Managing Director and co-founder Chris Whalley will remain in place. Vitec has today 11 employees, offering 40 years of combined skills in animal feed technical service. From its Auckland Head Office and Warehouse in the North Island, Vitec supplies a major proportion of New Zealand’s compound feed industry with mineral and vitamin premixes, palatants, organic minerals, bypass fats and other nutritional components aimed predominantly at the ruminant sector. Vitec is also well represented in sales to home milling, pig and poultry farmers, supplying 70% of the feed to this group. The future of the company appears to be with ruminant nutrition and forage preservation, for which New Zealand is a booming market.