VEVEY, SWITZERLAND – Nestle Health Science, a business unit of Nestle SA, has entered into an agreement to acquire Vital Proteins, a manufacturer of collagen-based foods, beverages and supplements. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Once the transaction is completed, Vital Proteins will operate as a standalone company within Nestle Health Science and remain headquartered in Chicago. Kurt Seidensticker, founder and chief executive officer of Vital Proteins, will continue as leader of the business.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Nestle Health Science to enter a growing area of nutrition with a successful brand,” said Greg Behar, CEO of Nestle Health Science. “Our companies share the belief that nothing is more important than health, and everything we do is focused on that belief. In combining our efforts to optimize health through nutrition, we can achieve even more to help our consumers live fuller, more vibrant lives.”

The acquisition complements Nestle Health Science’s other vitamin and wellness brands, including Atrium Innovations, Garden of Life, Pure Encapsulations and Persona, according to the company.

“Joining NHSc allows us to take Vital Proteins to the next level by leveraging resources, scale and capabilities, and moving toward a future with an expanded offering of science-backed products,” Mr. Seidensticker said.

Vital Proteins has 150 stock-keeping units across 35,000 retail stores in North America and Europe, including Whole Foods, Costco, Target, Walgreens and Kroger, according to Nestle.