Fast Risers: Top 12 Deals of the Season, as advanced bio investment sizzles

In the M&A arena

SC Johnson acquires Method, Ecover. In Wisconsin, SC Johnson signed an agreement to acquire Method and Ecover, two highly regarded consumer brands from People Against Dirty, a leading company that offers home care, hand and body, and laundry products sold in North America, Europe and a number of other countries around the world.   Financial details were not forthcoming.

“Method and Ecover have a strong tradition of innovation and delivering on consumers’ needs. They are a great complement to SC Johnson’s trusted lineup of iconic brands,” said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson.

SC Johnson is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for air care, home storage, shoe care, personal care and pest control, as well as professional products.

TerraVia and Corbion: let’s get married. Another long-time industry leader in the news this week is Corbion CEO Tjerk de Ruiter, with the word that TerraVia has accepted Corbion’s stalking horse bid (for $20M and the assumption of liabilities) for the company’s assets. There had been quite a bit of speculation about potential bidders for TerraVia’s nutrition and industrials IP and on-ground assets in Brazil in its JV with Bunge.

Turns out, de Ruiter ’s team had the right vision and numbers and Corbion’s initial bid stood up. De Ruiter was well known along the US West Coast as the long-time CEO of Genencor until its acquisition by DuPont — he also served as chairman of LS9 and helped engineer the sale of that company to REG.