Iwan Thomas comments in Business Green on the acquisition of Huel by Danone

In March, the French food and beverage giant Danone continued its expansion into the 'complete nutrition' market, by purchasing Huel for $1bn. Huel's range of hot meals, functional beverages, powders, and ready-to-drink shakes, are said to have been identified by Danone as aligning well with its existing portfolio.

Huel's growth has seen it focus on solving a practical consumer problem: providing convenient food for time‑poor, health‑conscious consumers. Sustainability is presented as a trust factor and added benefit, which has helped the brand appeal to a wide audience beyond vegans and vegetarians. Additionally, the brand has built direct customer relationships over time, with this community of customers acting as a major differentiator.  

Such strong direct‑to‑consumer relationships, community‑led marketing, and a clear focus on everyday usage have underpinned Huel's growth, therefore making it an informative example of how challenger brands can build scale, loyalty, and long‑term value in the evolving food and beverage market.

Iwan Thomas, Associate in our Corporate team, comments in Business Green:

Huel chose repeated exposure over momentary attention, using fitness and lifestyle influencers to showcase the product in everyday settings. Critically, it invested early in owning its customer relationships through direct sales and subscription, rather than relying on supermarket shelf space, a vulnerability that proved fatal for many plant-based peers when retailers cut back on underperforming ranges.

Read the full article in Business Green here.