2023: Big changes afoot in the world of CPG as Trace One acquires Selerant

Since 2001, Trace One has become a world leader in cloud-based SaaS solutions for the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry, and today operates an international business collaboration platform, a suite of product development and specification management and regulatory compliance digitisation tools and offers consultancy services for numerous areas of the CPG supply chain.

Since April 2021, Trace One’s cloud computing software services have been backed by Symphony Technology Group, a private equity software and data analytics group with over $6 billion in assets under its management.

March 2022 marked a new significant milestone in the firm’s trajectory when it acquired Selerant, a US-based product lifecycle management (PLM) software company working in the three core verticals of food and beverages, cosmetics and personal care products, and specialty chemicals.

Trace One’s CEO Christophe Vanèckre notes that the acquisition, “strengthens Trace One's position in CPG product development, enabling our existing and future customers, including brand owners to deliver remarkable products to consumers.”

With the merger now complete, the acquisition will allow Trace One to take advantage of Selerant’s strong presence in North America, southern Europe, and Asia, marking the beginning of a new phase of international growth and development for the France headquartered company.

Additionally, by leveraging Selerant’s experience in PLM, Trace One can extend its value proposition to current and future clients.

Selerant offers processed-based PLM software solutions to its over 400 customers, and with a focus on manufacturers and R&D, is highly complementary to Trace One’s focus on grocery retailers.

Indeed, clients under both companies’ management will find the merger attractive, as it will gain them access to a greater network and be one more step toward total end-to-end transparency in the supply chain.

Trace One already serves a community of over 6,000 manufacturers and grocery retailers in over 100 countries, and Selerant brings to the fold a portfolio of international giants, such as Ferrero, Lindt, Lavazza, Cargill, Nestlé, Lactalis, Barilla, and McCormick.

Trace One has a new staff roster of 450 employees and continues to recruit new talents to match its ambitions, in 2023, the company will surpass 500 employees.

With an expanded international footprint, Trace One and Selerant’s new partnership looks by all accounts to be a winning proposition for companies and clients alike.

Together, the pair have become the world’s largest specialist CPG oriented software group, working with an international supply chain that produces over $500 billion in revenue annually.

Ultimately, combining Selerant’s upstream focused PLM with Trace One’s downstream CPG services positions the organisation to offer a complete end-to-end package for supply chain management, along with enhanced regulatory compliance digitisation services that will also enable greater transparency all the way through to the consumer.