Azelis, a global innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry, has reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Ashapura Aromas – an ingredients distributor in the flavours and fragrances (F&F) market in India.
This acquisition provides Azelis with a strong F&F platform in Asia Pacific, creating a global F&F network following its 2021 acquisitions of Vigon in the US and Quimdis in France.
“As a leader in the F&F industry, Ashapura’s comprehensive product portfolio of highly specialised products and ingredients is a great addition to our lateral value chain, enabling us to provide further innovative solutions to stakeholders in an industry with high potential for future growth,” Azelis Asia Pacific chief executive officer and president Laurent Nataf said.
Ashapura’s extensive product portfolio strategically complements the group’s lateral value chain in the fast-growing F&F market segment, strengthening the offering and technical expertise Azelis provides to customers.
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Mumbai, Ashapura is the leading distributor of F&F ingredients in India, representing more than 225 principals with well-established partnerships and serving over 900 customers globally through the breadth and depth of its portfolio of products. Ashapura’s 100 plus employees will join Azelis along with founders and owners Ajaykiran and Nayan Gudka, who will remain to lead the business post-integration. The transaction is expected to close before the end of the third quarter, after fulfilling the customary closing conditions.
“Acquiring a majority stake in Ashapura is an important element of our global growth strategy that completes our F&F offering across all regions following the group’s acquisitions of Vigon and Quimdis, and allows us to become a market leader in the F&F industry with Ashapura as the cornerstone of our F&F platform in Asia Pacific,” Azelis chief executive officer Dr Hans Joachim Müller said.
Ajaykiran Gudka, founder and managing director of Ashapura, said the company is pleased to join Azelis and create industry leadership in F&F with Vigon and Quimdis.
“Azelis will give us the opportunity to further grow our business to other countries not only in Asia Pacific but globally. Ashapura will be able to enhance the product offering to customers in India,” Gudka said.
“Suppliers of Ashapura shall benefit with more synchronised supplies of products globally. Ashapura’s internal stakeholders and support systems shall get the advantage of exposure to global practices. Becoming part of the Azelis family presents many synergies which we are excited to leverage to create a stronger business together.”