Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has acquired the remaining 49% stake in plant‑based nutrition brand OZiva for ₹824 crore, making the company a wholly owned HUL subsidiary. The deal underscores HUL’s strategic expansion into premium health and wellness as Indian consumers increasingly favour preventive healthcare and clean‑label nutrition.
HUL consolidates control of OZiva
HUL first bought a 51% stake in OZiva in 2022 with a view to scale the brand using its distribution, marketing and category expertise. By purchasing the remaining minority holding, HUL has moved to full ownership of the fast‑growing direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) player, signalling a shift from minority bets to larger, controlled investments in high‑growth segments.
Strategic rationale
The acquisition aligns with HUL’s “fewer, bigger bets” strategy, focused on health, beauty and wellbeing categories that show strong secular growth. Rising health awareness, urban lifestyle changes and higher disposable incomes among younger consumers have driven demand for supplements, plant‑based proteins and preventive nutrition in India.
Growth trajectory and integration
Founded in 2019, OZiva carved a niche with plant‑based protein powders, supplements and gender‑targeted formulations marketed as clean, transparent and science‑backed. Since HUL’s initial investment, OZiva has reported robust revenue growth and narrowing losses as scale and operational efficiencies improved.
Integration with HUL has accelerated OZiva’s offline distribution beyond its digital origins. Leveraging HUL’s extensive retail reach, the brand has been able to increase availability in both metro and non‑metro markets, an important step for converting urban digital success into broader national penetration.
Portfolio realignment
Concurrently, HUL has agreed to sell its minority stake in Nutritionalab Private Limited, parent of Wellbeing Nutrition, to USV Private Limited for ₹307 crore. The divestment reflects a deliberate preference to concentrate resources on businesses where HUL holds controlling stakes, simplifying integration and improving capital allocation.
Implications for the market and startups
The OZiva acquisition is part of a broader consolidation trend in India’s FMCG sector, where legacy players acquire digitally native brands to capture new‑age consumers and higher‑margin categories. Full ownership will allow HUL to deepen R&D, broaden OZiva’s product portfolio and exploit global sourcing and supply‑chain advantages.
For the startup ecosystem, the transaction highlights attractive exit opportunities in health and nutrition, and underscores how established FMCG groups are adapting to evolving consumer preferences by absorbing wellness‑focused innovators. Backed by HUL’s distribution and marketing muscle, OZiva is now positioned to compete more aggressively in the growing plant‑based and supplement market.
