Arla Foods Ingredients has reached an agreement to acquire Volac’s whey nutrition business.
 
The UK-based Volac group specializes in turning whey into ingredients for sports nutrition, with byproducts sold for food and animal nutrition. The company’s key whey processing facility is located in Felinfach, Wales.
 
Arla Foods Ingredients will acquire the whey nutrition division of Volac’s business by purchasing shares in Volac Whey Nutrition Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries. The transaction is expected to be completed by later this year, subject to regulatory approvals.
 
Arla Foods Ingredients envisions that the Felinfach site can serve as a global production hub and cornerstone of an enhanced product offering in the performance, health, and food sectors.
 
For Volac, the sale of its whey business serves as a natural next step to optimally develop both its whey nutrition business and its remaining animal nutrition business, according to the company.
 
“This brings together two complementary offerings in a growing and increasingly international space for whey products,” said Luis Cubel, vice president and managing director of Arla Foods Ingredients. “Volac is a pioneer in the use of whey protein for performance nutrition and has a wealth of expertise as well as an incredibly talented team. It shares our commitment to helping companies worldwide harness the full potential of whey, and we’re hugely excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.”
 
“Whey processing started at the Felinfach site more than three decades ago, and we couldn’t be prouder of everything that’s been achieved by everyone involved in the business since then,” said James Neville, joint owner of Volac. ‘When considering the future of Volac Whey Nutrition and the opportunities that lie ahead for that business, it was crucial for us to choose a partner with the right values and expertise. Arla Foods Ingredients has the ambition and the knowledge to take the business to the next level.”