Growing probiotics firm moving to northwest side

Building bought to expand space, add laboratory

A growing firm that produces probiotics is moving from Milwaukee’s south side to a much larger facility on the city’s northwest side.

Waseen Inc. is moving this week to a 15,000square-foot building at 5711 W. Douglas Ave.

The company is moving from 3,000 square feet it has been leasing at the Lincoln Warehouse, 2018 S. 1st St. The company has been at the Lincoln Warehouse since it started in January 2013.

Waseen is moving because it needs more space, said Marianne Bellot, who co-owns the company with her husband, Stevenson Bellot.

The company produces probiotic bacteria that is sold to firms that make animal feed, probiotic supplements for people, wastewater treatment systems and other products.

Marianne Bellot worked at Agtech Products Inc., a Pewaukeebased microbial sciences company, as a researcher, while Stevenson Bellot was an Agtech production supervisor before they left that firm to launch Waseen.

They bought the Douglas Ave. building for $300,000, and have spent a similar amount renovating and equipping it, Marianne Bellot said. The new facility will include a laboratory, she said.

Waseen has six employees. The new location is on a Milwaukee County Transit System bus line and will be an easier commute for most of the company’s employees, Bellot said.

The building was purchased from Olympic Supply Co., a bicycle parts and accessories distributor that moved to a larger facility at 7528 N. Teutonia Ave.