VitHit sold to Nichols for €75m as the Vimto owner moves into functional drinks

Nichols plc, the UK soft drinks group behind Vimto, has acquired VitHit Limited for a total cash consideration of €75.0 million – roughly £64 million – on a debt-free, cash-free basis. The deal was confirmed via a London Stock Exchange regulatory announcement on 10 August 2026. The acquisition has been funded entirely from cash on Nichols’ balance sheet. Following completion, Nichols says it remains net cash positive on a pro forma basis at 30 June 2026, and a new revolving credit facility from NatWest will support working capital going forward.

VitHit is an Irish functional vitamin drinks brand founded in Dublin in 2001 by Gary Lavin – a former professional rugby player who turned out for Leinster and Harlequins before a knee injury ended his playing career. The brand competes across three formats: still PET bottles, canned sparkling, and effervescent powder sachets. Its products contain eight vitamins, are low-sugar, and low-calorie. VitHit holds a 42% share of the UK functional drinks category by volume and is the leading functional drinks brand in the Republic of Ireland, with 97% market distribution. The brand sells across 13 international markets in grocery, convenience, foodservice, and specialist retail. For calendar year 2025, VitHit generated revenue of €26.5 million and adjusted operating profit of €4.2 million – an operating margin of 15.8%. Lavin will step down following completion of the transaction.