Danone has secured UK regulatory approval for its proposed acquisition of Huel, clearing a significant hurdle in the French food group’s push to expand in the fast-growing nutrition market.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it had cleared the transaction after opening a preliminary investigation last month into whether the deal could weaken competition.
Danone agreed to acquire the British protein powder and shake maker in March. Neither company disclosed the purchase price, but the transaction has been reported to value Huel at about €1bn (£860mn).
The acquisition gives Danone a rapidly expanding consumer brand with a strong position in powders, ready-to-drink shakes, snack bars and other products marketed around convenient nutrition.
For Danone, the deal extends a portfolio that already includes Aptamil and Cow & Gate infant formula, Activia and Actimel yoghurt, and Evian and Volvic bottled water.
The company said the acquisition would strengthen its position in nutrition and provide further opportunities for international growth. Huel, founded in Hertfordshire by Julian Hearn in 2015, has expanded from its original range of nutritionally complete meal replacements into a broader consumer business sold through both direct-to-consumer channels and retailers.
The CMA’s clearance removes a potential regulatory obstacle to the transaction after the authority invited views from interested parties on whether the combination could reduce competition.
The decision also highlights the growing strategic value of brands positioned between traditional food and specialised nutrition products, as consumers increasingly seek convenient products that combine health claims with mass-market appeal.
Huel has attracted substantial attention beyond the nutrition sector, helped in part by a roster of high-profile investors. Steven Bartlett, the entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den star, was previously a director and investor in the company, while actor Idris Elba and broadcaster Jonathan Ross have also invested.
Huel has faced scrutiny over its marketing as it has expanded. An advertisement featuring Bartlett was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority in 2024 after the regulator found that the commercial relationship had not been adequately disclosed.
For Danone, however, the regulatory clearance leaves the company free to focus on integrating Huel and turning its international growth ambitions into revenue.
The transaction represents a bet that the market for convenient, protein-rich and nutritionally focused food will continue to expand, while giving Huel access to the scale, distribution networks and international reach of one of the world’s largest food and beverage groups.
The approval means the deal can proceed without remedies imposed by the UK competition regulator, bringing Danone closer to adding one of Britain’s best-known modern nutrition brands to its global portfolio.
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