Heartland Food Products Group has agreed to acquire the Americas business of Whole Earth Brands.
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
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In a statement, Heartland said the acquisition “further strengthens” its position while broadening its offering across tabletop and natural sweeteners, as well as the foodservice, beverage, retail and business-to-business channels.
Carmel, Indiana-headquartered Heartland produces the Splenda brand of low-calorie sweeteners, as well as drink mixes, coffee and nutritional beverages.
With the Whole Earth Brands deal in the Americas, it adds what it described as the “most recognised brands in the sweetener category”.
These include the Equal, Whole Earth, Swerve and Chuker sweetener brands across North America and Latin America.
In the statement, Ted Gelov, Heartland Food Products Group chairman and CEO, said the acquisition is “another transformative milestone for Heartland and further advances our mission to help people live happier, healthier, and longer lives by making it easier to reduce sugar”.
He added: “Equal is one of the most iconic brands in the history of the sweetener category, while Whole Earth has established a strong position in plant-based and natural sweetener solutions.
“Together with Splenda, these brands create an unparalleled platform to lead the future of sugar reduction and wellness-focused innovation.”
Just Food has asked Whole Earth Brands to comment on the transaction.
Heartland said the combined business will use its manufacturing network, R&D and formulation capabilities, and its distribution platform to support growth across the consumer and foodservice markets.
The company also said the transaction “enhances” its domestic manufacturing base and supports investment in ingredient supply chains and sweetener technologies, including US-grown stevia.
It said it plans to continue expanding the company’s natural and plant-based sweetener offerings under the Whole Earth and Splenda brands, while also supporting growth of Equal in the Americas.
Heartland has been building out its health-and-wellness portfolio in recent years.
Since acquiring the Splenda brand in 2015, the company has expanded into categories including plant-based sweeteners, creamers, nutritional beverages, liquid enhancers and coffee.
Last September, Heartland also bought the North America rights to the SlimFast brand from Ireland’s Glanbia, extending its presence beyond sweeteners into weight-management products.
