Global food company Danone has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Huel, marking a strategic expansion into the fast-growing complete nutrition market.
Expanding into the complete nutrition category
The move is part of Danone’s Renew Danone strategy and is designed to strengthen the company’s position in functional nutrition while expanding its portfolio into nutritionally balanced meal solutions.
Huel has built a strong position in the complete nutrition segment with a range of nutritionally balanced products spanning ready-to-drink beverages and powdered meal solutions.
The brand has developed a strong presence in the UK, Europe and the United States, supported by a digital-first business model and a significant direct-to-consumer customer base.
By bringing Huel into its portfolio, Danone aims to combine the brand’s digital capabilities and product innovation with its own global scale, nutritional expertise and international distribution network.
The companies say this combination is expected to accelerate growth, support new product development and enable further international expansion for Huel’s range of complete nutrition products.
Supporting growth in functional nutrition
The acquisition also reflects growing consumer demand for convenient, nutritionally balanced food options that support modern lifestyles.
Huel’s product range focuses on delivering nutritionally complete meals in convenient formats, helping consumers meet daily nutritional needs including protein, fibre and essential nutrients.
By expanding into this category, Danone is positioning itself to capture opportunities in one of the fastest-growing segments of the broader nutrition market.
The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
Leadership perspectives
Antoine de Saint-Affrique, Chief Executive Officer of Danone SA, said: “We are delighted to welcome Huel and the Huel team into the Danone family. What they have achieved in the fast-growing Complete Nutrition space fully resonates with Danone’s mission of delivering health through food. Combining their range and best-in-class digital capabilities with Danone’s global reach and deep nutritional expertise offers exciting opportunities into the new and fast-growing nutritionally complete space, in line with our Renew Danone strategy. We look forward to learning from one another and unlocking new opportunities and growth for both businesses.”
James McMaster, Chief Executive Officer of Huel, said: “We are so excited to be joining Danone, and today marks the next step for Huel. We’ve spent ten years building a brand with a positive impact on people’s health. We’ve grown into an omnichannel business with a strong direct-to-consumer foundation, an expanding international footprint, and a retail business that’s scaling quickly. At the centre of it all is a loyal customer base. Most people don’t get enough protein, fibre, or the right nutrients. That’s the problem Huel exists to solve. With Danone, we will now have the infrastructure, distribution and R&D capability to go further, into new markets and to more people, as demand for convenient, complete nutrition continues to grow. We’re so proud of what the team has built, and excited about what comes next.”
This article was produced by the editorial team at Food & Beverage Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
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