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Upfield, described as the global leader of plant-based butter and spreads, has announced it has secured a deal to acquire Arivia, the Greek owner of the Violife cheese alternative brand, for an undisclosed sum.
Founded in the 1990s, Arivia develops a range of plant-based dairy and dairy-free products, using mainly coconut oil. Its products include dairy-free alternatives to cheddar, mozzarella and cream cheese. The firm’s flagship Violife brand is claimed to be the number one plant-based cheese brand in the UK.
“The combination of Arivia’s brand and product proposition, and Upfield’s brand-marketing expertise, infrastructure and worldwide distribution network – including in the food service channel – will create a unique opportunity to accelerate the growth of the plant-based cheese segment globally”, Upfield said, noting that the plant-based cheese market was growing “at an increasing pace, and on a global scale”.
Commenting on the transaction, Upfield CEO David Haines said: “This acquisition is aligned with our growth strategy and mission to be the global authority in plant-based foods. Consumers are increasingly demanding quality, natural and tasty alternatives to dairy products, and welcoming Arivia products into the Upfield family, will enable us to go further in meeting those demands, whilst growing our plant-based offering”.
Source: Upfield (via PR Newswire) / Arivia
