Private equity firm Bain Capital said Friday it has agreed to acquire British nutritional supplements maker Vitabiotics, including its Indian unit Meyer Organics, as it charts international expansion.
The acquisition of the wider VB Group includes Vitabiotics’ operations in Africa, including VB Egypt, the PE firm said in a statement. It didn’t disclose terms of the transaction but said its Asia private equity team will lead the investment.
Bain said that the UK will remain central to Vitabiotics’ brand, adding that there will be no “immediate” changes to day-to-day operations. The company will remain focussed on delivering for customers, partners and consumers, while investing in areas including digital capabilities, e-commerce, international distribution, supply chain resilience and new product development, the PE firm said.
The Boston, Massachusetts-headquartered PE firm said it will support Vitabiotics by bringing local market knowledge in India, along with sector expertise, portfolio resources and global capabilities. Vitabiotics will continue to scale its brands, strengthen its international platform and invest in long-term growth within key markets such as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and China.
“Our India team has deep experience partnering with healthcare and consumer businesses, and we look forward to supporting Vitabiotics’ next phase of growth,” said Bain partner Pawan Singh.
Vitabiotics was founded by British entrepreneur Kartar Lalvani in 1971. Lalvani was born before India’s partition in Karachi, in what is now Pakistan. His family shifted to India after the partition. Lalvani later studied in Britain and set up his business.
The company has been led by his son Tej Lalvani for the last decade, during which he led product launches and partnerships.
The Vitabiotics Group has built a presence across India, China, Egypt and the wider MENA region. It offers vitamins and mineral-based food supplements, with products spanning key health areas and life stages, including pregnancy, men’s and women’s health, beauty, and family nutrition. The company’s portfolio of supplements and nutritional brands includes Pregnacare, Perfectil, Wellman, Wellwoman, Osteocare, and Ultra.
