Livekindly Collective to Acquire Dutch Meat-Free Player Dalco Food for $7.3M

Livekindly Collective has made yet another addition to its portfolio of meat alternative brands, agreeing to buy Hilton Food Group’s Dalco Food subsidiary for £5.4M ($7.3M).

US holding company Livekindly Collective has signed a £5.4M ($7.3M) deal to take over Dalco Food, a 51-year-old Dutch meat-free manufacturer owned by Hilton Food Group since 2021.

The transaction is subject to customary closing deliverables and applicable consultation processes, and marks Livekindly Collective’s second acquisition in a month, following its agreement to buy German plant-based meat maker Greenforce earlier in July.

“Our brands are how we lead – but making plant-based eating the new norm means reaching people wherever they shop and eat,” said Livekindly Collective CEO David Suarez.

“Dalco would strengthen our ability to do both: building brands consumers love and partnering with retailers and customers to grow the whole category.”

Dalco Food’s B2B and private-label capabilities in the spotlight

Founded in 1975 by the Wagemakers family, Dalco Food supplies vegan and vegetarian meat alternatives to retailers, foodservice operators, and B2B consumers (including private-label brands) across a variety of formats.

While operating under family ownership for much of its history, the business entered a new era in 2019, when UK-based Hilton Food Group acquired a 50% stake. Two years later, it took over the remaining 50% of Dalco Food.

Now, however, the latter is being transferred to a fully plant-based owner, joining Livekindly Collective’s growing portfolio of consumer-facing and B2B brands, such as Oumph, Like and Fry’s.

“Dalco’s established position in B2B and private label, its customer relationships, and R&D capability will strengthen our ability to serve customers, accelerate innovation and continue building a world-class platform for sustainable growth,” said Suarez.

The transaction comes as Hilton Food Group pivots its investments towards its core meat and fresh prepared food divisions and seeks to improve performance and maximise value from its meat-free business.

The London Stock Exchange-listed company saw profits fall in 2025, and has previously warned of continued sales pressure thanks to rising beef and fish prices. Dalco Food made an adjusted operating loss of around £2M ($2.7M) in the first half of the year, which is set to be reported as a “loss from discontinued operations” in Hilton Food Group’s upcoming earnings.

Livekindly Collective to scale up development and manufacturing amid M&A spree

The transaction is the latest example of rampant consolidation in the alternative protein category, where over 80 companies have been acquired, merged, fallen into insolvency, or shut down since September 2024. In the last couple of months, NotCo’s Argentinian and Uruguayan business, Bobeldijk Food Group, NovoNutrients, and BettaF!sh were all snapped up by other players.

According to Livekindly Collective, the acquisition will bolster its strategy of building a brand-led plant-based food business with a scalable manufacturing platform, enabling it to grow consumer demand while supporting retailers and B2B clients with “complementary capabilities, expertise and scale”.

The company’s retail brands, which also include No Meat, Dutch Weedburger, and Alpha Foods, are present in more than 40 markets. And its younger foodservice arm ships to 19 countries across five continents, serving over 40 customers with both private-label and branded products.

These are supported by its three pure-play factories in Oss (Netherlands), Stora Levene (Sweden), and Pinetown (South Africa), each of which contributes to “distinct strengths, technologies and expertise”.

Bringing in Dalco’s strong manufacturing footprint, deep customer relationships, and proven R&D capability would help Livekindly Collective scale up its capacity, expand innovation and product development, strengthen customer relationships, and broaden its technical and operational expertise.

The holding company hit its first month of profitability last September, when it recorded a 15% increase in year-on-year sales, on the back of single-digit year-on-year growth in the first half of 2025. Its B2B business has also witnessed major increases, and the company has projected a further 200% uptick for 2026.

Speaking to Green Queen in November, Suarez highlighted “profitable growth” as Livekindly Collective’s priority for 2026: “Profitability gives us the confidence and stability to expand where it makes sense, whether that means new markets, channels, or products.”