Lonza Acquires US Nutritional Ingredients Company Interhealth
15 Aug 2016 --- Lonza has acquired Interhealth Nutraceuticals, a California-based company which makes nutritional ingredients used in dietary supplements, in a deal worth up to $300m.
The Swiss pharmaceutical, biotech and agro ingredients company said the deal will enhance its speciality nutritional ingredients portfolio and present a number of synergies.
Lonza is banking on the increasing growth of nutraceuticals to bolster its speciality ingredients business, which is not growing as fast.
It said the acquisition is expected to have an immediate positive impact on its earnings.
InterHealth Nutraceuticals researches, develops, markets and distributes speciality nutritional ingredients, which are sold globally to makers of food, beverage and dietary supplements.
It is owned by Kainos Capital, a Dallas-based private equity company which is focused on the consumer products sector, primarily in the food category.
The US company makes more than 15 branded ingredients, including its flagship ingredient, UC-II, which promotes healthy bones and flexibility and is sold in a variety of dietary supplements sold in grocery and health food stores.
By adding these branded ingredients, Lonza will be boosting its nutritional portfolio is in the area of sports nutrition, weight management, immune health and pet health.
Additionally, the acquisition will also enhance Lonza's offerings in new areas like cognitive and diabetic health.
Lonza will sell Interhealth’s products around the world while also selling its own products through Interhealth’s distribution network.
“With this acquisition Lonza is taking a further step along our strategic path as a high-value supplier to the healthcare continuum,” said Richard Ridinger, Lonza’s CEO.
“Lonza will leverage the successful product portfolio of InterHealth on a global level and in turn will be able to benefit from InterHealth’s proven management and branding capabilities to promote Lonza’s existing product portfolio. We see significant positive synergies from this combination.”
