Royal Schouten Group announces merger

The Netherlands-based Royal Schouten Group has merged four of its food and health ingredients companies to form a new company operating under the name Acatris. The merger involves Daminco, Orffa Health & Nutrition, Schouten USA and SoyLife Nederland.

The new company will focus on the global food and health ingredients market. In a statement, the Royal Schouten Group said: "In establishing Acatris, (The Royal Schouten Group) is consolidating the food and health activities of four of its companies operating in two continents."​

Daminco produces and markets a range of food ingredients in the North American market, such as antioxidant solutions, vitamin and mineral enrichment blends, lubricants and bakery dough improvers. Orffa Health & Nutrition supplies the European market with health and food ingredients. Schouten USA is the exclusive North American sales representative for SoyLife and FenuLife, two of the health ingredients produced by the Group, while SoyLife Nederland is the producer and marketer of SoyLife soy germ concentrates and extract, claimed to be the first isoflavone product on the market.

The merger and the Acatris name will be introduced through a global campaign during May and June, using the theme - "We feel strong"​ - to imply the strength created by the synergies of the four companies. Acatris officially comes into being on 1 June 2002.

The Royal Schouten Group produces animal feed, pharmaceutical ingredients and food ingredients for a global market and has over the years sought to incorporate other firms to strengthen its international position.