MONTREAL — Lallemand recently celebrated a milestone: 100 years of yeast production in its production plant on rue Préfontaine, Montreal. Colleagues, clients, partners and local politicians joined company executives for the celebration of this landmark.

“This is a great opportunity to pay tribute to our supportive business partners, valued customers and our talented employees who have all played a part in our success story,” said Antoine Chagnon, president and chief executive officer of Lallemand. “I raise my glass to those who built this factory, originally dedicated to baker's yeast for the local market and the visionaries who made it a launching platform for the global company that Lallemand has become today.”

Lallemand’s Préfontaine plant has a bright and rich future ahead, according to the company, due to the potential of microbes to help address some pressing issues.

“We are all facing new challenges: climate change and feeding the entire planet are on the menu for the coming decades, and innovative microorganisms can play a key role in facing them,” Mr. Chagnon said. “Among others, they can help us reduce carbon emissions, lower the use of antibiotics and chemical preservatives, increase the amount of plant proteins in our diet, and promote the use of microbial fertilizers or biological crop protection products that reduce the use of fossil products. We are also working on the next generation of probiotics to promote further health benefits.”

Lallemand has a presence in 50 countries over five continents, employs more than 5,000 employees and operates 48 production facilities, including 24 yeast and 10 bacteria plants.