From Unilever’s feed-grabbing $1.2 billion acquisition of Grüns to a wave of moves in gut health, protein, longevity and personalized nutrition, the quarter underscored how wellness has shifted from a fruitful proximity into a core growth strategy for global food, beverage, retail and health companies.
The most visible theme was consolidation around brands and platforms offering convenient formats, consumer communities and distribution channels able to turn daily health routines into repeatable habits. Gummies, functional snacks and nutrition shakes continued to attract strategic interest, sitting at the intersection of efficacy, experience and adherence.
Ingredient-led growth also stood out. Protein remained a major frontline as dairy, active nutrition and fermentation players invested in capacity, bioavailability and new delivery occasions. Fiber and microbiome health also continued to move further mainstream, supported by GLP-1-driven demand for digestive and metabolic support, cleaner-label reformulation and growing consumer interest in gut-linked benefits.
Another clear throughline was the move from broad wellness promises toward more personalized, measurable and clinically connected platforms. Deals involving epigenetic testing, microbiome diagnostics, supplement-rating tools and pharmacy-enabled weight management show companies trying to link products to data, diagnostics and intervention pathways.
The quarter’s activity also revealed a more practical strategic priority: control. Companies invested in manufacturing assets, supply networks, proprietary ingredients, testing infrastructure and international distribution partnerships to reduce execution risk and accelerate expansion.
Mergers & acquisitions
Applied Nutrition and Nutrablend: UK-based sports nutrition and wellness brand Applied Nutrition acquired U.S. manufacturer Nutrablend for $16 million in cash, to establish a manufacturing platform in North America.
The deal includes Nutrablend’s 107,000-square-foot facility in Buffalo, NY and brands Basic Supplements and GR8 Lifestyle. The acquisition provides Applied Nutrition with a production capacity of up to $300 million per year on U.S. soil, supporting local demand for their core lines and creating new opportunities for co-packing.
Alongside the acquisition, Applied Nutrition announced a North American licensing agreement with Mondelez International for product co-branding under Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish, with products scheduled to launch in August across roughly 2,200 Walmart stores and 1,300 GNC locations in the US and Canada.
Euglena and Kobelco: Japanese biotech firm Euglena acquired the microalgae business of Kobelco Eco-Solutions to strengthen its immune health range, taking over its Euglena gracilis EOD-1 cultivation, ingredient operations and supplement brand Micarea. This strategic move expands Euglena’s wellness portfolio with a science-backed, high-immunity functional ingredient.
Function and SuppCo: Whole-body testing company Function acquired SuppCo, a platform developed to guide supplement choices with ratings across 35,000+ products and analysis of 500,000+ routines. Earlier this year, SuppCo also launched TESTED by SuppCo, an independent certification program that anonymously purchases off-the-shelf supplements and verifies their active ingredients through an ISO 17025–accredited laboratory.
“You are what you put in your body,” said Jonathan Swerdlin, CEO and co-founder of Function. “Food, prescriptions and supplements are inputs that shape your biology. SuppCo cuts through the noise of supplement marketing by organizing your supplement routine using grounded scientific rigor. Function pairs that with your lifelong baseline in one personalized platform. Health should be easy.”
Healthy extracts and Imaraïs Beauty: Healthy Extracts acquired women’s health and beauty brand Imaraïs Beauty. Founded by fitness personality Sommer Ray and entrepreneur Aaron Hefter in 2020, Imaraïs developed a full line of “ingestible beauty” gummies sold at Target, Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom and Sprouts.
The deal follows the mid-April announcement that Healthy Extracts’ wholly owned subsidiary, Gummy USA, had secured a U.S. manufacturing partnership with Imaraïs, with an initial order totaled 4 million gummies across five existing SKUs.
“As our partnership developed over recent months, we recognized how we share many synergies, especially in terms of our aspirations and commitment to developing products that are best-in-class,” Don Swanson, chairman and CEO at Healthy Extracts, shared in a statement. “We realized that by coming together as a team we could accelerate our expansion into the fast-growing beauty, wellness and functional gummy sectors. Together as one company, we are now strategically positioned to greatly boost our growth trajectory within this fast-growing $730 billion global market.”
According to the SEC filing, Healthy Extracts paid $794,000 in secured promissory notes plus 3,000,000 shares—2,159,520 exchangeable shares to Aaron Hefter and 840,480 common shares to the other sellers.
Hero Group and The Gut Stuff: Multinational food company The Hero Group acquired UK snacking and gut health company The Gut Stuff for an undisclosed amount. Founders, Scottish twins Lisa and Alana Macfarlane, will continue to drive brand growth, and all The Gut Stuff employees will remain with the organization.
“The acquisition of The Gut Stuff is a fantastic opportunity for us to grow as a Group and play in a small but growing trend in Better Snacking around gut health and fiber,” said Christian Schierbaum, CEO of Hero Group.
Infinite Epigenetics and Tally Health: Infinite Epigenetics, the parent company of TruDiagnostic, acquired consumer longevity company Tally Health in the largest asset purchase in epigenetic age testing to date.
The deal creates a vertically integrated longevity platform, advanced epigenetic diagnostics, the world’s largest and most diverse private adult DNA methylation datasets and personalized interventions, including longevity-focused supplements, designed to improve healthspan.
Tally Health remains a standalone consumer brand, with Dr. Matthew Dawson continuing as CEO Infinite Epigenetics and TruDiagnostic and and Melanie Goldey continuing as CEO of Tally Health.
“Epigenetics is one of the most powerful tools we have to understand the biological drivers of aging and disease,” said David Sinclair, co-founder of Tally Health and professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School. “Given that our health is our most important asset, I’m excited to see technologies from my Harvard lab being translated into real-world applications to improve health. This combination brings together the scale of data, scientific rigor and consumer reach needed to accelerate that impact.”
Ingredion and Benicaros: Ingredion strengthened its fiber portfolio by acquiring Benicaros, a precision prebiotic carrot fiber developed by NutriLeads.
The acquisition is an asset deal that includes full ownership of all intellectual property, trademarks, human clinical trials and know-how related to manufacturing the product.
As part of the transaction, NutriLeads will transition ownership of Benicaros to Ingredion and will no longer operate as an independent business.
Lactalis and Protein Works: French dairy conglomerate Lactalis Group acquired the British active nutrition brand Protein Works to strengthen its position in the fast-growing active nutrition market. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“By combining our longstanding expertise in dairy proteins and health nutrition with Protein Works’ strong brand and innovative approach, we are confident we can continue to create products that respond to changing consumer expectations in this dynamic and growing category,” Lactalis chairman Emmanuel Besnier said following the announcement.
Laird and Terrasoul: Laird Superfood acquired Terrasoul Superfoods in a deal funded through a $60 million private placement of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock to Nexus affiliates, giving Nexus a 71.7% ownership stake in the combined entity.
The deal is intended to accelerate Laird’s ability to serve consumers in the functional nutrition category at scale, significantly expanding its portfolio beyond creamers and beverages into nuts, seeds, powders, baking ingredients and superfoods. Terrasoul generated approximately $65.8 million in 2025 sales.
McCormick and Unilever: Executives from McCormick and Unilever met in Baltimore in early June 2026 to continue “blueprinting” a massive $40 billion merger of their food businesses.
Initially revealed in late March, the deal involves merging the bulk of Unilever’s food business—including brands like Hellmann’s and Knorr—with McCormick. McCormick CEO Brendan Foley noted that the integration process is “well underway” and is expected to drive significant top-line growth and operating margins by its third year.
Noom and Tailor Made: Noom acquired Tailor Made Compounding (TMC) in a major strategic move to expand into healthy aging and preventive medicine. The acquisition merges Noom’s behavior-change coaching app with Tailor Made’s 503A pharmacy infrastructure, pairing habit-tracking with prescription-grade wellness—shifting Noom from a standalone weight-loss app into a vertically-integrated longevity platform.
“Weight health is the entry point to preventive care—and foundational to healthy aging,” said Geoff Cook, CEO of Noom. “But it’s not the end point. This acquisition continues Noom’s expansion into healthy aging, supporting Noom’s mission to empower everyone, everywhere to live better longer—every day. With the acquisition, we plan to broaden our formulary to include peptide-based therapies, like sermorelin, and healthy aging interventions, like NAD+, as we further expand the conditions we serve beyond weight and hormonal health.”
Sunway Group and Weider Nutrition: Sunway Group, a subsidiary of Bora Group, fully acquired Phoenix-based sports nutrition brand Weider Nutrition International in an agreement valued up to $62 million.
The deal combines Sunway’s proprietary fermentation technology and science-backed ingredients, including Ankascin 568 (a patented red yeast rice supplement), with Weider’s global brand and distribution reach to over 60 countries. Co-branded Ankascin x Weider products are expected to launch in Europe in late 2026.
Tate & Lyle and Ingredion: Ingredion confirmed a £2.7 billion (€3.1 billion) deal to acquire the UK-based Tate & Lyle. The combined entity is expected to control approximately 15% of the global alternative sweeteners market.
“Combining Ingredion and Tate & Lyle’s complementary portfolios establishes a global leader in ingredient solutions with the innovation expertise and geographic reach that will help create the future of food,” said Jim Zallie, chairman, president and CEO of Ingredion.
TopGum and P&L Developments: Israeli functional gummy company TopGum completed its acquisition of P&L Developments’ U.S. pharmaceutical-grade gummy manufacturing operations, a transaction first announced via a binding letter of intent on Jan. 20.
The acquisition deepens TopGum’s presence in the United States, its largest target market, and positions TopGum in the emerging pharmaceutical gummies market. Through this strategic commercial partnership, PLD will commercialize and distribute TopGum-manufactured products to leading U.S. retailers under store-brand labels.
Unilever and Grüns: In the biggest deal of the quarter, CPG giant Unilever acquired fast-growing gummy supplement brand Grüns for $1.2 billion as it divested its legacy food assets to focus on the fast-growing wellness segment. Grüns, founded in 2023 and valued at $500 million, joined a well-being collective that includes Nutrafol, OLLY, Liquid I.V., SmartyPants and ONNIT.
“This combination of efficacy and experience is powerful, and together we see a significant opportunity to scale the brand within our well-being business,” said Jostein Solheim, CEO of Unilever Wellbeing, following the announcement.
Key takeaways
- Strategic buyers are moving deeper into wellness, treating supplements, active nutrition and functional ingredients as core growth categories.
- Gummies remain a high-demand delivery format, reflecting consumer preference for convenient, enjoyable and habit-forming supplement options.
- Protein and active nutrition continue to attract investment, as companies seek stronger positions in performance, everyday wellness and healthy aging.
- Gut health, fiber and microbiome-focused assets are gaining mainstream traction, supported by rising demand for digestive, metabolic and preventive health solutions.
- Personalization and data-backed wellness are becoming more important, as companies look to connect testing, health data and supplement recommendations.
- Manufacturing capacity and supply chain control are emerging as deal drivers, with buyers seeking greater control over production, quality and speed to market.
- Longevity and preventive health are broadening the supplement deal landscape, pushing the sector closer to clinical wellness, diagnostics and pharmacy-linked models.
Strategic partnerships & alliances
Actus and Darigold: Special ingredient supplier Actus Nutrition is expanding its protein capabilities through a new strategic partnership with dairy cooperative Darigold, adding manufacturing capacity in Jerome, ID and strengthening the supply network in Sunnyside, WA.
A portfolio company of Butterfly Equity, Actus is a leading manufacturer of whey and milk proteins in North America and produces PRObev clear whey protein, CasPRO U.S.-made casein and caseinate, in addition to specialty ingredients such as lactoferrin, alpha-lactalbumin and milk fat globule membrane (MFGM). The transition was expected to be completed by mid-June. Details of the agreements were not disclosed.
AMILI and Calbee: Japanese snack giant Calbee partnered with AMILI to expand the microbiome firm’s Body Granola personalized nutrition service to Singapore as first overseas market. Launched in Japan in 2023 and available through a dedicated e-commerce site, Body Granola combines a gut health test with a personalized granola subscription.
“People respond very differently to the same foods in terms of blood sugar spikes and nutrient absorption,” said Jeremy Lim, CEO of AMILI. “Body Granola marks an important step in bringing the latest nutrition science to help consumers eat what works best for them.”
Through Body Granola, customers first test and learn about their gut microbiome profile before choosing three ingredients, including prebiotic toppings, based on their individual test results.
Arborea and Vita Actives: Arborea and Vita Actives formed a partnership to scale and distribute Arborea’s BioSolar Spirulina, a premium microalgae ingredient grown using a closed “breathing cultivation” system.
“In all of these spaces, the brands that are winning are not the ones competing on price; they are the ones investing in well-validated, great-tasting, high-purity ingredients that can sustain a premium brand proposition,” said Nathan Gray, head of technical marketing at Vita Actives. “We believe spirulina is the next category to undergo that split, and we are partnering with Arborea to be on the right side of it.”
Ederra and Cepham: Ederra entered a Letter of Intent with Cepham for a strategic manufacturing and production partnership designed to support its functional superfood product line, including its flagship formula, EMPWR+. Under the LOI, the parties intend to negotiate definitive agreements under which Cepham would provide production and operational support to help Ederra scale manufacturing in phases, strengthen sourcing and packaging execution, and accelerate product innovation as part of an asset-light scaling strategy.
“Investors today are funding execution engines, not just products,” said Vladi Delsoglio, founder and CEO of Ederra. “This LOI represents an important step toward building a scalable operational foundation that matches our farm-to-body promise. By aligning with Cepham’s science-first and operations-driven approach, we aim to de-risk supply, accelerate disciplined production expansion and deploy capital more efficiently while focusing on demand generation and distribution.”
Herbalife and Cristiano Ronaldo: Herbalife launched the “Fuel Like Ronaldo” campaign, timed to coincide with the World Cup and built on a decade-long partnership with soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently took a 10% equity stake in the company’s Pro2col digital wellness platform.
The initiative—which highlights how the discipline and preparation of elite athletes can inspire healthier habits—features digital content, fan activations and a personalized four-step framework: Prepare, Perform, Recover and Repeat.
“Discipline in nutrition has always been a key part of my success, both on and off the pitch,” Ronaldo shared in a statement. “I’ve worked with Herbalife for many years and believe in the power of consistent, structured fueling. The ‘Fuel Like Ronaldo’ campaign is about sharing those principles so anyone can perform, recover and feel their best every day.”
Holland & Barrett and DFI Retail Group: UK retailer Holland & Barrett entered an exclusive partnership with DFI Retail Group to return to Singapore and enter Hong Kong.
“By combining Holland & Barrett’s wellness expertise with DFI’s strong retail presence and local market insight, we have an exciting opportunity to make trusted, science-led wellness solutions more accessible and relevant to everyday life across Asia,” said Gordon Farquhar, international managing director at H&B.
Holland & Barrett and Phlo: UK-based retailer Holland & Barrett has partnered with Phlo, which offers weight loss pills and injections to provide a holistic approach to weight management, providing nutritional advice and supplements (like fiber or protein) to support lifestyle changes and prevent nutrient deficiencies during weight-loss journeys.
“Because we are a business rooted in the high street, we take what our customers tell us very seriously,” said Leila Thabet, wellness platform director at H&B. “We know from speaking to them that more than a quarter are currently struggling with or have challenges around weight management. It’s an important area for them, and we believe in offering end-to-end solutions and holistic support regardless of their journey or mission.”
Through the partnership, Holland & Barrett will signpost customers to the online service, at which point Phlo and its clinical team handle the assessment, prescribing and dispensing of weight loss medications.
IM8 and Inter Miami CF: David Beckham-backed supplement brand IM8 entered a multi-year partnership with soccer team Inter Miami CF.
The deal supplies IM8’s core supplements at a dedicated IM8 Nutrition Center at the Florida Blue Training Center, includes group name, image and likeness rights for a minimum of four Inter Miami players, including Lionel Messi, and features IM8 branding prominently across Nu Stadium via LED field-level signage, concourse displays and co-branded digital content.
“The athlete and clubs with real leverage want ownership, not invoices, and only the brands with genuine product credibility and a long-term thesis can offer equity,” said Danny Yeung, CEO of Prenetics and co-founder of IM8.
LBB Specialties and DMC: LBB Specialties partnered with DMC Biotechnologies to distribute its KeyPura fermented myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol ingredients across the United States and Canada.
“As essential compounds, inositols play critical roles in hormonal balance, reproductive health, infant brain development, blood sugar regulation with improved insulin sensitivity and overall metabolic health,” said Jerry Whelan, senior vice president of food & nutrition at LBBS. “DMC leverages [its] proprietary precision fermentation technology to produce bio-identical ingredients without solvents, with greater purity and consistency, and with a significantly lower environmental footprint than traditional chemical production methods.”
myBrainCo and StirlingFildes Plus: Australian supplements brand myBrainCo is partnering with pharmacy industry veteran StirlingFildes Plus to transition from a direct-to-consumer (DTC) digital model into omnichannel retail. Through this partnership, myBrainCo plans to rapidly expand its physical footprint beyond its existing 250-some health food stores into thousands of pharmacies across Australia.
“Although we are in many health food stores, they don’t have the same scope of distribution that we hope to achieve through pharmacies,” said Ed Scott, founder of myBrain Co. “Brand validation and credibility, scale of business and value-added service for our existing customers— these are our major drivers to go into pharmacy.”
Nestlé and Helaina: Nestlé and the US-based biotech company Helaina have formed a strategic innovation collaboration. It brings together Nestlé’s extensive expertise in early‑life nutrition and product development with Helaina’s biotechnology capabilities.
“Nestlé has always been at the forefront of advancing scientific knowledge on key nutrients and bioactives that are important during early life, including their interactions with the gut microbiome and the immune system,” said Isabelle Bureau‑Franz, head of the Nestlé Product Technology Center for Nutrition & Health. “Collaborations with external partners such as Helaina, form an integral part of our broader open innovation strategy to deepen scientific understanding in this field, while gaining access to emerging technologies.”
Founded in 2019 by food scientist Laura Katz, Helaina launched effera in 2024 as the world’s first human-identical lactoferrin.
Nestlé and NTU Singapore: Nestlé and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) established a joint research lab in Singapore focusing on longevity and women’s health, leveraging data from the HELIOS population study.
Natural product manufacturer NOW Foods partnered with botanical genomics company LeafWorks, which developed a DNA analysis platform that enables high-throughput genomic interpretation through a curated reference database and validated analytical systems designed specifically for complex botanical products. As part of the collaboration, NOW has implemented a next-generation sequencing lab at its facility in Sparks, Nevada to support its company-wide testing efforts.
“We are always looking for ways to strengthen our quality systems and ensure the integrity of our products,” said Maria Mendres, microbiology manager at NOW. “Incorporating next-generation DNA sequencing for genomic-level ID adds another valuable tool to our testing program, enhancing our ability to verify botanical identity. The number of species we can test for simultaneously is unique to DNA and LeafWorks’ platform, making it a good fit for NOW with over 2,000 ingredients.”
Resbiotic and Tiny Health: Microbiome health company resbiotic partnered with precision microbiome platform Tiny Health to launch an at-home gut health test using shotgun metagenomics.
The test provides product-guided recommendations based on an individual’s microbiome patterns, covering gut microbiome diversity, markers of gut-driven inflammation, indicators of leaky gut, levels of keystone bacteria and signals related to metabolic and immune function—all organized around resbiotic’s proprietary Gut-X Axis framework, which maps how gut health communicates with and influences other body systems.
“Most people dealing with chronic symptoms—bloating, fatigue, brain fog, metabolic challenges—never get an actual look at what’s happening in their gut,” said Dr. C. Vivek Lal, CEO and founder of resbiotic. “The resbiotic Gut Health Test changes that. It gives people the same quality of microbiome data that researchers and clinicians use, paired with a specialist-guided interpretation and a concrete next step. This is how gut health should work—not guessing, not generic supplements, but knowing.”
Solnul and Lehvoss Group: MSP Starch Products Inc. (MSP), the Canadian innovator behind Solnul resistant potato starch, selected Hamburg-based Lehvoss Group as its exclusive distribution partner in the fast-growing European gut health market.
“As demand for fiber continues to grow across Europe, this expansion advances our mission to reunite the microbiome with its favorite food, Solnul, and to bring the benefits of resistant starch to a broader audience,” said Jason Leibert, chief growth officer at Solnul. “Today, the average European consumes only around 4 g of the recommended 20 g of resistant starch per day—highlighting how far modern diets have moved away from this foundational fiber.”
Suannutra USA and Fitoplancton Marino: Ingredient supplier Suannutra USA entered an agreement with Spanish biotech company Fitoplancton Marino, S.L. to distribute TetraSOD to the North American market. The patented ingredient is derived from the microalgae Tetraselmis chuii, cultivated and harvested in closed, outdoor bioreactors.
Key takeaways
- Partnerships are being used to scale ingredient innovation, especially in areas such as protein, microbiome health, fiber, microalgae and precision fermentation.
- Personalized nutrition is moving from concept to commercialization, with collaborations linking testing, data and tailored product recommendations.
- Gut health remains a major partnership theme, as companies connect microbiome science with consumer-facing products and services.
- Retail and pharmacy channels are becoming key expansion routes, helping wellness brands move beyond direct-to-consumer models and reach broader audiences.
- Sports partnerships are evolving beyond sponsorship, with brands seeking deeper alignment through equity, athlete platforms, performance messaging and long-term consumer engagement.
- Clinical wellness and weight management partnerships are growing, reflecting demand for integrated support around nutrition, supplements, lifestyle change and medication-enabled care.
- Quality, testing and traceability are gaining importance, as companies invest in stronger verification tools, botanical identification and science-backed ingredient platforms.
- International expansion is driving alliance activity, with partnerships opening new markets across Asia, North America and Europe.
Investments, divestments & stakes
Australian natural health company Blackmores Group, a subsidiary of Kirin, has acquired a 14% interest in BiomeBank for up to $15 million to develop next-generation probiotics and gut microbiome therapies. The deal, which valued the Adelaide-based biotech company at $60 million.
“Our partnership with BiomeBank is an investment in the next frontier of novel probiotic innovation, informed by leading microbiome research,” said Alastair Symington, president of Kirin Health Science International and Blackmores Group CEO and Managing Director. “It will help us to significantly improve people’s well-being, whilst backing local science, building industry and strengthening Australia’s leadership in gut microbiome health.”
BiomeBank’s share register includes institutional and strategic investors Artesian Alternative Investments, North South Ventures (US) and The Hospital Research Foundation. It also includes funds managed through Australian investment firm, Ellerston Capital.
Chemist Warehouse and Greenlight Healthcare: Australian discount pharmacy Chemist Warehouse announced its entry into the UK market through a joint venture with London-based GreenLight pharmacies with the acquisition of a 75% stake in each store.
“International expansion is one of our four key strategic growth pillars,” said Vikesh Ramsunder, CEO of Sigma Healthcare, Chemist Warehouse’s parent company. “Having proven that the Chemist Warehouse model resonates with customers in other markets, including New Zealand and Ireland, the JV with Greenlight now provides a measured market access into the UK.”
Founded in 2000, Chemist Warehouse has grown from a single outlet in Melbourne to over 600 stores across Australia and New Zealand. It opened its first European store in Ireland in 2020 and now operates 18 sites in the country.
German life-science startup Evanium raised €2.2 million in seed funding backed by FoodLabs, Feast Ventures and existing angel investors. The capital will be used to scale its OPTISOLV dual-coating technology, carry out clinical studies and expand to international markets to advance its goal of improving ingredient solubility, stability and bioavailability.
FrieslandCampina announced an investment program of more than 90 million euros to strengthen its global position in high‑value whey proteins and further optimize its ingredients production network in the Netherlands. These investments include upgrades at the production sites in Bedum, Veghel and Workum.
“Global demand for advanced protein solutions continues to accelerate,” said Anne Peter Lindeboom, president of FrieslandCampina Ingredients. “This program is the next step in our broader investment strategy to lead in high-value proteins, building on recent investments to strengthen whey capacity and valorization in the Netherlands such as in Borculo, and in the United States through the acquisition of Wisconsin Whey Protein. By investing across our ingredients network, we are strengthening our ability to serve customers worldwide and to create more value from our whey streams in a sustainable and future-oriented way.”
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) announced the $4.3 billion sale of a 90% stake in its food ingredients business to CVC Capital Partners. IFF will retain a 10% minority stake as it refocuses on higher-margin core businesses such as scent, taste and health and biosciences. The deal is expected to close Q2 2027.
The deal reflects IFF’s broader strategy to reposition its portfolio amid growing cost pressures and evolving consumer health preferences. Over the past several years, the company has sold 13 non-core businesses, raising about $10 billion in gross proceeds to reinvest in higher-margin segments. Key transactions include the $2.85 billion sale of its pharma solutions business to French ingredients manufacturer Roquette and the divestiture of its soy protein concentrate unit to agribusiness Bunge.
Lucille Health secured a multi-million-dollar investment led by Iris Ventures for its nutrition shakes designed for older adults. Other investors include New Fare, Able Partners and Springdale Ventures.
Founded by Jess Haghani in 2025 and inspired by her grandmother’s recovery from heart surgery, the brand launched a high-protein, high-calorie, high-fiber whole food alternative to ultra-processed products on the market and is now scaling to reach assisted living communities and retail channels.
London gut-microbiome company myota closed a $4.5M Series A led by PeakBridge to expand the reach of its prebiotic fiber blends in a marketplace clamoring for fiber by establishing a B2B sales operation in Europe and the United States while scaling its direct-to-consumer business.
“What’s been missing is fiber that works across real, varied microbiomes and stands up to clinical scrutiny,” said Kat Stennett, co-founder and CEO of myota, following the raise. “That is what we’ve built, and it’s why companies across F&B, food service and wellness are coming to us to put genuine, claimable benefits into their products.”
Capital Q Ventures committed to funding nutrition brand Nur through its business accelerator, Capital Q Velocity, supporting the development of high-absorption protein mixes that use fermented beta lactoglobulin (BLG) framed as “protein for daily hydration”.
“We’re seeing a shift from consumption to optimization,” said Michael Quatrini, founder and CEO of Capital Q Ventures. “Consumers no longer just want to hydrate. They want to improve how their body functions. That means better absorption, better utilization and products that integrate into daily performance routines.”
Nur’s current growth is concentrated in Amazon and direct-to-consumer channels, supported by targeted activations across fitness and wellness communities (including Equinox, Pvolve and Soho House), with planned expansion into specialty retail and broader distribution, as well as exploration of opportunities in the medical and wellness ecosystem aligned with trends in GLP-1 adoption, digestive health and protein consumption.
Better-for-you energy shot company Proper Wild secured $11 million in funding from Vice Ventures and Altria at a $161-million valuation. Founded by Vincent Bradley in 2020, the company is known for its energy shots and has expanded into clean energy gummies. It previously raised $3 million in 2020, and Altria took a minority stake in 2025 as it seeks to transition out of nicotine products.
UK-based Rem3dy Health, the producer of personalized gummies brand Nourished, has raised $18.8 million (£14m) to support its expansion into the U.S., MENA and Indian markets, invest in automation, advanced manufacturing and AI-driven personalized nutrition, and expand into personalized pet wellness solutions.
Participants in the round included Suntory Global Spirits, Indian healthcare group Apollo Hospitals, French pharmaceutical major UPSA, Birmingham-based investor Future Planet Capital Regional and Spain’s Hijos de Rivera, the owner of the Estrella Galicia beer brand.
German ingredients company Symrise invested in Boulder, CO-based Bond Pet Foods to deepen its presence in precision-fermentation-enabled pet nutrition and expand its sustainable protein offering for pet food manufacturers.
“This investment advances our ambition to scale biotechnology across our business,” said Walter Ribeiro, president of taste, nutrition & health at Symrise. “With this, we aim at effectively supporting long-term resilience, portfolio diversification, and a stronger innovation pipeline.”
The Protein Brewery secured an €18 million (US$21 million) Series B extension led by incoming investor ABN AMRO Sustainable Impact Fund and joined by existing investors Invest-NL, Novo Holdings, Madeli, and the Brabant Development Agency (BOM).
This brings the Netherlands-based company’s total funding raised to over €70 million (US$82 million) as it prepares to commercialize its flagship mycelium ingredient, Fermotein, across Europe following regulatory approval under the EU Novel Food Regulation.
Fermotein is produced through fermentation using Rhizomucor pusillus, a non-fruiting fungal species. According to The Protein Brewery, the ingredient contains approximately 50% complete protein, dietary fiber, naturally occurring micronutrients and bioactive compounds.
Unilever Ventures took a minority stake in longevity biotech firm Novos, a company founded in 2019 to develop science-backed supplements that target the hallmarks of aging. The startup’s flagship product Novos Core launched in 2021 and is available for a $98 per month subscription. Primarily a DTC brand, Novos also has select retail placements in the Mayo Clinic Store network, Erewhon, Equinox and Four Seasons.
Unilever announced a $270 million investment to establish a global R&D hub in New Haven, Connecticut. This includes $50 million in capital expenditure, the company’s largest U.S. investment in 40 years, to focus on science-led growth in beauty and well-being.
Together, Unilever’s beauty, personal care and well-being represent 51% of its business. The company has stated a medium-to-long term ambition to increase this share to two-thirds, driven by the belief that these categories offer structurally stronger growth prospects and greater opportunities for premiumization.
Leading brands in the portfolio include Axe, Degree, Dove, Vaseline and its Wellbeing Collective Brands: Liquid I.V, Nutrafol, Olly, SmartyPants, Onnit, Welly, Equilibra, as wells as its latest big-splash acquisition, greens supplement brand Grüns.
Vitahustle, the plant-based nutrition brand founded by Kevin Hart, has added a strategic equity investment from Axum Capital Partners. Established in 2022, the company has sold over 5 million all-in-one shakes, formulated with 20 grams of plant-based protein (pea, quinoa, mung bean), 86 superfoods and nutrients, 22 essential vitamins, 3 billion CFU probiotics and KSM-66 Ashwagandha. Prior Vitahustle investors include HartBeat Ventures and Freedom Trail Capital.
Dutch precision fermentation company Vivici secured €12.5 million in funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Program to scale market access and supply of its Vivitein ingredient portfolio. Vivici was named among 38 startups and SMEs to which the EIC allocated roughly €90 million in grants, with a further €202 million set aside for potential equity investment.
Key takeaways
- Investor capital is flowing into science-backed wellness platforms, particularly in gut health, longevity, bioavailability, precision fermentation and personalized nutrition.
- Gut health and microbiome innovation remain major funding targets, with investment supporting next-generation probiotics, prebiotic fibers and microbiome-linked therapeutic approaches.
- Protein remains a high-priority investment area, as companies fund whey capacity, fermented protein, high-absorption formats and nutrition products tied to performance, hydration and healthy aging.
- Strategic stakes are being used to access emerging technologies, allowing larger companies to participate in fast-growing categories without pursuing full acquisitions.
- International expansion is a recurring use of capital, with brands and retailers using funding to enter new markets, build regional operations and scale distribution.
- Personalized nutrition is attracting investment beyond human supplements, expanding into automation, AI-driven formulation and adjacent areas such as pet wellness.
- Retail and pharmacy models continue to expand globally, as wellness-focused retailers use joint ventures and minority stakes to test new markets and channels.
- Divestments are reshaping ingredient portfolios, with large suppliers selling non-core assets while refocusing on higher-margin taste, health, bioscience and wellness businesses.
