Britain's competition regulator has approved Danone's acquisition of Hertfordshire-based meal replacement company Huel, a deal valued at €1bn (£864m). The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed on 20 August 2026 that it had cleared the transaction following its review, according to the regulator's case page. The watchdog said the complete text of its ruling would be released in the coming days.
Huel was established in 2015 by Julian Hearn with the goal of creating nutritionally complete food that could cut down on meal preparation time while still delivering essential nutrients. Its debut product, a powder mixed into a shake, laid the foundation for a brand that has since broadened into ready meals, nutrition bars and plant-based health drinks.
Danone, the French food and beverage group that owns household names such as Aptamil, Cow & Gate, Activia, Actimel, Evian and Volvic, said the purchase would strengthen its position in the nutrition sector. For its part, Huel said joining Danone would support its ambitions for further growth and help accelerate its expansion into international markets.
When was the deal first announced, and how did the review unfold?
Danone and Huel first agreed terms on the acquisition in March 2026, a move Danone framed at the time as part of a wider strategy to expand into functional nutrition, according to Danone's own announcement. The CMA subsequently opened a preliminary inquiry into the merger on 15 July 2026 and had set 11 September 2026 as the deadline for deciding whether to refer the deal for a more detailed phase 2 investigation, according to a French financial news outlet. Clearing the deal ahead of that deadline means the CMA is satisfied the takeover can proceed in its current form without further scrutiny.
As part of its process, the CMA had invited comments from interested parties on whether the merger could reduce competition in the market. No such concerns were found sufficient to block or alter the transaction.
Will Huel's leadership and brand identity stay the same?
Huel's senior management, including chief executive James McMaster, is expected to remain in place following the takeover, according to a report from FoodBev. The same report indicates the acquisition is expected to complete in September 2026, subject to the remaining formalities of closing.
Dragons' Den star and podcaster Steven Bartlett previously served as a director of Huel, though he is no longer directly tied to the running of the company. Huel has also drawn scrutiny from Britain's advertising regulator, which has banned several of its adverts for containing misleading claims, including one that made inaccurate assertions about the cost savings of swapping regular meals for its shakes.
What happens next?
With CMA clearance secured, the transaction is on track to close in September 2026, according to FoodBev's reporting. The regulator has said it will publish the full reasoning behind its decision shortly, which should offer further detail on how it assessed the deal's impact on competition in the UK nutrition market.
Danone and Huel have both been approached for comment on the completed review.
