Actus Nutrition (“Actus”), a leading vertically-integrated manufacturer of nutritional ingredients and a portfolio company of the private equity firm Butterfly Equity (“Butterfly”), has announced the completion of a significant strategic move to bolster its production capabilities. Today, Actus finalized an agreement to acquire a 99,000-square-foot processing facility from Foremost Farms USA (“Foremost Farms”). The facility, located in Sparta, Wisconsin, is currently dedicated to the manufacturing of whey protein products, a key ingredient in the global nutrition and sports supplementation industries.
Under the terms of the agreement, Actus will continue whey protein production at the Sparta facility. In addition, the deal establishes a long-term, exclusive, network-wide partnership between Actus and Foremost Farms, with a particular focus on whey protein development and distribution. Both organizations see this collaboration as a catalyst for accelerated growth and innovation, positioning them to better serve an increasingly demanding market for high-quality protein products.
Immediate Integration and Future Investments
David Lenzmeier, Chief Executive Officer of Actus Nutrition, emphasized the importance of the acquisition in reinforcing Actus’ strategic objectives. “We’ll be able to hit the ground running because we can plug the Sparta facility into our existing manufacturing network without a lot of changes,” said Lenzmeier. “The facility provides immediate added capacity, which will enable us to better meet the insatiable global demand for whey protein, while simultaneously strengthening our ability to serve our existing customers with speed and reliability.”
Looking ahead, Actus has ambitious plans for the Sparta facility. The company intends to invest significant capital into the site to increase production capacity and enhance the facility’s capabilities. These upgrades will include the addition of advanced processing technologies, improved automation systems, and expanded research and development resources aimed at creating new and innovative whey protein products. These investments reflect Actus’ commitment to maintaining its competitive edge and leadership in the nutritional ingredient space.
Building on a Longstanding Relationship
The acquisition is also a natural extension of the longstanding relationship between Actus and Foremost Farms. Declan Roche, Chief Commercial Officer for Foremost Farms USA, highlighted the mutual benefits of the agreement. “Foremost Farms and Actus have a strong relationship that goes back many years, and this extends our partnership in new directions,” said Roche. “This scenario creates a win-win, enabling Foremost Farms to streamline its operations while continuing to maximize value for our cooperative members through a long-term strategic partner.”
Foremost Farms, one of the nation’s leading dairy cooperatives, sees the transaction as an opportunity to sharpen its focus on core business activities, while maintaining a strong and profitable partnership with Actus. The agreement ensures that Foremost Farms’ network of farmer-members continues to benefit from a stable and growing demand for their raw dairy inputs.
Commitment to Employees and Community
As part of its commitment to a smooth transition, Actus plans to extend offers of employment to the current active team members at the Sparta facility. Recognizing the value of their expertise and experience, Actus is eager to retain as many employees as possible to ensure continuity and to preserve the institutional knowledge that exists within the workforce.
Furthermore, additional hiring is anticipated to support future operational needs and the facility’s planned expansion. This presents a strong opportunity for the local community in Sparta and the surrounding region, with new jobs expected to be created as production scales up. Actus is committed to fostering a positive, inclusive, and growth-oriented working environment as it integrates the Sparta team into its broader organizational culture.
Expanding the Actus Footprint
The Sparta facility becomes Actus’ seventh manufacturing site in Wisconsin, underscoring the company’s significant and growing presence in the state. In addition to its Wisconsin operations, Actus also maintains production facilities in Minnesota, Nebraska, California, Idaho, and Illinois. This widespread network of manufacturing sites gives Actus the flexibility and resilience needed to respond rapidly to shifts in market demand and to efficiently service its customer base across North America and beyond.
The acquisition of the Sparta facility marks another important milestone in Actus’ ongoing growth strategy, which focuses on expanding production capabilities, deepening supply chain integration, and strengthening strategic partnerships to drive value across the entire nutritional ingredients sector.
Foremost Farms Focuses on Core Operations
Foremost Farms leadership expressed confidence that the sale would allow the cooperative to sharpen its operational focus. Joel Eigenbrood, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Foremost Farms USA, commented, “We are pleased that this sale will allow Foremost Farms to continue to focus on its core business.”
Eigenbrood also took the opportunity to thank the employees at the Sparta facility for their years of dedication and service. “We appreciate the contributions made by our Sparta employees and we look forward to working with Actus to create more value for our patron farmers,” he said. The cooperative remains committed to providing high-quality dairy products while ensuring long-term profitability and sustainability for its members.
