USA – Glanbia Nutritionals, a nutritional subsidiary of Glanbia Plc has acquired Watson Inc., a US based supplier of nutrient premixes and ingredients for the food industry.
For Glanbia, the deal whose transaction remains undisclosed strengthens its capabilities in micro-encapsulation, agglomeration, micronizing, spray drying and edible film technologies.
It also cements its leadership in superior premix solutions to achieve optimal nutritional, functional and operational performance in food applications.
With the acquisition, Glanbia Nutritionals’ premix production facilities in the US now includes those in California, Missouri, Illinois, and Connecticut.
The U.S. presence is supplemented by facilities in Germany and China to provide global scale and solutions to its customers.
“We are excited to welcome the 300 employees of Watson with their established reputation of expertise, technical capability and commitment to excellence,” said Brian Phelan, CEO of Glanbia Nutritionals.
“The customers of both organizations will stand to benefit significantly from the combined capabilities that the two teams now bring together.”
Founded in 1939, Watson is a third-generation family business with three facilities in West Haven and Orange, Conn., and Taylorville, Ill.
Glanbia Nutritionals offers proteins, custom nutrient premixes, cheese, bioactives, plant-based nutrition ingredients, flavors and micronutrients in more than 130 countries worldwide.
The company operates three innovation centers and employs more than 2,000 in 19 countries.
The deal is part of a series of acquisition by the parent company Glanbia, which acquired SlimFast for US$340 million in 2018, Dutch sports nutrition brand Body&Fit and Amazing Grass in 2017 and thinkThin (2015).
Glanbia has also revealed plans to build a new global cheese manufacturing facility in Ireland, in partnership with Dutch family business, Royal A-Ware.
The US$159.17 million facility, set to be commissioned in 2022 will have the capacity to process 450 million litres of milk per annum, producing cheeses in different formats for global markets.
