Oak-Creek based Asenzya, formerly known as Foran Spice Company, has been acquired by Solina, a European producer of savory ingredients solutions, the companies announced Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Asenzya is a custom seasoning company focused on innovation and culinary development. Solina’s acquisition of the company will allow them to have multiple plant location options for their customers and expand their offerings.
Chris Anderson, vice president of business development and marketing for Asenzya, said no changes in employment are planned right now following the acquisition.
“Solina is part of a group that’s been investing in ingredient companies and purchasing them around the world. Their latest company was in Quebec and then we’re their first company inside of the United States,” Anderson said.
Asenzya has 150-plus employees and Solina has 2,400 workers worldwide.
No branding or name changes are expected to take place following the acquisition.
“Their acquisition strategy is to bring on somebody that can kind of live by their own brand and maybe at some future date they might combine them as a company of Solina, but there’s no plans right now,” Anderson said.
Asenzya’s building at 7616 S. Sixth St. is currently 140,000 square feet. It underwent two expansions, in 1978 and 1984, and an addition for a new quality assurance lab and warehouse space was built in 2007 to 2008.
“The acquisition of Asenzya is a landmark in the geographic expansion of Solina,” said Anthony Francheterre, chief executive officer of Solina. “With a presence in the U.S., along with our acquisition of Berthelet in Canada last year, we are now positioned to work closely with the North American food industry to deliver innovative solutions that enable our customers to meet ever-changing consumer demands.”
Patricia Goto, chief executive officer at Asenzya, added that Solina shares the company’s vision of technology, innovation and culinary trends. She said this will allow both companies to strategically grow in the U.S..
“Solina offers Asenzya a broader reach across the globe and we are very excited to share future success,” Goto said.
Goto is retiring at the end of the year and will continue to support the company as a board member.
Also announced Wednesday, Mark Duffy has been named the new president of Asenzya. His background is in the food industry, where he has had several leadership roles.
