IMCD Acquires Willows Ingredients, Bolstering UK & Ireland Nutrition Arm

ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands – February 20, 2026 – Global specialty chemical and ingredient distributor IMCD N.V. has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Willows Ingredients Group Limited, an Irish-based distributor renowned for its expertise in the health, sports, and animal nutrition sectors. The move signals a significant strategic push to deepen IMCD’s capabilities and market share across the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Willows Ingredients, which generated approximately EUR 26 million in revenue in 2024, will be fully integrated into IMCD, a powerhouse that reported EUR 4,779 million in revenues for 2025. The transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, is slated for completion in the first quarter of 2026 and represents a key step in IMCD’s ongoing expansion within the high-value food and nutrition industry.

A Strategic Play in a High-Growth Market

This acquisition is far more than a simple expansion of territory; it is a calculated move aligned with IMCD’s aggressive and well-established M&A strategy. The company, which completed 12 acquisitions in 2024 alone, has a history of targeting businesses that offer specialized expertise and strengthen its position in key growth sectors. The purchase of Willows Ingredients follows a pattern of strategic consolidation in the region, including the 2022 acquisition of Evenlode Foods Ltd, which also bolstered its UK and Irish food ingredient portfolio.

The addition of Willows Ingredients provides IMCD with a dedicated team of 26 employees celebrated for their technical acumen and deep-rooted customer relationships in niche but rapidly expanding markets. This human capital is as valuable as the product portfolio itself, providing IMCD with immediate, on-the-ground expertise in specialized nutrition.

Paul Hanbury, Managing Director of IMCD UK & Ireland, highlighted the strategic fit. “This acquisition represents an important step in developing our food & nutrition activities across the region,” he commented. “Willows Ingredients has built an impressive portfolio of nutrition ingredients, and the team brings long-standing trusted customer relationships and valuable expertise across Ireland and the UK. By combining their strengths with IMCD’s global reach and formulation capabilities, we can create even greater opportunities for our customers and principals.”

Tapping into Powerful Consumer-Driven Trends

The timing of the acquisition positions IMCD to capitalize on powerful, long-term consumer trends that are reshaping the food industry. Modern consumers are increasingly demanding products that support health and wellness, feature clean and transparent labels, and align with sustainable and plant-based lifestyles. There is also surging interest in foods tailored to specific dietary needs, such as sugar-free, vegan, and calorie-reduced options.

Willows Ingredients' focus on health, sports, and animal nutrition places it at the epicenter of these trends. The sports nutrition market continues its upward trajectory, while the demand for functional ingredients that offer tangible health benefits—from cognitive function to gut health—is at an all-time high. By integrating Willows' specialized portfolio, IMCD enhances its ability to supply the innovative ingredients that food and beverage manufacturers need to meet this evolving consumer demand. This move allows the global distributor to offer a more comprehensive suite of solutions, from texturizers and sweeteners to highly specialized proteins and nutraceuticals, directly to a market hungry for innovation.

Reshaping the Regional Ingredient Landscape

The deal is set to alter the competitive dynamics of ingredient distribution in the UK and Ireland. While the market includes global giants like Brenntag and Univar Solutions, IMCD's targeted acquisition of a respected specialist like Willows gives it a distinct advantage in high-margin niche segments. This intensifies competition by combining the agility and focused expertise of a local player with the vast resources, digital infrastructure, and global supply chain of an industry leader.

For food manufacturers in the region, the acquisition promises significant benefits. They gain access to a broader and more sophisticated ingredient portfolio, backed by IMCD’s global formulation labs and technical support network. This synergy can accelerate product development cycles and enable the creation of more complex and innovative products that were previously harder to source and formulate.

David Scrivens, Managing Director of Willows Ingredients, expressed optimism about the future under IMCD's ownership. “We are proud of the strong customer relationships our team has built in the specialised nutrition space,” Scrivens stated. “By joining IMCD, we gain access to a global platform that will enable us to support our partners even more effectively. We look forward to contributing our knowledge and working alongside our new colleagues to deliver enhanced solutions for the market.” This sentiment underscores the potential for the combined entity to drive market growth and innovation from within the region.

As IMCD leverages its well-honed integration process, which is built on a culture of entrepreneurship and operational excellence, the focus will be on seamlessly merging Willows’ capabilities. The successful integration will not only expand IMCD’s product lines but also solidify its standing as a premier, go-to partner for food and nutrition solutions in one of Europe’s most dynamic consumer markets.