Nestle buys out yfood Labs founders in first acquisition for new CEO

June 3 (Reuters) - Nestle will fully acquire the smart food brand yfood Labs from its founders, a statement said on Wednesday, the first acquisition for the world's largest packaged food company under new CEO Philipp Navratil, who took charge in September.

* Nestle had already acquired a 49% stake in the Munich-based yfood in 2023

* The remaining shares held by the founders are expected to transfer to Nestle with effect from 3 July 2026

* yfood produces ready-to-drink meals with the slogan "THIS IS FOOD" in Germany and Europe, as well as powders and food bars

* Sales were approximately €150 million in 2025, representing double-digit year-on-year growth

* yfood is preparing the brand’s expansion into new markets beyond Europe

* The financial terms of the transaction will not be disclosed

* Switzerland-based Nestle beat first-quarter sales forecasts and stuck to its annual outlook in April, riding out the impact of the Iran war though it warned about the risk of higher energy and freight costs and a needed turnaround in a tough China market

(Writing by Matthias WilliamsEditing by Madeline Chambers)