The deal will expand SuanNutra’s nutraceuticals platform with branded ingredients, botanical extracts, fermented vitamins and minerals, natural colors, antioxidants and flavors.
The combined group of around 700 employees will operate across Spain, Slovenia, Peru and the United States. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approval.
The private equity firm behind the acquisition, Carbyne Equity Partners, invests in specialty ingredients, advanced manufacturing and industrial technology businesses, acquiring SuanNutra in 2025 as part of its strategy to build a global specialty ingredients platform.
Markus Petersen, managing partner of Carbyne Equity Partners, said the SuanNutra management team had a clear strategy and understood the business and its markets well.
“This merger creates a botanical-based ingredients group of genuine scale and scientific credibility, and we are pleased to back the team in building it,” he said.
SuanNutra expands natural ingredients portfolio
Anthony Weston, group CEO of SuanNutra, told NutraIngredients that the acquisition brings across a natural ingredient solutions business spanning six product families.
“On the health and nutrition side, it adds to our existing clinically-backed branded ingredients, alongside standardized botanical extracts and a vitamins and minerals platform built on fermentation and chelated-mineral technology,” he said.
“On the food side, it adds natural colors, natural antioxidants, food-protection systems, and flavor solutions.
“Together they create a genuine multi-category natural ingredients platform with the scale and product breadth to serve large accounts across both food, health and nutrition.”
Market growth opportunities
Weston explained that SuanNutra expects growth across all of its key market segments.
In natural colors and antioxidants, demand is being driven by manufacturers replacing synthetic ingredients with natural alternatives. In health and nutrition, the company sees continued growth in clinically supported branded ingredients and standardized botanical extracts, supported by demand for science-backed ingredients in dietary supplements and functional products. It also expects to expand its flavors business by building on its existing presence in Latin America and other markets.
“It isn’t one segment carrying the story — it’s a broad portfolio with structural demand behind each part of it,” he said.
R&D strategy and growth plans
The acquisition also adds R&D capabilities in natural ingredients, including proprietary extraction and formulation processes. It also brings formulation expertise and application laboratories focused on beverage, dairy, bakery, confectionery and culinary products.
Furthermore, the acquisition will give SuanNutra more expertise and resources to develop its own branded ingredients and generate the clinical evidence to support their health benefits, rather than relying on external partners, Weston explained.
“It strengthens our ability to develop and clinically substantiate branded ingredients in-house, which is the real differentiator in this business,” he said.
Weston said the expanded capabilities also position the company to respond to changing customer demand, noting the growing trends for natural alternatives to synthetic colors and antioxidants, as well as the increasing consumer preference for clean-label ingredients. The company also sees demand for clinically substantiated botanical ingredients with transparent sourcing.
“Consumers increasingly want ingredients with demonstrable health benefits and transparent sourcing, and that is precisely where the combined portfolio is strongest,” he said.
To capitalize on these trends, SuanNutra is focused on integrating the acquired businesses and expanding the combined platform. Weston said the company’s priorities are now to integrate the new operations, strengthen its commercial organization and support growth across its six product categories.
The company also plans to expand its presence in the US and Asia while continuing to grow in Europe and Latin America.
In addition, it aims to increase its focus on higher-value, clinically supported branded ingredients through continued investment in clinical research and product development.
Weston noted that this will allow the business to become a “genuine multi-category natural ingredients platform rather than a collection of parts”.
IFF reinforces focus on core businesses
IFF CEO Erik Fyrwald added that SuanNutra and Carbyne Equity Partners have strong reputations and expressed confidence that they will continue to grow under the ownership of SuanNutra and Carbyne Equity Partners.
“These businesses are highly respected, and we are confident they will continue to thrive under the ownership of SuanNutra and Carbyne,” said Fyrwald.
“This transaction is another step in optimizing our portfolio and reinforces our focus on our core innovation-led businesses — Taste, Scent and Health & Biosciences — where we see the greatest opportunities to drive long-term profitable growth and create value for our shareholders.”