AB Mauri, the global yeast and bakery ingredients division of Associated British Foods has announced that they have acquired Omega Yeast Labs LLC, effective Aug. 14, 2024. Omega Yeast, located in Chicago is a craft-oriented supplier of yeast founded by Lance Shaner and Mark Schwarz.
Omega Yeast Labs has an extensive portfolio of yeast strains across a wide variety of craft brewing styles, from traditional lagers and ales to West Coast IPAs, hard seltzers, and beyond. The company is known in the craft brewing industry for experimentation and innovation and produce over 75 strains.
“The acquisition of Omega Yeast will further strengthen and accelerate our North American specialty yeast business for craft beer,” Brent Fenton, president, AB Mauri North America said in a press release. “This represents a unique opportunity to combine the global technology strength of AB Biotek together with a leading, high-quality liquid yeast producer here in the U.S.”
The acquisition follows AB Mauri’s recent investments in a specialty dry yeast plant in Hull, U.K., and a beverage applications center in Etten-Leur, the Netherlands and underscores the company’s interest in the beer and wider alcohol beverage market globally.
The press release did not mention what would happen with the Omega facility or its employees.