Nichols accelerates functional drinks strategy with acquisition of VITHIT
Nichols, the international soft drinks business behind the much-loved Vimto brand, has today announced the acquisition of VITHIT, the Dublin-based functional drinks business and UK’s leading single-serve vitamin drinks brand.
The acquisition represents a significant strategic milestone for Nichols, strengthening its portfolio in one of the fastest-growing areas of the soft drinks market and further expanding its presence in functional beverages.
VITHIT is the market leader in UK single-serve vitamin drinks, with a 42% share of the category, and is also the number one functional drinks brand in the Republic of Ireland, with 97% market distribution. The brand is already sold in 15 international territories, with strong customer relationships across grocery, convenience, foodservice and specialist retail channels. The acquisition complements Nichols’ recent investment in functional drinks, following the successful launch of Vimto Wonderfuel and the planned launch of Myprotein Water later this year, creating a broader portfolio that meets growing consumer demand for beverages combining great taste with added health and wellness benefits.
The UK functional drinks market is now worth £5.8 billion and continues to grow strongly, increasing by 10% between 2025 and 2026, as consumers increasingly seek healthier refreshment options.1
By combining VITHIT’s category-leading expertise with Nichols’ established customer relationships, international distribution network and brand-building capabilities, the business believes it is well placed to accelerate the brand’s growth both in the UK and internationally.
The acquisition aligns with Nichols’ long-term growth strategy and its focus on building a portfolio of differentiated soft drinks brands that strengthens its UK packaged business with exposure to strong consumer appeal and attractive growth categories.
Andrew Milne, Chief Executive Officer of Nichols, said:
“We are delighted to announce the acquisition of VITHIT – an outstanding brand with a differentiated product operating in a structurally growing soft drinks category. With its established market position, alignment with our asset-light operating model, proven profitability and significant headroom for growth, VITHIT perfectly fits the acquisition profile we have been looking for and is fully aligned with our long-term growth strategy.
The brand has built strong market positions in both Ireland and the United Kingdom, supported by a differentiated consumer proposition, high levels of customer loyalty and – above all – a great tasting portfolio of functional soft drinks.
We believe Nichols is ideally placed to accelerate VITHIT’s development through our commercial capabilities, customer relationships, route-to-market expertise and international infrastructure.
The acquisition is expected to be immediately earnings enhancing, generate attractive returns for shareholders and strengthen our ability to deliver sustainable long-term growth.
We are delighted to welcome the VITHIT team to Nichols and look forward to working together to realise the significant opportunities ahead.”
Gary Lavin, Founder of VITHIT, said:
“Building VITHIT has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and choosing who would take the business and the brand forward was one of the biggest decisions I’ve ever made.
I was looking for a company that shared our values, believed in the long-term potential of VITHIT and recognised the incredible team that has built the business. I found that in Nichols.
“With over a century of experience in building much-loved drinks brands, Nichols is a great home for VITHIT, sharing our ambition to continue investing in our brand, our people and our future.
I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together over the last 26 years, and I have every confidence that, with Nichols, VITHIT has an exciting future ahead.”