Hasselt, September 19 – Today, founder Roger Anné, in collaboration with the Limburg investment company LRM and the management team, repurchased the shares of Aminolabs from Waterland Private Equity. With this move, Anné acquires a majority stake in the company he founded on September 10, 1993.
In those thirty years, Aminolabs grew into a leading player on a global scale in high-quality sports nutrition and dietary supplements. In 2015, Waterland Private Equity acquired a majority stake through one of its funds. This marked the beginning of a period of structural growth for Aminolabs.
During the eight years that Waterland Private Equity was involved, Aminolabs also made several acquisitions domestically and internationally, becoming one of the market leaders as a one-stop-shop contract manufacturer for the production of powders, capsules, and tablets. Today, Aminolabs is a global supplier to numerous brands of sports nutrition, dietary products, and dietary supplements.
In 2016, Aminolabs began producing functional food bars. This activity was spun off from Aminolabs four years later under the name EMPWR and grew into a company with over 160 million euros in revenue in 2022. Roger Anné and Waterland Private Equity remain joint shareholders of EMPWR.
Thirty Years of Aminolabs as a Turning Point
"Waterland Private Equity's involvement allowed Aminolabs to become one of the leading players in this sector. This thirtieth anniversary was the perfect moment to reassess our shareholder structure," says Roger Anné. "Back then, I founded Aminolabs with great ambition, and today, as the majority shareholder, I want to continue building our success story. I do so together with our management team and with the support of LRM. Our goal remains the same: we want to keep growing. Innovation and consistently delivering quality remain our pillars - more than ever."
Aminolabs operates in a strong growth market. It’s no longer just athletes who carefully watch their diet and take supplements. In addition to athletes, less athletic individuals are also increasingly paying attention to what they eat and how they can live healthier lives. They are increasingly opting for supplements and healthy snacks. In a society where awareness of ‘health’ continues to rise, Aminolabs aims to maintain and strengthen its position.
"The step we are taking today would not have been possible without the belief of Waterland Private Equity to invest in Aminolabs in 2015. We are very grateful to them for that," says Anné. "Today, we are realizing a management buy-out, where not only myself but also the management team acquires more than 10% of the ownership, and LRM also takes a minority stake. Thanks to this structure, we can continue to invest in innovation and keep growing. Together, we are firmly committed to an independent course. This combination allows us to continue writing the powerful story of Aminolabs."
Today, Aminolabs employs 260 employees across 2 sites, in Hasselt and in Bleckede, near Hamburg in Germany. 95% of the company’s production is destined for export, making it one of the leading players in Europe. Aminolabs achieved a record turnover of over 90 million euros in 2022. The ambition for the coming years is to grow steadily by 20 to 25 percent annually.
Aminolabs Timeline
- 1993 – Founded by Roger Anné on September 10, 1993
- 2007 – Relocation to Research Campus Hasselt
- 2015 – Entry of Waterland Private Equity
- 2020 – Spin-off of the functional nutrition bars business (EMPWR)
Aminolabs focuses on the production of powders, capsules, and tablets for various applications in sports nutrition and dietary supplements - 2022 – Revenue of over 90 million euros
95% export (Europe, UK, Middle East, US)
2 production facilities (Belgium and Germany)
260 Full-Time Employees
Also read the article about this management buyout in De Tijd here.