Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Nutraceuticals
October 7, 2015

Acquisition of BIOCENTURY, Leading Spanish Health and Functional Food Company

  • Otsuka Pharmaceutical subsidiary Nutrition & Santé (N&S), has reached an agreement to acquire BIOCENTURY, a leading Spanish health and functional foods company.
  • BIOCENTURY is well known for manufacturing and marketing of slimming diet foods in Spain.
  • N&S plans to position the BIOCENTURY plant as a significant European production site, targeting enhancement of business across Spain, an important market for N&S.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Tokyo, Japan; President: Tatsuo Higuchi) subsidiary Nutrition & Santé (Head Office: Revel, France; hereafter N&S) has announced the acquisition of BIOCENTURY, a leading Spanish health and functional foods company, on October 5, 2015. Through this acquisition, N&S will become the top purveyor of slimming foods in Spanish supermarkets.

BIOCENTURY was established in 1980 upon the philosophy that 'Eating well helps people to improve their health & beauty.' Over the intervening 35 years, the company has expanded sales of health and slimming foods in its home market of Spain. In 1992, BIOCENTURY launched the first meal-replacement cereal bars in Spain, followed by a line of breakfast alternative rice cake products in 1997, both which are widely supported by consumers nationwide. The company became part of the Agrolimen Group*1 in 2003.

Headquartered in Barcelona, BIOCENTURY operates a plant located in Quart, near Girona, an area in proximity to the Spanish and French borders. The acquisition of unique BIOCENTURY industrial technologies and production facilities will help accelerate N&S' European business expansion plans.

"We look forward to working with BIOCENTURY's team to accelerate the growth of the Brand. The Spanish market offers great opportunities, BIOCENTURY has earned the respect, admiration and loyalty of its clients and consumers" says Didier Suberbielle, CEO of N&S.

"I am fully confident that Nutrition & Santé together with BIOCENTURY's management team will continue to develop the potential of BIOCENTURY and take it to new heights." comments Joan Cornudella, CEO of Agrolimen.

Otsuka Pharmaceuticals began international expansion of their neutraceuticals business in 1982, with the launch of POCARI SWEAT in Hong Kong and Taiwanese markets. The 1982 acquisition of U.S.-based Pharmavite set the stage for international expansion of Naturemade, the top U.S. brand*2 of nutritional supplements. In 2009, Otsuka acquired N&S, and is currently expanding the N&S line of health and functional foods, including the popular Gerble and Milical brands, into new European and other markets. The 2014 acquisition of Brazilian health food company Jasmine created a foothold for development of South American markets.

Based on its corporate philosophy of "Otsuka - people creating new products for better health worldwide," Otsuka Pharmaceutical will continue to contribute to the health and wellbeing of people around the world.

  1. 1The Agrolimen Group manufactures food and consumer goods including soups and stock cubes, meat products, pet food and diapers.
  2. 2The top U.S. retail brand of nutritional supplements for eight consecutive years since 2007. Pharmavite calculation based in part on data reported by Nielsen through its Scantrack® service for the Dietary Supplements category in dollar and unit sales, for the 52-week period ending 12/29/2007 and 12/28/2008 in US Food Drug Mass channels; and for the 52-week periods ending 12/26/2009, 12/25/2010, 12/24/2011, 1/5/2013, 1/4/2014, and 1/3/2015 in US xAOC channels. ©2015 The Nielsen Company

Company Profile

ABOUT BIOCENTURY, S.L.U.

ABOUT NUTRITION & SANTÉ Group