Nurture Brands has expanded into manufacturing with the acquisition of The Juice Executive for an undisclosed sum.
The latest deal for the plant-based fmcg group adds a premium range of fresh and HPP juices, functional shots, smoothies, cleanses and dairy-free nut milks to the portfolio.
Alexandra Auger started Juice Executive in her garage in 2014, moving into white-label supply the following year.
The business now makes drinks for brands across the UK from a 15,000 sq ft purpose-built facility in Kent and employs 21 staff. It also produces its own direct-to-consumer brand, Think Press.
A takeover of Juice 4 Thought, which specialised in premium, organic cold-pressed juice for hospitality, foodservice and indie customers across London, pushed the company into new markets in 2023.
Nurture Brands founder Ben Arbib said it was “an exciting step” for the group to expand the drinks offering into new categories.
“The Juice Executive not only gives us a sustainable, SALSA and Soil Association-certified manufacturing base but also the opportunity to bring exciting homegrown innovation to market for our customers.”
As part of the deal, Auger will stay on to lead the juice operation and also join Nurture Brands’ leadership team.
She added that joining Nurture Brands enabled the company to reach more consumers and expand into new channels.
Nurture MD Adam Draper said the acquisition wouldn’t impact any of Juice Executive’s own-label contracts. “We hope our group accreditations of B Corp, 1% for the Planet and carbon neutrality will be well received by the business’s current customer base,” he added.
Nurture has expanded rapidly since Arbib founded the group in 2019, building a portfolio of sustainable plant-based brands including Rebel Kitchen, Myracle Kitchen, Emily, Primal Pantry and Jax Coco.
Last year, it also added Indie Bay Snacks, Doisy & Dam and Abakus Foods to its line-up.
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