Nestlé Health Science to acquire majority stake in Vital Proteins

10-Jun-2020 - Last updated on 10-Jun-2020 at 20:23 GMT

Nestlé Health Science has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Chicago-based Vital Proteins, adding the leading collagen brand to its other vitamin, mineral, supplement and wellness brands, including Atrium Innovations, Garden of Life, Pure Encapsulations and Persona.

Vital Proteins, which has 150 SKUs across 35,000 retail doors in North America and Europe, including Whole Foods, Costco, Target, Walgreens and Kroger, will continue to operate as a standalone business

According to Nestlé, this represents the first acquisition of a collagen-based wellness company to date, proving that consumer mindsets are shifting toward bettering one's personal well-being.

According to a study conducted by Trust Transparency Center, over 87% of US supplement consumers said they had heard of collagen.

American consumers are predicted to spend $293 million on collagen supplements this year, according to Nutrition Business Journal.

Expanding the wellness platform

“This is an exciting opportunity for Nestlé Health Science to enter a growing area of nutrition with a successful brand,” said Greg Behar, CEO of NHSc. “Our companies share the belief that nothing is more important than health, and everything we do is focused on that belief. In combining our efforts to optimize health through nutrition, we can achieve even more to help our consumers live fuller, more vibrant lives.”

Kurt Seidensticker, founder and CEO of Vital Proteins, will continue to lead Vital Proteins at its Chicago headquarters. Financial details of the sale are not being released and the acquisition is subject to regulatory approval.

“We at Vital Proteins, alongside Nestlé Health Science, are committed to expanding our wellness platform to the world. We are partnering together to continue the evolution of the functional nutrition space through premium products and innovation that meet customers where they are in their wellness journey,” said Seidensticker.

“Joining NHSc allows us to take Vital Proteins to the next level by leveraging resources, scale and capabilities, and moving toward a future with an expanded offering of science-backed products.”

Collagen

Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the body, and is a key component of connective tissues, supporting the health of skin, hair, nails, bones and joints.

Production of the protein, which represents almost 30% of all human protein content and 70% of the protein content found in the skin, begins to decline from about age 25, highlighting the potential importance of collagen supplementation.