Nutresa Acquires a Majority Stake in Productos Naturela S.A.S.

Grupo Nutresa announces the acquisition of a majority stake in Productos Naturela S.A.S., a Colombian company dedicated to the production and distribution of healthy and functional foods. The transaction is made through the capitalization of the company, through a contribution of COP 3,2 billion, which will be used to leverage its growth. The shares subscribed by Nutresa are equivalent to 60% of the company’s capital.

Naturela is a startup that originated in Colombia in 2005 from the deep knowledge of three leading women around the cultivation and use of microalgae with high nutritional value.

Currently, the Company has several lines of healthy foods, among which Spirulina stands out, in addition to infusions, snacks and supplements that contain other natural ingredients, such as chlorophyll, turmeric, chia and linseed. The most recent addition to its portfolio is a homemade snack made with rice flour, spirulina, quinoa, maca and amaranth, a healthy alternative that has received great acceptance in the market.

With this investment, Grupo Nutresa incorporates new capabilities, such as the deep knowledge in a functional ingredient with high potential and great nutritional value – Spirulina –, while providing Naturela with capabilities in procurement, production, distribution, marketing and administration to accelerate its business plan. This investment strengthens Grupo Nutresa’s presence in a fast-growing category, such as healthy snacks, and is aligned with its purpose of expanding toward innovative products that benefit the health and nutrition of its consumers.

The three founders will remain as shareholders and will continue to manage the business with their entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, with the support of Grupo Nutresa.

Regarding this acquisition, Carlos Ignacio Gallego, Grupo Nutresa’s CEO, said: “Our inorganic growth strategy is deployed on two fronts: one which targets medium and large companies in our strategic region. And the other where we invest in ventures that we target because of the capabilities we can develop together and the possibilities of accelerating their growth by levering on all our platforms. The latter is the case of Naturela, a company with which we hope to acquire in-depth knowledge of natural ingredients with enormous potential for the future of food”.

He added: “We will continue to look for companies that we can help grow and improve, while bringing us new capabilities, particularly those related to health and nutrition”.