Lallemand was founded in Montreal at the end of the 19th century by Fred “Lallemand,” a young immigrant from Alsace. The plant on Préfontaine Street was built in 1915, and production of bakers yeast started there in 1923. Roland Chagnon acquired the Lallemand business in 1952, and the Chagnon family continues as the current owner.
The Lallemand Bio-Ingredients business unit was initially formed in 1987 to develop value-added products while optimizing the processing of yeast biomasses that seasonal extra-capacity plants made available.
At first, the products consisted of inactivated yeasts and were sold for baking, nutritional, food, and animal health applications. The product line grew to include mineral- and vitamin-rich yeasts and yeast derivatives (extracts and cell wall products). Many of these products continue to be used as ingredients marketed by other Lallemand business units.
The know-how and experience acquired since our beginnings, as well as our high quality, rigorous production standards, and technical knowledge, have allowed us at Lallemand Bio-Ingredients to increase our presence in the food industry by offering ingredient solutions to help improve recipes, provide savory notes and nutritional content. Our expertise in fermentation gives us access to the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries, meeting their specific needs.
Our business has continued to grow through a combination of acquisitions around the world. Today, Lallemand Bio-Ingredients specializes in producing a complete range of natural inactive whole cell yeast, yeast autolysates, and yeast extracts for applications and product developments in savory, health (functional foods and supplements), and in fermentation media markets.