Splenda owner Heartland to acquire Equal, Whole Earth, Swerve brands
Why this matters for convenience services operators
- The brands affected by the acquisition are heavily associated with packets and tabletop use — core to office coffee and pantry programs where waste control, consistency and speed matter.
- Heartland specifically called out foodservice, beverage and business-to-business channels in announcing the acquisition. This could mean refreshed point-of-use messaging and bundle programs operators can deploy quickly.
- Brand consolidation in sugar-reduction products could simplify sourcing for operators that buy across multiple sweetener formats and channels.
- Heartland is explicitly tying growth to foodservice, beverage and business-to-business channels — areas that overlap with convenience services demand for portion control and consistency.
- The company is signaling more activity in natural and plant-based sweeteners, including stevia-linked initiatives, which mirrors ongoing consumer interest in “better-for-you” choices.
Heartland Food Products Group, owner and manufacturer of the Splenda brand, has inked an agreement to acquire the Americas business of Whole Earth Brands Inc. The deal includes the Equal, Whole Earth, Swerve and Chuker sweetener brands across North America and Latin America, according to Heartland. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Heartland said the acquisition brings multiple recognized sweetener brands under one organization and expands its sweetener offerings across channels, including foodservice, beverage, retail and business-to-business sales.
Ted Gelov, Heartland’s chairman and CEO, said the combination of Equal, Whole Earth and Splenda creates a larger platform for sugar-reduction products and wellness-focused innovation. ”Equal is one of the most iconic brands in the history of the sweetener category, while Whole Earth has established a strong position in plant-based and natural sweetener solutions. Together with Splenda, these brands create an unparalleled platform to lead the future of sugar reduction and wellness-focused innovation,” he said in a release.
With the acquisition, Heartland expects to expand its scale and capabilities across food service, retail, e-commerce, ingredient solutions and international markets, the company said, supported by its manufacturing network, research and development, and distribution platform.
The company also said the deal aligns with its investments in other sweetener technologies and domestic ingredient supply chains, including U.S.-grown stevia initiatives.