Upfield Group to buy plant-based cheese maker Arivia

Upfield Europe has signed an agreement to acquire Violife brand owner Arivia for an undisclosed sum.

Headquartered in Greece, Arivia is engaged in the production of plant-based dairy and dairy-free products, primarily made with coconut oil, which are offered to customers in a wide range of flavours and formats.

Upfield Group 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.”

The deal is expected to provide a platform to Upfield to enter a new segment while offering an additional growth opportunity for the company.

Upon completion of the deal, Violife will be part of the Upfield portfolio, which includes brands such as Flora, Rama, Country Crock, Blue Band and Proactiv.

The combination of Arivia’s brand and product proposition, along with the marketing expertise, infrastructure and worldwide distribution network of Upfield, is expected to fast-track the growth of the plant-based cheese segment across the globe.

Arivia CEO Anthimos Misailidis said: “Our entire team is extremely pleased to become part of the Upfield family and pursue our common goals for more sustainable, higher quality and delicious alternatives to dairy products.

“Being firmly committed to growing consumer satisfaction, we are fully convinced that Upfield’s global footprint, combined with Arivia’s unique product offerings, will act as a catalyst towards increased availability of premium, plant-based products across all retail and foodservice outlets.”

The deal is expected to close over the next three months after securing customary regulatory approvals.