Mérieux NutriSciences Adds Peugeot Invest and Continental Grain as Strategic Shareholders

Mérieux NutriSciences said on September 21 that Peugeot Invest and Continental Grain Company have agreed to become strategic minority shareholders, adding two long term investors as the food safety and quality testing group prepares for another major expansion.

The transaction remains subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mérieux did not disclose the size or value of the proposed minority investments, so the announcement establishes the direction of the ownership change without providing a completed deal value.

The new capital is intended to help finance Mérieux NutriSciences’ planned acquisition of Certified Group. That North American testing business generates about 300 million dollars in annual revenue and operates 31 laboratories across the United States and Canada.

Certified Group would broaden the buyer’s position in animal protein, dairy and packaged food testing, while also extending its reach into adjacent markets. Mérieux estimates that the outsourced food testing, inspection and certification market in North America is worth more than 2.5 billion dollars.

Peugeot Invest and Continental Grain are expected to receive representation on the Mérieux NutriSciences board after the Certified Group acquisition closes. The arrangement gives both investors a role in the next stage of the laboratory network’s development rather than a purely passive financial position.

The investment also connects Mérieux with shareholders that bring different industrial perspectives. Peugeot Invest is a listed investment company backed by the Peugeot family, while Continental Grain has a long history across food, agriculture and agribusiness investment.

Mérieux NutriSciences currently reports more than 140 accredited laboratories and over 10,000 employees worldwide. Combining that footprint with Certified Group would deepen its North American capacity at a time when food manufacturers face more complex safety, quality and regulatory demands.

For customers and competitors, the strategic significance lies in consolidation across a fragmented testing market. The proposed ownership and acquisition steps could give Mérieux greater scale, but both remain dependent on closing conditions and regulatory review.