Mérieux NutriSciences Enters Agreement to Acquire Certified Group

Mérieux NutriSciences, a specialist in food safety, quality, and sustainability, announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Certified Group. The acquisition reinforces the company’s commitment to address challenges across food and beverage, cosmetics, over-the-counter drugs, reduced-harm nicotine products, and supplements.

Certified Group is backed by Warburg Pincus and generates approximately $300 million in revenue through a network of 31 labs across North America, which provide microbiology and chemistry testing, contract research, certifications/audits, and regulatory consulting services.

It specializes in three verticals: food and beverage, with strong positions in protein, dairy, packaged foods and FDA imports; cosmetics, over-the-counter products, and supplements; and Labstat International, which specializes in reduced-harm nicotine product testing. Expert services in contract research, regulatory consulting, and FSNS Certification/auditing are available across these verticals.

Mérieux NutriSciences will provide customers with broader services offerings and enhanced regulatory support. The North American food testing, inspection, and certification sector is estimated at $2.5 billion. The expanded coast-to-coast laboratory footprint will ensure the company is closer to customers, meeting local, time-sensitive needs more quickly where production happens.

“This acquisition marks an important step in our growth strategy and strengthens our ability to support customers across North America,” said Nicolas Cartier, CEO of Mérieux NutriSciences. “A more diversified, multi-regional network creates new opportunities for knowledge-sharing and technical leadership across a wider range of disciplines, empowering our teams to meet our customers’ evolving needs and fulfill our purpose: better food, better health, better world.”

“Becoming part of the Mérieux NutriSciences family, one of the most respected food testing companies, rooted in the Pasteur tradition established by Marcel Mérieux nearly 130 years ago, is the perfect next chapter for our company. Together with our COS testing business and Labstat, this merger enhances Certified Group’s testing capabilities and strengthens our ability to better serve our customers. We’re incredibly grateful for the backing of Warburg Pincus and Tillia Partners, and for a board of directors that includes the founders of Food Safety Net Services and Certified Laboratories,” said David Morgan, CEO of Certified Group.

“Certified Group has built a differentiated platform with a strong reputation for quality, scientific excellence and exceptional customer service. Mérieux NutriSciences and Certified Group bring complementary capabilities, global scale and a shared commitment to serving customers at the highest standards. We are proud to have supported Certified Group’s evolution and look forward to seeing the company continue to thrive as part of Mérieux NutriSciences,” said Deborah Kerr, managing director of Warburg Pincus and executive chair of Certified Group.

“Through this deal, we are bringing more solutions closer to customers for faster turnaround times, continued commitment to quality, and built-in network backup,” said Sébastien Moulard, North America president at Mérieux NutriSciences. “This integration significantly expands our capabilities and ability to deliver best-in-class TIC solutions through dedicated 24/7 operations, while strengthening high-value expertise across Food & Beverage, supplements, cosmetics, Labstat, and creating new opportunities for all of our teams.”