As PepsiCo continues to expand into health trends and the better-for-you segment, the company announced its acquisition of Health Warrior, Inc., a U.S.-based nutrition-forward company that makes plant-based products including nutrition bars and on-trend offerings.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the innovative Health Warrior brand to the PepsiCo family,” said Al Carey, chief executive officer of PepsiCo North America. “We continue to position ourselves at the forefront of changing consumer preferences and trends. This acquisition helps us increase our presence in the nutrition bar category, which is an attractive growth space.”
The company was founded in 2011 by a group of college friends, Dan Gluck, Nick Morris and current Chief Executive Officer Shane Emmett, who wanted to make nutrient-dense foods more accessible to more Americans, according to a press release. The company makes products that contain plant-based superfood ingredients and are lower in sugar. Health Warrior products are made from nutrient-dense, non-GMO and gluten-free ingredients. Its current offerings include nutrition bars made with chia and pumpkin seeds and other plant-based protein offerings like mug muffins and protein powder.
“We’re fired up to join PepsiCo and continue to put nutritious options within reach of significantly more people,” said Emmett. “With a shared mission to help create healthy relationships between people and food, PepsiCo is the ideal partner to bring our nutrient-dense, plant-forward offerings to even more consumers and considerably accelerate Health Warrior’s growth. This is the whole reason we started the company.”
Health Warrior will help expand PepsiCo’s healthy portfolio
This acquisition will help PepsiCo’s continued expansion of their nutrition portfolio. The beverage giant has purchased companies like Bare Foods, maker of baked fruit and vegetable snacks, along with taking stakes in hummus maker Sabra and KeVita, a probiotics beverage manufacturer and maker of kombucha.
Major players in the beverage industry continue to compete to remain up to date with trends. PepsiCo rival, Coca Cola, recently acquired BodyArmor, a line of energy drinks that have no artificial colors or flavors that is made with potassium and other electrolytes, vitamins and coconut water. Coca Cola had also acquired mineral water company Topo Chico, while Pepsi acquired SodaStream, maker of the do-it-yourself sparkling water household devices that turn tap water into sparkling water.