SWITZERLAND -Swiss food manufacturer Hero Group announced on September 16, 2024, that it has acquired UK-based healthy food brand Deliciously Ella for an undisclosed sum.
The deal will allow Hero Group to expand its presence in the UK market and help Deliciously Ella reach millions more customers worldwide.
Ella Mills and Matthew Mills, the founders of Deliciously Ella, will remain with the company under the new ownership and lead the next growth stage.
In a joint statement, the couple said, “We have had numerous approaches to sell or partner with other food companies over the years, but only this one felt right.
‘’As a family-owned business, with a long-term view that aligns with our thinking, Hero Group are the right fit for us.”
Hero Group, headquartered in Lenzburg, Switzerland, already operates in the UK market through its Organix brand, which focuses on organic foods and snacks for babies, toddlers, and children.
The acquisition of Deliciously Ella will allow the Swiss company to enter the UK’s healthy snacks market.
“Our multi-year strategy has focused on bringing brands that fit within our core categories with the aim of fulfilling our mission to bring natural, healthy food to consumers,” said Rob Versloot, CEO of Hero Group.
Founded in 2012 by Ella Mills as a plant-based recipe website, Deliciously Ella has grown into a multimillion-pound brand.
The company launched its first food products, a range of energy balls, into supermarkets in 2016 and has sold over 100 million products.
Deliciously, Ella’s grocery range, which includes oat and trail mix bars, breakfast cereals, and other snacking items, is currently stocked by major retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Ocado, and Co-op.
The acquisition does not include Deliciously Ella’s Plants brand or the company’s vegan restaurant in central London.
Ella and Matthew Mills will continue to own the Plants brand, which includes soups, yoghurts, and nut butter.
In 2023, Deliciously Ella generated revenues of £24 million and became a profitable group.
Last year, the company also acquired its co-manufacturing partner in a rescue deal to secure its supply chain.
Hero Group, which generated annual revenue of CHF 1.2 billion (US$1.45 billion) in 2022, operates in the baby & toddler, spreads, and snacking categories with brands such as Corny, Schwartau, Organix, Beech-Nut, and Semper.
Under Hero’s ownership, the Organix brand in the UK has almost doubled in size and recorded revenues of more than £40 million (US$52.9) in 2023.
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