Vivify Specialty Ingredients, a portfolio company of Gryphon Investors, has acquired AuNutra Industries, expanding its presence in the nutraceutical and supplement markets while broadening its specialty ingredient portfolio.
Founded in 2003, AuNutra supplies standardized botanical extracts, herb powders, vitamins, amino acids, and other nutritional ingredients to customers across the nutraceutical and supplement industries.
The acquisition complements Vivify’s existing portfolio of specialty colorants, additives, and ingredients used across food and beverage, personal care and cosmetics, nutraceutical, and industrial applications.
Vivify expects the combination to strengthen its position in high-growth health and wellness markets by pairing AuNutra’s botanical and specialty nutritional ingredients with Vivify’s capabilities in natural colors and other ingredient solutions.
The transaction also expands Vivify’s North American distribution footprint. AuNutra is headquartered in Chino, California, giving Vivify an additional West Coast presence and broader access to customers and suppliers across the region.
Together, the companies plan to offer customers a wider ingredient portfolio, more technical expertise, and an expanded sales and support network. Vivify said the combined capabilities should also help customers accelerate innovation and speed products to market.
AuNutra founder Kava Liu will remain a significant investor in the combined organization and plans to continue supporting its growth strategy.
Gryphon Investors has been working with Vivify to broaden the company’s product capabilities and expand its position across specialty ingredient markets. AuNutra adds additional supplier relationships, customer connections, and technical expertise within the nutraceutical and supplement sectors.
Genoa Partners served as exclusive financial advisor to AuNutra Industries in connection with the transaction.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are excited to welcome AuNutra to Vivify. This move strengthens our position in the exciting and high growth markets of nutraceuticals and supplements. AuNutra offers a diverse range of botanical and herbal extracts as well as other specialty ingredients which are a strong complement to Vivify’s strength in natural color. Our combined teams will support the innovation needs and speed to market that customers in this industry value.”
Brian Leen, CEO Of Vivify
“I am proud of what our team has built at AuNutra and am excited about what we can accomplish as part of Vivify. The combination provides additional scale, resources, and capabilities that will allow us to better serve our customers and suppliers while creating new opportunities for our employees. I continue to be a significant investor and look forward to continuing to support our growth strategy as part of the combined organization.”
Kava Liu, Founder Of AuNutra
“AuNutra is a highly complementary addition to Vivify and represents another important step in the Company’s growth. Since partnering with Vivify, we have focused on expanding the Company’s product capabilities and positioning it as an increasingly valuable partner to customers across attractive specialty ingredient markets. AuNutra brings differentiated expertise, excellent suppliers and strong customer relationships in the attractive nutraceuticals and supplements end markets.”
Tim Bradley, Deal Partner In Gryphon’s Heritage Group
