The deal strengthens Valent BioSciences’ position in the fast-growing $3.5 billion global biostimulant market. FBSciences offers a range of naturally derived and renewable biorational technologies that can improve crops, soil and climate health.

“The acquisition of FBSciences is a natural next step in the evolution of our organization as a global leader in biorationals, including biostimulants,” said Ted Melnik, Valent BioSciences president and CEO. “The wide range of biostimulant, biopesticide and crop nutrition products and technologies in the FBSciences portfolio augments Valent BioSciences’ broad family of biorational products, thereby creating an unmatched range of value-added and sustainable solutions that no other company can provide.”

In February 2022, Valent BioSciences established a new operating unit for biostimulants that enabled the company to serve the entire US market directly for the first time. The business is focused on discovering, developing and commercializing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) products, among other biostimulants, to sustainably maximize retailer and grower profitability.

“As both market volatility and the global population increase, biostimulants can be used to sustainably improve crop performance and return on investment,” said Salman Mir, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Valent BioSciences. “Biostimulant products, including our AMF technologies, also support the mission of our parent company, Sumitomo Chemical, for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, as well as its global goal of attaining carbon neutrality for society as a whole.”

Sumitomo Chemical’s director and senior managing executive officer Nobuaki Mito added that combining FBSciences’ technologies with Valent’s focus on developing products that sequester atmospheric carbon will help accelerate initiatives under its Green Transformation strategy.

Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist