Marico buys 58% stake in plant-based brand for $45 million

Indian FMCG major Marico is acquiring a 58% stake in a plant-based brand for $45 million, expanding its consumer portfolio into the healthy/plant-based food and beverage category.

— FiledSun, 5 Jul, 2026, 05:18 IST·First seen Sun, 5 Jul, 2026, 05:18 IST·Source ET BrandEquity

What happened

Indian FMCG major Marico is acquiring a 58% stake in a plant-based brand for $45 million, expanding its consumer product portfolio into the healthy/plant-based

Key facts

  • 58% stake
  • $45 million

Why this matters

This majority-stake acquisition establishes a comparable valuation benchmark (~$78M implied enterprise value) for plant-based FMCG assets and confirms strategic buyers favor control positions over full buyouts.

What to watch

  • Quarterly disclosure of digital-first brands' revenue mix and burn
  • Follow-on stake purchase or call-option exercise announcements
  • Competitor moves by HUL, ITC, Tata Consumer in plant-based
  • Same-store velocity and repeat-purchase rates for acquired brand
  • Cross-sell plant-based SKUs through Marico's modern-trade and e-commerce channels
  • Rationalize supply chain and co-manufacturing to lift gross margins
  • Retain founding team via earnout tied to revenue milestones
  • Bundle brand under Saffola/health umbrella for marketing efficiency