Lesaffre, a leading yeast specialist, recently acquired baking ingredients firm LFI Tollblend. The move is part of a strategy to expand in the sourdoughs and baking ingredients market in Western Europe.

The company, which has been in the baking industry for over 150 years, also recently acquired Tecno Bakery in Barcelona, Spain.

“We aim to offer an innovative range of bread ingredients and sourdough products alongside with our yeast in response to the various requirements facing our industrial and crafts customers,” says Vincent Saingier, general manager of Lesaffre’s baking unit in Western Europe.

U.S. bakeries will be familiar with many of Lesaffre’s products, most notably it Red Star Organic Fresh Yeast, which is the first organic fresh yeast produced in North America.

Lesaffre has 55 production plants and operates in over 40 countries, marketing yeast, ingredients, sourdoughs, and yeast extracts for the baking, healthcare, and biotechnology industries.