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Marico acquires 60% stake in D2C nutrition startup Cosmix

EntrackrEntrackr · 20d ago
Marico acquires 60% stake in D2C nutrition startup Cosmix
Medial

Marico acquires 60% stake in D2C nutrition startup Cosmix Mumbai-based multinational consumer goods company Marico has acquired a 60% majority stake in Cosmix, a startup that sells plant-based protein supplements, at an equity valuation of Rs 375 crore. With this deal, Marico expands its D2C presence by adding another brand. The acquisition brings a protein-focused brand into Marico’s D2C portfolio. Founded in 2019, Cosmix operates as a digital-first nutrition brand with a focus on plant-based protein and wellness products. The startup sells primarily through its own website and online marketplaces. Cosmix has remained profitable since inception and reported revenue of around Rs 50 crore in FY25, compared to Rs 24 crore in FY24. According to the company, it has scaled to an ARR of Rs 100 crore. Marico has been actively acquiring and scaling D2C brands over the past few years. In 2017, it acquired men’s grooming brand Beardo. As per TheKredible, Beardo’s revenue crossed Rs 200 crore in FY25, while its profit increased 3.6 times on a year-on-year basis. Apart from Beardo, Marico’s D2C portfolio includes brands such as Plix, True Elements, and Just Herbs. The development follows a similar move in the FMCG sector, where Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) acquired homegrown skincare brand Minimalist last year at a pre-money valuation of Rs 2,955 crore.

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Cosmix by the numbers: What Marico gets in its latest D2C acquisition

EntrackrEntrackr · 20d ago
Cosmix by the numbers: What Marico gets in its latest D2C acquisition
Medial

Continuing its acquisition spree, Mumbai-based multinational consumer goods company Marico has announced the purchase of a 60% majority stake in plant-based protein supplements brand Cosmix, shortly after acquiring snacking brand 4700BC. Cosmix more than doubled its operating scale in the fiscal year ended March 2025 while its profit nearly tripled and has remained profitable since its inception. With this acquisition, Marico has added another brand to its growing D2C portfolio, which includes plant-based nutrition brand Plix, True Elements, Just Herbs, and men’s grooming brand Beardo. To understand the financial drivers behind the acquisition, Entrackr analysed Cosmix’s numbers based on its regulatory filings, along with market signals that appear to have reinforced Marico’s conviction. Cosmix’s revenue from operations more than doubled to Rs 50.93 crore in FY25 from Rs 24.2 crore in FY24. Founded in 2019, Cosmix operates as a digital-first nutrition brand focused on plant-based protein and wellness products, including protein bars, protein pancakes, multivitamins, and immunity boosters. The startup sells its products through its own website and third-party online marketplaces. Sales of these products were the sole source of Cosmix’s operating revenue in FY25. In addition, the company earned Rs 25 lakh as interest on deposits in the last fiscal, which pushed its total income to Rs 51.18 crore. Cosmix is a bootstrapped company and claims to have scaled to an ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) of Rs 100 crore. Advertising was the largest expense for the D2C firm, accounting for 34% of total expenditure, and doubled year-on-year to Rs 13.52 crore in FY25. The cost of materials was another major expense at Rs 11.2 crore and also doubled during the year, in line with revenue growth. Importantly, the firm’s employee benefits expenses stood at Rs 3.45 crore in the last fiscal which formed only 8.72% of its total costs. Other overheads including marketplace management, transport and courier charges, service retention fees, and software maintenance pushed total expenses to Rs 39.52 crore in FY25. The Bengaluru-based company’s revenue growth outpaced its expenses and led its profit to nearly triple to Rs 8.21 crore in FY25 from Rs 2.83 crore in FY24. The seven-year-old firm has remained profitable since inception, unlike most D2C companies. Its ROCE and EBITDA margin stood at 99.395 and 22.48%, respectively. On a unit level, Cosmix spent Rs 0.78 to earn a rupee. Its current assets were recorded at Rs 16.45 crore, with cash and bank balances of Rs 4.69 crore at the end of FY25. Like Marico, several legacy fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies are increasingly acquiring digital-first (D2C) startups to expand into high-growth categories such as health supplements, grooming, and personal care. Hindustan Unilever (HUL) acquired skincare brand Minimalist, ITC has bought healthy snacking company Yoga Bar, VLCC has picked up men’s grooming brand Ustraa, and Emami has acquired The Man Company, which highlights a broader shift by established FMCG players towards premium, online-native brands. A buy like Cosmix indicates strong conviction at a promoter level or high up in Marico (FY25 revenues of Rs 10,800 crores, PAT of Rs 1,593 crore), considering the relatively small size of the business. It’s not exactly the kind of purchase that will move the stock price either way. Cosmix founders would be expected to leverage Marico’s scale and resources to scale up faster than they would have, besides use their appreciated skills to support other businesses perhaps. One can only hope that Marico will be able to offer the flexibility and space for the Cosmix team to spread out without feeling the constrictions of large firm processes and bureaucracy, an affliction that has laid low expectations from many an acquisition over the years, when it is a large firm acquiring a startup.

USV acquires 79% stake in Wellbeing Nutrition at Rs 1,583 Cr valuation

EntrackrEntrackr · 13d ago
USV acquires 79% stake in Wellbeing Nutrition at Rs 1,583 Cr valuation
Medial

USV acquires 79% stake in Wellbeing Nutrition at Rs 1,583 Cr valuation Pharmaceutical major USV has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 79% stake in Nutritionalab Private Limited, the parent company of Wellbeing Nutrition, to enter India’s fast-growing direct-to-consumer nutraceutical and wellness market. The transaction values Wellbeing Nutrition at around Rs 1,583 crore. Founded in 2019, Wellbeing Nutrition operates in the nutraceutical segment with a product portfolio that includes vitamins, minerals, protein, collagen, omega supplements and other wellness products. The company sells through its own digital platform, online marketplaces and offline retail channels, and has a presence in international markets including the US, UK and UAE. Wellbeing Nutrition claimed revenue of around Rs 170 crore in FY25, with a loss of around Rs 30 crore. According to the company, it has recorded 120% growth over the past two years and is targeting revenue of over Rs 450 crore by FY27. According to startup data platform TheKredible, Wellbeing Nutrition has raised close to $14 million to date, including a $10 million Series B round led by Fireside Ventures and Hindustan Unilever (HUL) in December 2022. As part of the transaction, existing investors are set to exit partially or fully. HUL will sell its entire 19.8% stake to USV for about Rs 307 crore. HUL had invested around Rs 70 crore in Wellbeing Nutrition, and the exit translates into more than four times return on its original investment. Fireside Ventures and other early investors are also expected to dilute their holdings. USV has a six-decade presence in the Indian pharmaceutical market and is a leader in oral anti-diabetic and cardiovascular therapies, with brands such as Glycomet GP, Ecosprin and Roseday. The company is also the exclusive partner for Sebamed in India. With this acquisition, USV is expanding its portfolio beyond prescription medicines into preventive and lifestyle-focused wellness. This is the second major acquisition in India’s D2C space in 2026. Last week, Mumbai-based consumer goods major Marico acquired a 60% stake in plant-based protein startup Cosmix at an equity valuation of Rs 375 crore. The move comes amid a broader FMCG consolidation trend, following Hindustan Unilever Limited’s acquisition of skincare brand Minimalist last year at a pre-money valuation of Rs 2,955 crore.

Hindustan Unilever acquires remaining 49% stake in OZiva for Rs 824 Cr

EntrackrEntrackr · 11d ago
Hindustan Unilever acquires remaining 49% stake in OZiva for Rs 824 Cr
Medial

Hindustan Unilever acquires remaining 49% stake in OZiva for Rs 824 Cr Mumbai-based FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Limited has completed the acquisition of the remaining 49% stake in OZiva, operated through Zywie Ventures Private Limited, for a total consideration of Rs 824 crore. The transaction makes OZiva a wholly owned subsidiary of HUL. The deal shows a sharp jump in OZiva’s valuation. In December 2022, HUL had acquired a 51% stake in OZiva for a cash consideration of Rs 264.28 crore, which implied a valuation of around Rs 518 crore at the time. The latest transaction values the company at nearly Rs 1,682 crore and represents a more than threefold increase over a little more than three years. Founded in 2019, the six-year-old direct-to-consumer firm sells plant-based nutrition products across health, skin, hair, and general wellness categories. Prior to the HUL transaction, OZiva had raised around $17 million from investors such as Matrix Partners, Eight Road Ventures, and Stride Ventures. The company also reported a sharp improvement in operating performance. Its revenue from operations jumped 148% to Rs 258 crore in FY25 from Rs 104 crore in FY24 while losses declined 90% to Rs 4.5 crore in FY25 compared to Rs 43.5 crore in the previous fiscal. The deal follows a series of acquisitions in India’s D2C space this year. On Thursday, pharmaceutical major USV acquired a 79% stake in Wellbeing Nutrition. Earlier this month, Mumbai-based consumer goods major Marico acquired a 60% stake in plant-based protein startup Cosmix at an equity valuation of Rs 375 crore. The trend builds on last year’s consolidation, which included HUL’s acquisition of skincare brand Minimalist at a pre-money valuation of Rs 2,955 crore.

Oziva records flat growth under Hindustan Unilever in FY24

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Oziva records flat growth under Hindustan Unilever in FY24
Medial

D2C nutrition brand Oziva, which was acquired by FMCG giant Hindustan Unilever (HUL) in 2022, posted a flat scale during the fiscal year ending March 2024. Following a 20% decline in sales during FY23, the D2C nutrition brand posted a flat scale with a modest 4% increase to Rs 104 crore in FY24, the annual report of its parent company HUL shows. HUL said that Oziva recorded Rs 44 crore loss in the last fiscal year. In FY23, the firm registered a net profit of Rs 58.8 crore due to one-time gain of Rs 95.5 crore. However, if we exclude that other income, its losses stood at Rs 45.8 crore in FY23. This implies, Oziva’s scale and loss remained flat in the last financial year (FY24). It’s worth noting that it is the first full fiscal year for Oziva under Hindustan Unilever. The six-year-old D2C firm sells plant-based nutrition products for health, skin, hair, and general wellness. The sale of health and nutrition products was the sole revenue driver for the company. The company has raised around $17 million to date with the backing of Matrix Partners, Eight Road Ventures, and Stride Ventures. In December 2022, HUL acquired 51% stake in Oziva with the first tranche at a cash consideration of Rs 264.28 crore ($32 million). As per the annual report, Oziva was valued at Rs 361 crore ($43.5 million) using the multi-period excess earnings method. At the same time, HUL also acquired 19.8% of the stake in Wellbeing Nutrition for a cash consideration of Rs 70 crore. Founded by Avnish Chhabria, Wellbeing Nutrition is a whole-food nutrition company that uses plant-based ingredients to deliver wellness to individuals. The company is yet to disclose its FY24 results.

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