, ▁and ▁research ▁services ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁needs ▁of ▁manufact ur ers , ▁food ▁process ors , ▁c ater ers ▁and ▁ret ail ers . ▁The ▁company ▁is ▁head qu arter ed ▁in ▁Chicago . ▁A ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁Institut ▁M érie ux , ▁M érie ux ▁N ut ri S ci ences ▁emp lo ys ▁close ▁to ▁ 7 5 0 0 ▁employees ▁in ▁ 2 6 ▁countries . ▁ ▁Over view ▁▁ ▁M érie ux ▁N ut ri S ci ences ▁is ▁present ▁in ▁ 2 6 ▁countries ▁through ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 ▁labor ator ies . ▁ ▁History ▁▁▁ 1 9 6 7 : ▁Cre ation ▁by ▁Dr . ▁John ▁H . ▁S ill iker ▁in ▁Chicago ▁of ▁S ill iker , ▁a ▁food ▁focused ▁solutions ▁company . ▁▁▁ 1 9 9 7 : ▁Ac quisition ▁of ▁S ill iker ▁by ▁Institut ▁M érie ux ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 : ▁Ac quisition ▁of ▁Bio ag ri ▁in ▁Brazil ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁water ▁and ▁environment ▁analyt ical ▁services ▁▁ 2 0 0 9 : ▁Ac quisition ▁of ▁Bio fort is ▁an ▁App lied ▁Research ▁Organ ization ▁▁ 2 0 1 1 : ▁The ▁Group ▁is ▁officially ▁named ▁M érie ux ▁N ut ri S ci ences ▁▁▁ 2 0 1 4 : ▁The ▁ 3 ▁business ▁units ▁( S ill iker , ▁Bio fort is , ▁Bio ag ri ) ▁disappear ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁ 7 ▁segments ▁and ▁all ▁subs idi aries ▁are ▁re - brand