The Superior Yeast Project at Algist Bruggeman
At Fermentis, quality and innovation are the two driving forces behind everything we do. We’re dedicated to the continual improvement of our product selection, as well as the development of new products and technologies to meet our customers’ ever-changing needs and requirements.
For the past 20 years, we have worked hard to establish our position as the market leader of quality solutions for fermentation and beverage signature. Today, brewers across the globe trust Fermentis active dry yeast (ADY) to produce award-winning beers. In an independent survey conducted in 2024, Fermentis SafAle™ and SafLager™ yeast strains were found to have the highest viable cell density specs with the lowest contaminant limits, making them the highest quality ADY products available on the market.
“The Superior Active Dry Beer Yeast project was a big investment, and it’s paid off. Our new facility at Algist Bruggeman and our new packaging is designed in such a way as to protect the quality of our yeast from start to finish – from production to packaging to pitching.”
– Stéphane Meulemans, General Manager of Fermentis
Raising the Standard for Active Dry Beer Yeast
“The project is entirely dedicated to brewer’s yeast in the dry packaging phase, which is where there is the highest risk of contaminants coming in,” explains Stéphane Meulemans, General Director Fermentis. “Our new facilities allow us to isolate production lines, close and clean them differently. We designed and installed a brand-new system that allows us to manage the packaging lines in a unique way. As a result of this investment, we have significantly reduced the possibility of foreign cells contaminating our brewing yeast.”
Raising the standard for active dry beer yeast means our customers can rely on Fermentis products to craft exceptional beers with consistent results now more than ever before.
Easy-To-Open Technology
The new production and packaging facilities at Algist Bruggeman were designed and built not only to further improve the microbiological quality of our ADY, but also to preserve this quality in breweries.
We’ve updated our new-look beer yeast packaging with easy-to-open technology. This innovation was designed to help craft brewers pitch Fermentis ADY quickly and easily, while simultaneously decreasing the possibility of contamination.
“The pitching step is crucial in the brewing process,” says Anna Hild, Quality Assurance Manager at Fermentis. “There is always a doubt about contamination when adding yeast to the sterile wort. With our improved microbiological quality, we can reassure brewers that Fermentis active dry beer yeast poses no risk to fermentation. We’ve not only significantly reduced the contamination level but have also developed a new tool to help brewers open the packs and pitch the yeast in an easy and safe way.”
Each 500g and 2.5kg brick of Fermentis dry beer yeast produced at Algist Bruggeman now features a grey “easy to open” sticker. This clean-label system, along with our patented Percy™ piercing device (pictured above), ensures a more sterile environment and method for brewers to pitch their yeast in breweries.
Make-To-Order
Our beer yeast packaging facilities were also updated to meet challenging labeling, traceability and logistical requirements. “The brewer’s yeast we produce at Algist Bruggeman is exported all over the world,” says Meulemans. “The challenge this presents is that not all countries have the same regulatory constraints on imports in terms of labeling. You’re also dealing with different languages, typefaces and characters, and you’re required to produce labels with certain information which differs from country to country.”
To better service our wide distribution network of more than 100 countries around the world, we have upgraded our primary and secondary packaging lines at Algist Bruggeman with a fully automated intermediate storage warehouse and Make-To-Order (MTO) system. This investment allows us to better address complex regulation matters and service market- or customer-specific requirements. “The Make-To-Order system not only gives us more flexibility to better service our customers and distributors around the globe,” says Meulemans, “but it also helps to ensure products can be delivered on time and in the best condition.”
Upgraded Labeling
To better service our customers, our primary label booklets now contain product information in seven languages. Our MTO system also means secondary labels and markings can be customized depending on the client, destination, regulations and the marketing operations of our products.
Lastly, we have introduced a unique QR code on each individual yeast sachet for improved traceability and access to product data. This feature also provides customers with quick access to information including batch number, production date, best-before end, remaining time for usage, weight and production site.
Superior Quality Yeast & Customer Service
Quality and innovation will always be key drivers of our business evolution. The new production and packaging developments at Algist Bruggeman reflect these values and have been instrumental in further improving our products and customer service around the world.
“We’re very proud of this achievement,” says Meulemans. “The project was a big investment, and it’s paid off. Our new facilities at Algist Bruggeman and our new packaging is designed in such a way as to protect the microbiological quality of our yeast from start to finish – from production to packaging to pitching.”
For more information about this exciting project, visit Fermentis Superior Yeast – Yeast improvements