Silliker Expands into India through Investment in MicroChem Laboratory

Mérieux Alliance group company Silliker, global leader in the field of food safety and quality services has entered India through an investment in Mumbai-based food testing company MicroChem Laboratory.

As part of the Institut Mérieux, Silliker is the leading internationally accredited provider of food safety and quality services with more than 45 locations in 16 countries. Silliker provides food manufacturers, restaurants, caterers and retailers with consulting, testing, auditing, research and training services that help assure quality, safety and nutrition.

The new venture betwen MicroChem and Silliker, known as 'MicroChem Silliker', also opened its new 22,000 square feet, state of the art nutritional chemistry and food safety laboratory at Mhape, Mumbai, which includes chemical, microbiology, instrumentation and sensory evaluation laboratories.

"We see this new state-of-the-art laboratory as an excellent example of the great collaboration and synergy developed between both teams. This new investment reflects our strategic ambition to expand our services, meet client demands locally and internationally while delivering the high level quality service Silliker is recognized for worldwide," Philippe Sans, CEO of Silliker Group Corporation.

Silliker shares joint ownership of the company with Dr. Deepa Bhajekar, the founder of MicroChem Laboratory. Additionally, Silliker will help support and expand MicroChem's existing analytical, technological and service capabilities for its existing clientele that includes most of the biggest retail brands in the country.

"Over the decade, MicroChem has built a reputation for itself as an industry trendsetter and a problem-solving organization," said Dr Bhajekar, managing director, MicroChem Laboratory. "We see our partnership with Silliker as a perfect blend of philosophies. We are now confident we will be able to enhance our scope of services to become a one stop shop for all food, quality and safety requirements and look to support the Ministry of Food Processing India's Vision 2015."

As part of the Vision 2015, the ministry of food processing has been implementing various schemes for promotion and development of the sector to triple the size of the food processing industry, from $70 billion to around $210 billion, and enhance its global share to 3 per cent, increase value addition to 35 per cent, from 20 per cent and raise the level of processing of perishables to 20 per cent.