Nexture Announces the Acquisition of Frulact, a Globally Leading Manufacturer of Fruit and Vegetable-Based Specialty Ingredients

Nexture S.p.A. ("Nexture"), a global integrated group specialising in the development and manufacturing of high-quality food ingredients and value-added solutions, has signed an agreement to acquire Oferta Genuína S.A. ("Frulact"), a globally leading manufacturer of fruit-based specialty ingredients, liquid flavours, and plant-based ingredients for a variety of end-applications.

The synergistic purchase supports Nexture's goal of increasing its value-added ingredient portfolio while also expanding its global position in the fruit preparations area. Fruit preparations is a strategically important segment for Nexture, which has extensive experience built up through its two dedicated operations in Pedrengo (Italy) and Goes (Netherlands), as well as a tradition dating back to 1960s.

The transaction is a significant milestone in Nexture's strategic expansion, as explained by Gabriele Del Torchio, CEO of Nexture: "This acquisition represents a natural evolution of our growth strategy and reinforces our commitment to providing exceptional value to our customers. Frulact's specialised experience and innovative skills in natural ingredient solutions, along with our established market presence and operational efficiency, position us ideally to capitalise on new possibilities and accelerate our value creation path."

All members of Frulact's leadership team, led by Dinorah Mandic, will retain their current positions and join the Nexture Group. Dinorah Mandic, CEO of Frulact, stated, "We are excited to join Nexture because we share a common vision of excellence and a commitment to sustainable, responsible business practices." This new chapter will give us more resources and scale to drive innovation, broaden our geographic reach, and provide even more value to our clients."

Nexture's acquisition of Frulact marks another milestone in its ambitious buy-and-build strategy, which was developed with the operational assistance of Investindustrial's Value-creation Advisory Team.

Since Investindustrial's arrival, when the firm only featured CSM Ingredients and earned €517 million in sales, Nexture has grown to become a global leader in value-added ingredients, with expected revenues of around €1.1 billion following the acquisition of Frulact. The group's industrial presence has grown from 8 to 24 plants worldwide, with two in North America, four in Africa, one in Asia, and the remaining 17 spread over eight European countries. In parallel, the number of R&D centres has increased from eight to twenty, and the workforce has grown from 1,400 to 2,700 personnel.

By combining Frulact's 11 production units in eight countries with Nexture's 13 existing sites, Nexture enhances its European presence while expanding into high-growth markets such as North America and Africa, providing customers with exceptional strategic closeness and support. With a global network of 20 R&D centres, Nexture has become an innovation powerhouse, fuelling a steady supply of customised solutions based on regional trends and consumer preferences.

Frulact, headquartered in Porto (Portugal), employs over 850 people and operates 11 facilities and 9 R&D centres in Europe (Portugal, France, Switzerland, and Germany), North America (Canada and the United States), and Africa (Morocco and South Africa), selling its products in over 50 countries and generating approximately €265 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. The company has enhanced innovation capabilities through 9 R&D centres worldwide, a large range of patented formulations, including on-trend products linked with clean label and wellness movements, and strong customer partnerships in key countries. With cutting-edge production facilities and a dedication to ingredient innovation, the company's ambition to transform the food industry is perfectly matched with Nexture's high operating standards and customer-centric approach.

Nexture, headquartered in Italy, exemplifies a focused worldwide buy-and-build approach backed by Investindustrial's Operational Improvement Advisory Team experience. CEO Gabriele Del Torchio has been instrumental in spearheading this globalisation journey, and Nexture is thrilled to welcome Frulact's management team, led by CEO Dinorah Mandic, to an extraordinarily brilliant Nexture team.

The acquisition is scheduled to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to typical closing circumstances such as regulatory clearances.

Nexture's financial adviser was Nomura, Investindustrial Capital Markets advised on the structuring of the financing aspects of the transaction, Slaughter & May and Uria acted as M&A legal advisers, Paul, Weiss acted as legal adviser as to financing, Investindustrial Operational Improvement Advisory Team and McKinsey & Company advised on the commercial and operational due diligence, and PricewaterhouseCoopers advised on financial, tax, and IT due diligence.

Source: CSM Ingredients