Glanbia Acquires Pro-Fibe Nutrition

22/06/06 International consumer foods and nutritional ingredients company Glanbia plc has acquired bar and beverage innovator Pro-Fibe Nutrition Ltd. The strategic move builds Glanbia’s position in the growing performance nutrition sector. Based in Middlesbrough, UK, Pro-Fibe has now been re-named Glanbia Nutritionals UK Ltd, a division of Glanbia Nutritionals, supplier of vitamin and mineral premixes, protein solutions and oat beta-glucan.

Glanbia Nutritionals UK develops customised nutrition bars, including high protein, energy, low GI, high fibre and meal replacement options in various formats, plus ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages and ready-to-mix (RTM) powders.  The company works in partnership with its customers to bring high quality, good tasting nutritional products to market using proprietary technology.  Specialists at Glanbia Nutritionals UK provide technical advice and support from recipe conception to final product manufacture. The site has a 40,000 sq.ft state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and offers flexible production and packaging options.

Commenting on the acquisition, Matthew Richardson, founder of Pro-Fibe Nutrition and technical director of Glanbia Nutritionals UK, said: “Glanbia Nutritionals’ ingredient solutions fit well with our business so the acquisition was a natural step.  Now, we can further develop our capabilities and services, and offer customers the added value of Glanbia Nutritionals’ expertise in the nutritional ingredients market. ” 

This expansion complements Glanbia Nutritionals’ commitment to the expert delivery of science-based nutritional solutions, highlighted by the July 2004 acquisition of Kortus Food Ingredients Services (KFIS). German-based KFIS specialises in the production, research and development of customised nutrient systems for the food, nutraceutical, supplement and dietary product industries.

Hugh McGuire, CEO, Glanbia Nutritionals, explained: “Both acquisitions are in line with Glanbia’s nutritional strategy to advance our solutions, blending and applications capabilities.  Innovation through R&D forms the core of our growth plan, and KFIS and Pro-Fibe share this ethos.  We’re looking forward to consolidating the businesses to develop functional foods and ingredients for a variety of markets.  These are exciting times for Glanbia Nutritionals.”

In addition to Glanbia Nutritionals UK and KFIS, the Speciality Ingredient Solutions business continues to pioneer in the development of nutritional ingredient solutions including whey and milk protein isolates, a natural milk calcium and mineral complex, oat beta-glucan and weight management ingredients.