Fast-tracking growth: Mérieux Equity Partners acquires majority stake of Nutragroup

16 Jan 2019 --- Mérieux Equity Partners has acquired a majority stake in Nutragroup, the holding company of Omnipharm and B-Pharma labs. The acquisition was possible through the company’s third generation fund, Mérieux Participations 3, which is dedicated to fast-growing companies in the health and nutrition sectors. Nutragroup founder Mehdi Boulahia is to maintain a significant equity interest in the business.

“We hope to provide a one-stop shop sort of platform via this partnership, for ingredients, formulation and distribution and we plan to add more services,” Thierry Chignon, Senior Partner at Mérieux Equity Partners, tells NutritionInsight.

Mérieux Equity Partners chose Nutragroup for several reasons. First of all, it has been over-exceeding its predicted market growth in the food supplementation area and is expected to present good profitability in the future.

“The management has demonstrated in the past its capacity to perform well and has proposed to us a pretty interesting business plan. Moreover, they have invested a significant amount of money in the endeavor,” says Chignon.

Nutragroup was founded in 2008 and focuses on supply, formulation and manufacturing of food supplements. It has seen growth in France with 40 percent of revenue currently generated from international markets and opened a 20,000sq feet facility last October to further extend its production. Nutragroup predicts fast growth via its two main subsidiaries, Ominpharm and B-pharma.

Omnipharm selects and supplies raw materials to food supplement and nutraceuticals companies, with a wide range of ingredients. B-Pharma is a contract formulation and manufacturing company that offers turnkey services to industrial clients, ranging from raw materials supply to finished product delivery.

“We plan to support the organic growth of the companies, and for B-pharma, increase production capability,” Chignon tells NutritionInsight.

The partnership with Mérieux Equity Partners is aimed at fast-tracking Nutragroup’s growth and bring it to an international standard. The company plans to do this by ramping up industrial investments, launching new services and expanding further into Europe.

This is the third investment that Mérieux Participations 3 has performed in the span of a year in support of companies within the health and nutrition space.

By Kristiana Lalou

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