Freshfields advises Cinven and Vitamin Well Group on debt financing for combination with EMPWR

Global law firm Freshfields is advising Cinven and its portfolio company Vitamin Well Group on the debt financing of Vitamin Well's combination with EMPWR, a well-established nutrition bar manufacturer, from Waterland Private Equity. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals.

Established in 2006 and headquartered in Stockholm, Vitamin Well is a high-growth functional food and beverage business, offering premium products for health-conscious and active consumers, including Barebells, Vitamin Well and NOCCO.

EMPWR is a Belgium-headquartered contract development and manufacturing organisation of nutritional bars, operating four manufacturing facilities in Croatia, the Netherlands, the United States and Canada. EMPWR has been an important manufacturing partner for Vitamin Well for some time, producing the full range of Barebells bars for markets globally.

This transaction will support Barebells’ growth acceleration and be positive for all existing EMPWR customers, with current manufacturing relationships expected to remain unchanged following the transaction.

The Freshfields team is led by partners Aled Batey and Haden Henderson, supported by senior associate Elio Gaarthuis and associate Ellie Piggott.