Vimto manufacturer Nichols has pounced on Irish vitamin drink brands VitHit in a €75m (£64m) cash-only deal.
Founded in 2001, VitHit offers a range of low-calorie still and sparkling drinks fortified with vitamins and minerals. It took €26.5m in sales in the year to 31 December 2025.
The brand has grown rapidly in recent years thanks to growing consumer concern over nutrition, averaging 9.5% growth over the past three years and nearly doubling in size overall since 2021.
It made an adjusted operating profit of €4.2m and adjusted PBT of €4.1m last year, and like Nichols uses an asset-light operating model.
Nichols said the acquisition – subject to approximately £2.5m of transaction costs – would immediately boost its bottom line.
VitHit’s Dublin office has been retained in the acquisition, and Nichols will be supported by the company’s management team, some of whom will then depart after a “smooth transition”.
VitHit chairman and founder Gary Lavin has stepped aside.
“With its established market position, alignment with our asset-light operating model, proven profitability and significant headroom for growth, VITHIT perfectly fits the acquisition profile we have been looking for and is fully aligned with our long-term growth strategy,” said Nichols CEO Andrew Milne.
He added the brand had built “strong market positions” in both the UK and Ireland, supported by a differentiated consumer proposition, high customer loyalty and “above all, a great tasting portfolio”.
“Nichols is ideally placed to accelerate VitHit’s development through our commercial capabilities, customer relationships, route-to-market expertise and international infrastructure,” Milne added. “A significant opportunity exists to expand distribution across the Group’s existing customer base.”
Lavin said he was proud of VitHit’s achievements after more than 25 years at the helm.
“We consider Nichols the ideal partner to support the next stage of the brand’s development,” he said.
“Nichols brings proven brand-building expertise, strong customer relationships and significant commercial capabilities, while sharing our long-term approach to growth.”
Nichols hiked its dividend by a third in late July, after reporting strong first-half results. Group revenue grew 4.7% in the half year to 30 June 2026, as Nichols took £89.5m in sales, supporting a bump to profits. adjusted operating profit increased 3.7% to £14.1m and adjusted profit before tax edged up to £15m.
No comments yet