Fermenta Biotech (FBL), India has announced that it’s wholly owned subsidiary Fermenta Biotech USA LLC (FBU), Wilmington, DE, has acquired a 52% stake in a US-based vitamin company, AGD Nutrition LLC (AGD), headquartered in Nacogdoches, Texas.

The deal would combine the expertise of both companies and result in synergies that will bring in greater operational capabilities to enhance FBL’s footprint in the US market.This collaboration will couple FBL’s competence in manufacturing and customer-driven innovation with AGD's distribution strength in the US, which is a geography that commands a significant share of the global human and animal nutrition market.

AGD, an established player in the vitamin market since 2002, will be instrumental in paving the way for FBL to gain greater customer access through its deep understanding of the North American market.

Commenting on the development, Krishna Datla, Managing Director, Fermenta Biotech said, "AGD has been our valued partner for many years, and this strategic investment intensifies our longstanding mutually-beneficial relationship in the North American market. We are confident that this alliance will result in increased customer proximity and reaffirm our commitment towards our clientele as a sustainable partner for their nutritional ingredients’ requirements. We look forward to the opportunities that will emerge from this partnership in way of stronger relationships with customers in the fields of animal nutrition, pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements."

J Bradley Reynolds, Director, AGD Nutrition LLC commented, "This will be a landmark alliance, where FBL’s technologies and quality product offerings will complement AGD’s relationships with its robust customer base. It marks a milestone in our efforts to achieve sustainable as well as profitable growth and underlines our focus to boost product delivery in the nutritional ingredients segment."

Shares of the company gained Rs 23.7, or 7.71%, to settle  at  Rs 330.95.  The total volume of shares traded  was  79,853 at  the BSE (Thursday).