Strengthened co-operation in probiotics

Valio Ltd and Chr. Hansen A/S have made an agreement to strengthen their co-operation in the manufacturing and commercialisation of famous probiotic strains for food supplements. This agreement does not change the supply of LGG® to Valio’s other partners in the dairy industry.

Chr. Hansen A/S will now directly handle processes related to manufacturing and selling Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG®) for the food supplement segment in co-operation with Valio Ltd. As a result, Chr. Hansen A/S will also develop and sell food supplement products where LGG® is combined with BB-12® or other Chr. Hansen probiotic strains. Chr Hansen A/S has been manufacturing LGG® for Valio for many years.

Well established probiotic strains

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, LGG® and Chr. Hansen’s Bifidobacterium lactis, BB-12® are two of the most recognized and well established probiotic strains – used individually as well as combined - in dietary supplements and food applications throughout the world.

“This new agreement between Valio and Chr. Hansen is a very important step for both companies to ensure that the market gets new and exciting products with some of the best documented probiotic strains on the market,” state Mr. Esa Laurinsilta, Vice President International Co-operation & Technology Commercialisation, Valio and Mr. Henrik Dalbøge, Vice President, Human Health & Nutrition, Chr. Hansen.

Valio continues to develop and extend its Gefilus® product family containing LGG®. Valio markets Gefilus® products in its home market which together with Finland includes Sweden, Russia and the Baltic States.

About Valio Ltd

Valio Ltd is the biggest dairy business in Finland by net turnover of 1.6
billion euros. Valio is the market leader in all key dairy product groups in Finland and a world-class pioneer as the developer of functional foods. Valio Ltd is owned by 23 dairy cooperatives which have around 11 000 dairy farmers as members.

Valio Ltd has 15 production plants in Finland, two in Estonia and one cheese packaging unit in Belgium. Subsidiaries lie in Russia, Sweden, Belgium, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the USA. In China, Valio has a representative office. International operations account for one third of Valio net turnover.

Valio Research and Development has a fine tradition. Nobel Prize winner A. I. Virtanen worked as the director of Valio Laboratory from 1921–1970. Valio licenses the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus GG, Evolus® technology to lower the blood pressure and technology for producing lactose free milk products.